Julie Clark
Posted: Updated:
Chocolate Chip 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.
When you think of chocolate cake, you may go to old fashioned favorites such as mayonnaise cake or chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.
You probably wouldn’t think to turn to a chocolate tres leches cake…or this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake.
This cake tastes classic chocolate flavor and puts a new cookie twist on it. And I think you’ll love it.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake
100% from scratch, this chocolate chip cookie dough cake has two fluffy chocolate layers and is stuffed inside and out with homemade chocolate buttercream and a simple cookie dough frosting that tastes just like your favorite cookie.
No special decorating skills needed. Simply use a Ziploc baggie or decorating bag and make dollops of this mini-chocolate chip studded frosting. Top with your favorite cookie!
Let’s learn how to make this cake.
Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
If you haven’t yet found the perfect homemade chocolate cake, this is it. This from scratch cake is no fail…it works beautifully every time! Here are a few hints 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. We prefer to buy store bought buttermilk. It’s thick and rich. If you don’t have any you can follow the directions on this buttermilk cake for a buttermilk substitute.
- 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 if you’d like.
- This cake makes 2 9″ layer cakes. If you’d like, you can use 7″ or 8″ pans and make 3 thinner layers.
Homemade Chocolate Frosting
This chocolate frosting has been voted the BEST. It will melt in your mouth!
The key to the perfect homemade frosting is to make sure you use room temperature butter. Not melted. Just soft. Cream this butter well 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.
**Pro Tip: 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’d like.**
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 the milk).
How can you make raw flour safe to eat?
If you’re worried about eating raw flour, simply spread the flour on a silpat and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Allow the flour to cool and continue on with your recipe.
Piping Frosting on Cake
For most of this cake, you can use a knife or spatula to spread the frosting. We had just a little bit of cookie dough frosting leftover so piped dots around the top edge of the cake.
To do this, we used a disposable frosting bag without a tip. You can get the same effect by snipping the corner off a Ziploc bag and filling it with frosting.
No special decorating skills needed!
Crumble chocolate chip cookies on the top for a pretty look…and a little crunch.
How do you store cake?
This 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.
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.
Can you freeze cake?
Yes! This cake freezes well. We cut the cake into slices before freezing and make sure the cake is well sealed. 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.
**Note…if you put cookies on top of the cake, there is a chance they may become soggy after freezing.**
Tools to Make This Cake
- Stand Mixer: A hand mixer will work, but I always find it easier to make frostings with a stand mixer.
- Cocoa Powder: We love this raw cacao powder for baking. A guilt-free superfood.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, use this dry buttermilk powder. It keeps longer!
- Beater Blade with Scraper: The best invention ever!
- 9” Round Cake Pans: These are our favorite cake pans.
- Straight Icing Spatula: The long straight spatula makes it easy to smooth frosting.
- Wire Cooling Racks: This will help your cakes cool more quickly.
- Cake Plate: I have this cake plate and everyone loves it! It comes with the cute server too.
Other Layer Cake Recipes
Chocolate Chip 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 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer 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
- 1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee
Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 cup 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
Cookie Dough Frosting:
- 12 tablespoon butter
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Cookies, for decorating the top, optional
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 round 9-inch cake pans.
- Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Mix well.
- In a stand mixer, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla together until combined.
- Slowly add in the mix of dry ingredients 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. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 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 cooling rack. While the cakes are cooling, make your frostings.
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.
Cookie Dough Frosting:
- Cream together the butter and sugars in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the flour (see notes), milk and vanilla and beat on high until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Now it's time to put together your 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 cake with the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.
- Pipe dollops along the bottom edge and top with the leftover Cookie Dough Frosting and/or decorate as desired. Top with a chocolate chip cookie!
Video
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake (all of the frosting used on the cake). 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.**
If you're worried about eating raw flour, simply spread the flour on a silpat and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Allow the flour to cool and continue on with your recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 677kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 605mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2.1mg
This recipe was originally featured on Tastes of Lizzy T
This cake was delicious! So light & fluffy & flavorful. And I was a big fan of the 2 frostings. 🙂 Thank you, ladies for the recipe! It was perfect for my birthday. ♥
Also…I’ve just recently become obsessed with baking cakes and am so pleased to have discovered your site!
Lush