Happy Saturday! I sooo meant to share a new cake with you yesterday, but we started our new homeschool year this past week and I had some orders and well... it just got hectic!
So, as several of you requested on Facebook, I thought today I'd share the recipe for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake!
A couple of weeks ago I went on the search for a recipe for a cake like this for my sister-in-law's birthday. I wanted something new to bake for her, and since she loves cookie dough, this seemed like a perfect cake!
To get you started, you're going to want to bake up your favorite chocolate chip cookies.
If you don't have a favorite - try my recipe for our favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies here. I made tiny little cookies to use as decorations.
Now, for the cake... you could easily use an easy (doctored cake mix) butter cake recipe or yellow cake... and even add in chocolate chips if you like. But for this cake, I decided to go all out and bake from scratch! And it was soooo worth it!
This cake was moist and yummy... and it actually tasted like a cookie. I think the brown sugar in the recipe did the trick!
Oooh, one more thing. The recipe is for two (2) 8" or 9" pan layers. Since this cake was going to my sis-in-law Ariel, and it's just her and her hubby... I baked 2 cakes (from one recipe). One set of 6" round layers (so I could cut and take pics) and one set of 7" round layers (for Ariel).
The 6" layers weren't very tall, but it worked out perfectly for me to be able to taste-test and cut and take pics and all that fun stuff!
Did I miss any details about this cake? Do you have any questions? Please leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer and help out!
So without further delay... here's my {suggested} recipe for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake:
PrintRecipe
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 sticks salted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temp
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 ⅔ cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 cup milk
Filling:
- 4 Tbsp salted butter, at room
- 6 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon flour
- 7 oz (½ can) sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Frosting:
- 1 Batch of Brown Sugar Buttercream
Garnish
- 1 Batch of Fresh Chocolate Chip Cookies, bake them small... and eat the extras! 🙂
Instructions
For the cookies and frosting, please follow the directions at the links above.
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter - beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Let me pause here to say I have no idea why that's important.. alternating adding it in, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients... but I did it anyway, just in case it mattered!
- Okay, on with the cake. Divide the batter between (2) prepared 8 or 9 inch pans. I prepare my pans with homemade cake release, FYI. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, flip out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
For the filling:
- Cream together the butter and brown sugar for about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla, then flour, and then the sweetened condensed milk. Resist the urge to eat the rest of the condensed milk with a spoon! Gently stir in the mini chocolate chips. Now at this point, you could just spread this on one layer of the cake and spread it out, then put on the top layer - but this filling is a bit squishy and I was afraid it would run out the sides, so I made a dam of frosting on the edges (like here) and then filled in the middle!
- Frost the cake and then used the cookies and/or chocolate chips to make it pretty! Enjoy!!
Terry Carter
Man, I would have to buy flour to make this cake. I'm only 47, I've never bought flour before. lol. I have a much easier plan to get this cake. I can divorce my husband and marry your brother. My birthday is in April though. Heck, I guess I'll just have to buy flour. 🙂 It looks absolutely delicious.
Rose
I don't think I could've imagined that any 47 year old woman existed that's NEVER bought flour!! But if you're gonna buy it for any cake in the world... let it be this one !! 🙂
Krista @Everyday Mom's Meals
OH MY FLIPPIN' HECK!!! This looks absolutely divine! I am drooling! Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Love seeing new faces. Have a blessed week & come back soon !
Rose
HaHa! You made me laugh out loud! Thanks for stopping by and I hope to link up again soon!
grace
there's no getting around it--this is a phenomenal idea and i must try it for myself. nice execution!
Lisa F.
Oh definitely making! It had me at the luscious frosting! And I'm sending some cupcakes to my daughter in Alaska for her birthday next weekend! Thank you so much I'm sure her other army buddies will be happy to receive a goody box to celebrate her birthday!
Rose
🙂 This cake is so good - I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!! And I LOVE to send goodies to military groups - so much fun and it's such a blessing!
Angelica
Just wondering, what other types of frosting will do? Can I use just a good ol' fashioned vanilla icing made from powdered sugar, vanilla, milk and butter?
Rose
I'm sure vanilla icing would be good... just try it and see!
Christy
I had this at a friend's birthday party back in November. I immediately asked her for the recipe, and she directed me here. It is soooooooo good. It is a labor of love though. I told my husband if I ever make it again, that it would mean I truly love him. I'm drooling right now just thinking about how good it was. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!!
Rose
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! And yes... it's a labor of love, but the reward is worth it 🙂
Bonnie
I made this today for my daughters bd... Oh my it's just like cookie dough... Thank you
Rose
You're very welcome!!
Catherine
How would the buttercream taste with this recipe. I am making it for my graduation cake and doing decorations with icing for the topping. I need a icing like the crusting buttercream that can stand up to the task!
Rose
I think it would be great! Sort of like those chocolate chip cookies you get at the mall with frosting on them.... yum!!!
shawn
i am making this as cupcakes and the cake is really good! i subbed unsweetened applesauce for two of the sticks of butter and reduced the milk a bit. when i made the filling, i found it very thick and added more sweetened condensed milk. it's delicious!
April
Hi there. Love this cake! I want to make it for my daughter's b-day. We will be on vacation during that time. Can I make some or all of the components of this cake ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate them, then just assemble it the day before her b-day? Any helpful advice is appreciated.
Thanks, April
Rose
Hmmm, I'm just not sure! Theoretically, you could bake the layers and freeze them, make the frosting and filling and just keep them refrigerated, then assemble it all when ready. However, I've never tried it with this recipe - so you'd be venturing into the unknown 😉
April
Okay, I am going to try to freeze the layers and the icing. What about the cookies? Some baked cookies freeze really well, while others crumble. Do you ever freeze your choc. chip cookies?
Rose
I've frozen the raw dough, but never the baked cookies!! They never last that long around here 🙂
April
Great! I'll freeze the dough and bake them while assembling the cake. I will let you know how it all works out in a couple of weeks when we return from our trip. Thanks for your help!
April
Hi Rose. One more question for you...what icing tip did you use to make the border of "dollops" on the top of the cake? Thanks again for your help.
April
Rose
I don't remember exactly which one, but it was a large open star tip from the Ateco Large Tube set (click here to see).
April
Thanks so much, Rose, for our quick response to my questions. The entire family is excited about this cake to celebrate my daughter's 13th b-day! I use Wilton tips for my decorating. I think I need a bigger open star tip than the one I have. Oh darn, a reason to buy yet another icing tip...my husband will be thrilled! Thanks again for the advice.
April
April
Hi Rose. The cake was a success! The entire family raved over it! My daughter loved it! My brother helped himself to a huge piece for breakfast the next day. My sister requested it for her b-day next year. You are so kind to share this recipe with the world. It is the best cake I have every had!
Fionavar
For the brown sugar would you reccomend a light golden sugar or a darker brown sugar? Thanks 🙂
Rose
I use light brown sugar but either would probably be fine!
Adrian
Hi rose! I am making this cake today, and the filling is super thick. I followed all measurements, but I am just wondering if it will soften up at all?
Rose
The filling is supposed to have the texture of raw cookie dough - so it is pretty heavy!
Tiffany
I just baked this cake and prepped my filling, I find that's it's almost too thick to spread, did I not add enough condensed milk?
What could I add to make it a little bit creamier, and more spreadable?
Rose
Yes, it's thick just like cookie dough. I usually spoon it on and then spread it with the back of the spoon. However, you could add more condensed milk or even heavy cream to thin it if you like. Either way, it'll be fantastic!
Tiffany
Thank you for your quick response!
Lindsay
Hi! Do you think that it would work if I made the cake with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup brown sugar instead of 1 1/2 cups brown sugar? Thanks!
Rose
My guess would be probably so, but having never done it, I can't promise 🙂
Lindsay
Okay thank you! I decided to make it as directed this time but I will try it with the combo of sugars next time. Thanks for replying so quick! 🙂
kim
how do you convert the recipe from 9 or 8 inch cakes to 6 inch recipe can you pls let me know
Larry Watson
First of all I am 58 and like to bake cakes and cupcakes, the only problem I have with recipes on line or else where is they may say flour, but here is the buck stops there are different kinds of flour out there, to make it easier for some of us is when putting these recipes on the net please make it clear if the recipe calls for cake flour or all purpose, this would make things easier for some of us who are not pro's.
Fid
hi, is the brown sugar packed when measured?? or do you have the measurement in grams?? that'd be so much easier
Rose
Sorry - here in the states not many people use grams. I do pack the brown sugar. Hope that helps!
Catherine G
DO you think this recipe would taste good with the vanilla crusted butter cream? I need to have a icing that can stand up to decoration and also color. I do not want to take away from the taste of the cake by putting a different icing.
Rose
Yes!! It would be fantastic - like those chocolate chip cookies at the mall with frosting! 😀
Kimberly Mullen
Rose,
Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe. I made this for my mother's birthday and jazzed it up a bit. I put caramel filled chocolate chips iin the batter and put a layer of ice cream over the filling. I filled an 8 inch pan halfway with softened ice cream then refroze it. It fit perfectly in the middle of the 9 inch layers of cake.
Rose Atwater
Ohmygoodnes... that sounds amazing!! Thank you for commenting! xx
Denise
for cookie dough is it AP flour of self rise
Rose Atwater
Either is fine for the filling, since it's no-bake, but I think I used all-purpose.
Nikki
This cake looks delicious! Would it be sturdy enough for fondant?
Rose Atwater
Yes! I've used it before for a fondant covered cake order 🙂
sahana
Wow, your cake looks amazing. Thank you for sharing your tips with us at #HomeMattersParty. We would love to have you again this week.
Emily
My kids love all things cookie dough so I'm sure this will be a big hit at my house!
Angela
Is the flour for the cake, cake flour or all purpose? I'm planning to make this for my son's 13th birthday on Friday. He loves brown sugar and cookie dough so this is a match for him!
Rose
All purpose.
melissa
LOOKS DELISH! Thinking about making it for my fiancé's birthday.
May I ask why salted butter is used in the recipe, as opposed to unsalted? I read that when baking, it's best to use unsalted b/c different brands of butter have different salt contents, so you never can be quite sure how that will affect the taste (as opposed to using unsalted butter & adding X amount of salt). Also, what brand of salted butter do you typically use?
Thanks!
Susan
Hi Melissa, thanks for stopping by the blog. Rose and I use salted butter because it has enough for our tastes. It's a matter of taste and preference, so it's completely fine to use unsalted and add your own salt, or see if the salted butter is good enough for the recipe as is. I use the Walmart brand, "Great Value," which I believe Rose does as well.
melissa
Hi there! I made this cake last fall and loved it! I want to make cupcakes (standard size) from this same recipe, would there need to be any changes? Thanks!
Bethanie Joy Coleman
I would love to try this recipe as cupcakes for a bridal shower in May. Do you think it can be easily converted? If so what would you recommend for bake time etc?
Rose
Oh yeah! I actually have a couple of versions on the blog here and here.
Whitney Harman
Just made the cake and it’s delicious!!! Definitely a keeper! Do you refrigerate the cake due to the cream cheese in the frosting? My husband likes his cake at room temperature, so I was just curious if it needs to be refrigerated due to the buttercream. Thank you! Love your cakes!
Rose
I'm not a food scientist , but in my experience, there's enough sugar in the frosting to preserve the cream cheese and cause no harm. If you're at all worried about it, you could refrigerate the cake, then bring it out abou half an hour before you're ready to serve.
Felisha Muniz
Hi Rose! I'm planning to bake a chocolate chip cake with your recipe and the brown sugar cookie dough frosting for my son's birthday. I wanted to know if the frosting would take on a cookie monster blue color. Which type of food dye or coloring would you recommend?
Also, does this cake freeze well? If so, how long? Last question, does your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough freeze well too?
Rose
I can't say for certain, but I think it would take that color just fine. I recommend Americolor Royal Blue and/or Electric Blue. It would freeze well for at least 2-3 weeks if wrapped thoroughly with plastic wrap. Yes, the cookie dough freezes well!
Joey Murray
This is the best cake ever! I get requests at work all the time for it, and I make it every chance I get. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Kathy Murray
Do you pasteurize the flour in the filling?
Rose Atwater
No