Julie Clark
Posted:
Cookie Dough Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
If you love chocolate chip cookies, this chocolate chip cookie dough cake is the cake of your dreams. Homemade chocolate cake with chocolate and cookie dough buttercream frostings.
When you think of chocolate cake, you may go to old fashioned favorites such as mayonnaise cake or peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting. Chocolate Sheet Cake is a classic, but today I’m introducing a fun new cake recipe with this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake.
This cake tastes classic chocolate flavor and puts a new chocolate chip cookie twist on it. All of you cookie dough lovers? You’ll crumble for this cookie cake!
About this Cookie Dough Cake Recipe:
100% from scratch, this cookie dough layer cake has two fluffy chocolate cake layers and is stuffed inside and out with homemade chocolate buttercream and a simple edible cookie dough filling.
No special decorating skills needed. You’ll simply make dollops of this cookie dough icing, then top with your favorite chocolate chip cookies!
Tips for the Homemade Chocolate Cake:
If you haven’t yet found the perfect homemade chocolate cake, this is the perfect cake to try. This from scratch cake is no fail. We use it not only for this cookie dough cake, but for our Reese’s cake, Snickers cake and Almond Joy cake…it works beautifully every time!
Here are a 4 tips for when you make it:
- Use all-purpose flour. There is no need for cake flour in this recipe.
- Mix the dry ingredients separately before adding into the wet ingredients. This prevents over mixing and ensures all of the ingredients get well combined.
- Use buttermilk. Use a good, high-fat buttermilk, or make your own with 1 cup of whole milk and a teaspoon of vinegar.
- Add strong coffee. Now many of you won’t want to do this step, but we highly, highly recommend it. The cake does not taste like coffee. The coffee only enhances the flavor of the chocolate. You can use instant coffee or espresso powder if you don’t keep coffee beans on hand.
shortcut
For a shortcut, use a box cake mix. But I promise, this chocolate cake is easy and I hope you give it a try, but if you have a box cake mix to use, this cookie dough cake is the place to use it. 😋
Homemade Chocolate Frosting
This chocolate frosting has been voted the BEST by many cake lovers in our lives. It will melt in your mouth and is the perfect topping to our cookie dough cake.
The key to the perfect homemade frosting is to make sure you use room temperature butter. Not melted. Just soft.
Two tips:
- Cream this butter for 2 minutes before adding in your other ingredients.
- Add the heavy cream slowly so the frosting doesn’t get too runny too fast. Start with 2 tablespoons, then add in the last 2-3 tablespoons one at a time if needed until the buttercream spreads nicely.
about the butter
We use salted butter and still add the ½ teaspoon salt. This salt really cuts down on the sweet flavor of the frosting making it rich and delicious. You can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
Cookie Dough Frosting
Make the cookie dough frosting similarly to how you make the chocolate buttercream. Cream the room temperature butter, then add in the other ingredients (again, go slow on adding the cream).
bake the flour
Because you’re making a frosting with flour, you’ll need to bake the flour to kill any possible bacteria. Simply spread the flour on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes. Allow the flour to cool and continue on with your recipe.
Assembling the Cake
- Assemble the cookie dough cake by placing the first cake layer on a plate.
- Frost the top with some of the cookie dough frosting.
- Place the second cake layer on top.
- Then frost the entire outside of the cake with the chocolate buttercream.
- Place the remaining cookie dough frosting in a piping bag without a tip, or snip the corner off a Ziploc bag and filling it with frosting. Squeeze dollops of frosting around the top outside of the cake and along the bottom as well.
- Decorate the inside top with chopped cookies.
Storage
- Room temperature: This cookie dough cake is safe to store at room temperature for 2-3 days. You don’t have to cover the cake before it is cut. The frosting will seal the cake and keep it fresh.
- Fridge storage: If you’d like to keep the cake longer than 2 days, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezer storage: This cake freezes well. Cut the cake into slices, then wrap once in plastic wrap, then again in foil or place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 8 weeks.
- Thawing instructions: When you are ready to defrost the cake, allow it to come to room temperature before you unwrap the cake. This will help seal in the freshness.
Other Cookie Dough Recipes
Cookie Dough Cake
If you love chocolate chip cookies, this chocolate chip cookie dough cake is the cake of your dreams. Homemade chocolate cake with chocolate and cookie dough buttercream frostings.
Servings 15
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
For the chocolate buttercream:
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
For the cookie dough frosting:
- 12 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour*
- 1 1/2 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 2 round 9-inch cake pans.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well.
- In a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer), mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla together until combined.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture while the mixer is on low and mix until combined.
- Add the coffee and mix until everything is well mixed, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. The cake batter will be very thin.
- Divide batter between the prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. While the cakes are cooling, make the frostings.
Make the chocolate buttercream:
- In a stand mixer with the beater blade, beat the butter for 1-2 minutes until it is smooth, creamy and nearly white in appearance.
- Add in the salt and vanilla. Mix until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
- Add the heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time, mixing slowly until it is the consistency that you'd like. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Make the cookie dough frosting:
- Cream together the butter and sugars in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the flour* (see note!), milk and vanilla and beat on high until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Assemble the cake:
- Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Frost the top of the first cake with the cookie dough frosting.
- Then layer the other half of the cake on top. Frost the outside of the entire cake using an offset spatula with the chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Place remaining cookie dough frosting in a piping bag or Ziploc bag (with on tip cut off). Pipe dollops of frosting the bottom edge and top edge, or as desired. Top with chocolate chip cookie crumbles.
Video
Notes
*To make raw cookie dough frosting, place the raw flour on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes. Allow the flour to cool and use as directed in the recipe.
*You can use 8-inch cake pans instead if you’d like. They may take a minute or two longer to bake
*Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. For less calories, use less frosting. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 677kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 795IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg
Can I leave the cocoa out mid I just want a chocolate chip cake ?
Can I use boiling water in place of coffee and can I use milk in place of buttermilk? I also want to know if I can make cupcakes using this recipe. How many cupcakes would this make? If I make cupcakes, can I use the cookie dough frosting for the filling?
I can’t believe you GAVE this cake away! But I do know what you mean. We can’t eat everything I make either – just can’t get thru it all and I give stuff away. But this cake is so beautiful!
This looks delicious! What could I use in place of the coffee?
to say i am wild over this would be a HUGE understatement! beyooooooooooooond fabulous!