Cookie Dough Cake

Instructions

Cookie Dough Cake Filling

1. Make the cookie dough cake filling first. I like to make it a day or two before I make the rest of the cake to break up the work.
2. Cream together 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter and 2 1/4 cups light brown sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer and paddle attachment. Mix on a medium-high speed for 1 minute. The mixture should become a bit lighter in color as air is incorporated into the mixture.
3. Add in 2 Tbsp heavy cream, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp salt. Mix on a low speed until combined.
4. Mix in 2 1/4 cups of heat treated flour on a medium-low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
5. Pour in 1 cup mini chocolate chips, 1/2 cup mini white chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles. Mix on a low speed until the mix-ins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
6. Line two, 7-inch or 6-inch pans with plastic wrap and shape two cookie disks in each pan. You can use 8-inch cake pans, but cookie dough disks will stick out a little bit past the cake layers when you try to assemble the cake. Cake layers contract a bit once they're baked, and this can make the cake difficult to frost.
7. Use about 1/3 of the cookie dough to make each disc. Place the cookie dough disks into the fridge to firm up. Once they're firm to the touch, you can pull the discs out of the pan and place them back in the fridge to save space in your fridge. If you don't want to make discs, you can sprinkle bits of cookie dough between the cake layers.
8. Use the remaining cookie dough to create cookie dough balls in a variety of sizes ranging from 1/4-inch to 1-inch to decorate the top of the cake. Roll some of the smaller cookie dough balls in sprinkles until they're fully coated. Place them in an airtight container and set aside. If you're making these in advance, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Cookie Dough Cake Layers

1. Next, make the cookie dough cake layers. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line 3, 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick cooking spray. You can also use this recipe to make 4, 6-inch cake layers but the bake time will be a few minutes longer. If you don't have enough cake pans, the batter can sit at room temperature for a few hours. Bake as many layers as you can at a time.
2. Mix 3 cups all purpose flour, 3 cups granulated sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer until fully combined.
3. Mix 1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter into the dry ingredients on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.
4. Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of sour cream on a low speed.
5. Add in 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and 1 tsp of vanilla extract and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated.
6. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat on a medium speed for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is properly mixed together. This also helps lighten the texture of the cake layers a bit.
7. Fold 3/4 cup of flour-dusted mini chocolate chips into the cake batter.
8. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 34-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
9. Place the cake pans into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans, and remove the layers from the pans.
10. These layers bake up pretty flat, so leveling them is optional! If you want to level them, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. If you make these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting

1. While the cake layers bake and cool, make the brown sugar buttercream frosting. Make sure that you use a fresh, soft bag of brown sugar to prevent any hard lumps of brown sugar in the buttercream.
2. Add 2 cups of unsalted butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp salt into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a medium-high speed for 2 minutes with a stand mixer and paddle attachment or hand mixer. Then let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to give the brown sugar time to dissolve.
3. Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream on a low speed.
4. Continue to mix on a low speed for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
5. Place the buttercream in a large plastic piping bag and seal the top with a rubber band. Cut a 1-inch opening at the base of the bag, then set aside.

Assembling This Cookie Dough Cake

1. Stack and frost the cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or a flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
2. Spread a layer of frosting on top of each cake layer, then add a cookie dough disc on top of the frosting. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the cookie dough disc, then repeat with the next cake layer. Place the top cake layer upside down to make the cake easier to frost.
3. Cover the cake in a thin coat of frosting that fully covers the cake layers. Smooth the frosting using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
4. Cover the chilled cake with a second, thicker layer of buttercream. Smooth using a bench scraper and offset spatula. Don't worry about getting it perfectly smooth, it'll be covered up with the next step.
5. Place the cake in a large, rimmed baking sheet, then gently press sprinkles and mini chocolate chips into the frosting around the cake. Chill the cake one more time in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.

Chocolate Ganache Drips

1. While the cake chills, make the chocolate ganache.
2. Heat 1/3 cup of heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until it's just beginning to bubble. Gently pour 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the heavy cream, making sure they are fully covered with cream. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute.
3. Stir until the cream and chocolate are combined and smooth. If the mixture seems too thin or thick, you can add a touch more chocolate chips or heavy cream. The type of cream and chocolate that you use can affect the consistency, along with the temperature of the ganache. Feel free to adjust as needed.

Decorating This Cookie Dough Cake

1. Let the chocolate ganache sit for about 5 minutes, then pour it on top of the cake and spread it around with a small offset spatula. Carefully push the ganache towards the edge of the cake and let it run over to create the drips. You can also use a squirt bottle or spoon to add on the drips.
2. Once you're happy with the drips, chill the cake one final time in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes). I promise this is the last time!! This helps the ganache set and will prevent the cookie dough balls from sliding off the cake.
3. Place the cookie dough balls in a ring around the top of the cake, then enjoy! If you're making this cake in advance, it can sit at room temperature for up to a day or be stored in the fridge for up to a week.