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4.92 from 23 votes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Inspired by the Sprinkles Cookie Cupcake, I've created my new Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with layers of dark chocolate cookie crust, tender yellow chocolate chip cake, silky brown sugar frosting and dusted in chocolate chip cookie crumbs.
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time30 mins
Inactive Time30 mins
Total Time2 hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Cake
Keyword: brown sugar buttercream, brown sugar frosting, Chocolate Chip, chocolate chip cookie cake, Yellow Cake
Servings: 1 3-layer, 8-inch round cake
Author: Courtney Rich

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

  • 1 1/3 cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups (157.3 g) dark cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoons (6 g) salt
  • 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CAKE

  • 3 cups (345 g) cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (72.6 g) canola oil
  • 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon (13 g) clear vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) butter extract
  • 1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 cup (150 g) mini chocolate chips, dusted in 1 tablespoon flour

FOR THE BROWN SUGAR SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

  • 2 cup (400 g) brown sugar
  • 7 egg whites
  • 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
  • *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE GARNISH

  • Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Instructions

For the Crust

  • Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
  • Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and paddle on low speed until mixed.
  • Add the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture starts to come together in small clusters.
  • Spread 8 ounces of the chocolate crumbs on the parchment in each the three 8-inch cake pans. Using the back of a spoon, push the crumbs together to form a crust. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Let the crust cool a bit while you make the yellow cake. 

For the Cake

  • While the chocolate cookie crust is cooling, turn your oven to 325 degrees F.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, oil, and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  • Turn the mixer to medium-low and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Add the extracts. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and mix for an addition 2 to 3 minutes, until the texture is smooth and the color is light.
  • With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir just until the flour is combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • In a small bowl, combine the mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps to coat the chocolate chips so they don't sink to the bottom of the cake.
  • Fold the chocolate chips into the cake batter.
  • Evenly distribute the cake batter in the pans on top of cookie crust.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with only just a few crumbs on it.
  • Cool the cakes on wire racks for about 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cakes onto cooking racks to cool completely. If you don't plan to stack and decorate the cake right away, wrap each layer in plastic wrap or tin foil and freeze. 

For the Buttercream

  • In a medium sauce pan, heat 2 to 3 inches of water over medium-high heat until simmering.
  • Using a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, whip sugar and egg whites on medium-high until foamy.
  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and place over the saucepan to create a double boiler. Do not let the bowl touch the water. Pour out some water, if necessary.
  • Heat the mixture to 160-170 degrees F, stirring occasionally.
  • Carefully transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer. Whip the mixture on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until stiff peaks form and the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm to the touch.
  • Change the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the butter, a couple tablespoons at a time. Once incorporated, add the vanilla.
  • With the mixer on medium-high speed, beat the btutercream for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl at least twice during the process. The texture should be silky-smooth

Assembly

  • Spread a small dollop of buttercream on your cake board. Place the first cake layer on the board, with the chocolate cookie crust on the bottom.
  • Spread about 3/4 cup of the brown sugar buttercream on top of the cake layer. Make sure to get eye level with the cake to ensure it is level.
  • Sprinkle three crushed chocolate chip cookies (big chunks of cookie are ok!) on the frosting and tap them with your fingers to gently set them into the frosting.
  • Place the second cake layer, chocolate cookie crust on the bottom, on top of the buttercream and cookie crumbs. Repeat step 2 and 3.
  • Place the final cake layer, chocolate cookie crust on the bottom, on top of the second layer of buttercream and cookie crumbs.
  • Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the entire cake to lock in any crumbs. This is called the crumb coat. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes to ensure the crumbs get locked into this coat of buttercream. After the buttercream is set, continue to frost the cake. I used about 16 cookies to pulse in my blender to get find crumbs for the outside of my cake.