Combine classic chocolate cake with your favorite guilty pleasure in this Cookie Dough Cake!
You’re going to think I’m crazy. Most of my friends and family already do, so I may as well let the cat out of the bag… I hate the way this Cookie Dough Cake turned out. Flavor-wise, it’s perfect; aesthetically, not so much. This is not what it was supposed to look like! Or rather, it was supposed to be less messy looking. You’re rolling your eyes at me already, I can tell. That’s ok, I fully embrace my craziness.
I’d been wanting to do a cookie dough frosting for some time now, and thought it would pair perfectly with my chocolate cake recipe. If you haven’t tried this chocolate cake, you need to.
It’s a really easy recipe and makes the fudgiest cake. I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for the frosting, except I swapped out the eggs for milk, heat-treated the flour, and left out the baking soda. I use the term “frosting” lightly. It’s basically cookie dough whipped into oblivion. You could add more milk to make it even lighter if you prefer.
Ok, so my plan was always to do a naked cake, so that the cookie dough frosting would contrast nicely with the dark chocolatey layers. That went mostly ok, except the cookie dough was a bit difficult to spread evenly due to the chocolate chips. Thank goodness I didn’t use the full 2 cups of chocolate chips in the original recipe!!
If you used mini-chocolate chips this would be less of an issue. It wasn’t really an issue, but as you know I’m a perfectionist and those layers better be perfectly even and flat! Anyhow…
Frosting this Cookie Dough Cake was pretty straightforward, except for my spatula getting snagged on the chocolate chips here and there. The top part gave me the most trouble.
I wanted to add a top layer of frosting to have the same number of frosting layers as cake layers, but that top layer was especially a pain to get flat and perfect. So, it isn’t. It’s kinda rounded and lopsided, and not really what I wanted. And because the top edges aren’t exactly crisp, the drips turned out less than perfect.
They’re like, too evenly spaced or something. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something’s off, and I don’t like it. I can feel you rolling your eyes.
At some point the cake decided it would be fun to start tilting to the side too, so that was great. I had to try to nudge it straight and rotate it so that it looked even. Pics have been taken from the most flattering angle.
The beauty of naked cakes is that they’re super easy to decorate because they’re supposed to look more rustic and imperfect. This is a great technique if you’re worried about your cake frosting skills!
Cake decorating “issues” aside, I love the way this Cookie Dough Cake tastes!! If you’re a cookie dough lover (and really, why wouldn’t you be) you will love this frosting. It goes really well with the chocolate cake, but would go great with a classic vanilla cake too. The chocolate drips add another hit of chocolate and some flare. Topped off with some crumbled chocolate chip cookies for some crunch.
Notes & tips for this Cookie Dough Cake:
- You can use hot water instead of hot coffee in the cake batter. The coffee helps to enhance the chocolate flavor, but it tastes just as good using hot water instead.
- For the ganache, I let mine set overnight (with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface). It will be too thick at this point, so I microwave it for 10 secs and stir it until it’s the right consistency.
- Be sure to heat-treat your flour for the cookie dough. Bake the flour at 350F for 5-10mins.
- The drip technique works best on a chilled cake so that the drips set quickly.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, see my tips here.
- You will have some cookie dough frosting left over. I recommend making Cookie Dough Truffles with the excess. Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe here!
Cookie Dough Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup hot strong brewed coffee or hot water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Cookie Dough Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour heat-treated
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp milk room temperature
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Ganache:
- 2 oz dark chocolate
- 2 oz heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6″ round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour coffee in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
- Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins.
Cookie Dough Frosting:
- Combine flour and salt in a bowl, set aside.
- Beat butter until creamy, add sugars and beat on high until pale and fluffy (approx. 2-3mins). Add vanilla and mix until combined.
- Reduce speed to low and slowly add in flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated. Slowly pour in milk. Increase speed to med-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips.
Ganache:
- Place chopped chocolate and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Stir to combine. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir. Microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring in between, until ganache is smooth and silky. Set aside to cool completely before using on cake.
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving dish. Top with about 2/3 cup buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers. Smooth the outside, chill for 30mins.
- Using a teaspoon, drip ganache along the edges then fill in the top. Chill for 15mins.
- Top with chopped cookies if desired.
Megan E says
I used the recipe for a birthday the other night. Hands down one of my favorite cake recipes, the frosting however solely tasted like raw flour so I opted for a traditional buttercream. Love that cake though thanks for the recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Megan! The frosting tastes like raw cookie dough, which it essentially is. It’s not everyones cup of tea :). Glad you liked the cake recipe!
Megan E says
Will this work if I use two 8″ pans? Or should I increase the recipe by a half..?
Megan E says
I did not see the comment you just replied to…disregard this question haha!
Olivia says
Hi Megan! No worries! Let me know how you like it 😄.
Sandra says
This cake looks amazing! I want to try it for a Mother’s Day but am looking to make it in 9 inch pans. Would you recommend I just double the recipe and save a bit on the side? How much do u fill your pans up to typically? I know you mentioned it rises a bit… Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Sandra! My recommendation would be to either:
– double the recipe and use three 9″ pans or,
– leave the recipe as is and use two 9″ pans
For the latter your layers will be a bit thinner than mine. I wanna say I fill my pans up no more than 1/2 full or so. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Kristina Cook says
I have a friend who did a naked cake as well the first time she hated it, but the second time she used acetate sheets and loved it. I gather you line a pan or plate with it in a tube shape and fill it with layers almost like a trifle bowl and then remove the sheets for that perfect image you want.
Olivia says
Hi Kristina! I used that method once on the Momofuku cake I made, it was MUCH cleaner and prettier for sure. I found the acetate sheets to be more work though and I am lazy! Lol. I’m sure I’ll try that way again soon :).
Megan says
I think I’m going to try it for my daughter’s birthday next week! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Megan! I hope you like it! 🙂
Bridy says
I have never made frosting with flour before. How is the taste compared to traditional frosting?
Olivia says
Hi Birdy, the frosting is basically a cookie dough which is why it has flour in it. It tastes just like cookie dough :).
Kim says
Ok, this looks great! I do have one question though. The directions say to spray and powder the pan, and then put parchment paper down? Why would you do it this way? Or is it an “or” you can put paper down? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Kim! I do both grease/flour and parchment to ensure the cakes come right out of the pans. It’s just an extra precaution :).
Evelyn says
This sounds very yummy. My son loves chocolate chip cookie dough so I think he would like this cake for his birthday. I know I am crazy but I do not like coffee. Can I substitute hot water for the coffee?
Thanks, Evelyn
Olivia says
Hi Evelyn! The coffee is just to intensify the chocolate flavour, I swear you can’t taste it! That being said, hot water should work just fine :). let me know how you like it!
J9 says
You’re not Crazy Evelyn, I was going to ask the same question 🙂
Alex says
This looks just fabulous. Now to see if I can convert the recipe to english quantities I reckon I need to make this.
So you use flour in the cookie dough filling and it is uncooked? Obv I have never eaten raw cookie dough ha ha.
Olivia says
Thanks Alex! Yep, it’s essentially cookie dough but without the eggs so it’s safe to eat :). And, cookie dough is delicious!! I can’t believe you haven’t tried it. You’ll have to let me know how you like it! 🙂
Dominique Walker says
That is not correct. Raw flour can carry bacteria such as E. Coli and make people sick. The very young, very old, and immune-compromised are especially vulnerable. To avoid this, you can toast flour in your oven for 5 minutes before incorporating it into the recipe.
Source: https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm508450.htm
Olivia says
Hi Dominique! I’ve never had issues with eating raw flour, but thank you for your tips!
Tammy says
I love, love, love how this turned out! Truly! It looks great and I have no doubt that it is scrumptious!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Tammy! 🙂
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
HOLY ish… COOKIES & CAKE TOGETHER!! Feed me! The cake looks perfect as is, but I completely understand when the vision isn’t fully realized. I’ve learned to embrace the imperfections in all their beauty and then eat them. 🙂
Olivia says
I am learning to embrace the imperfections! Slowly :p. Thank you! <3
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
Hahahah I had the exact same problem with one of my layer cakes recently – it just did NOT want to sit straight, and was kind of curving out to the side. Luckily one side was much prettier so I took photos from there! Maybe skewers to stabilise it would have helped? Love the idea of cookie dough frosting too – sounds incredibly decadent and so perfect with chocolate cake.
Olivia says
Oh, skewers, DUH. That would help for sure :). Thanks Claudia! <3
Leah Rosenberg says
Hi Olivia,
This cake looks sinfully delicious. I totally understand how you feel about it not turning out the way you wanted, but one of my favorite comments from a friend was that desserts shouldn’t look completely perfect because then they will look commercial, instead of homemade with love!
I really want to make cupcakes using your recipe, how many cupcakes would this make and how long would you suggest baking them for?
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Olivia says
Hi Leah! You’re friend is so right — too much perfection does make it seem more manufactured :). For the cupcakes — it should make about 24 (the batter is very thin but rises a lot). I would recommend checking them at 20mins to see if they’re done. Let me know how they turn out!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Yaaaas, this cake looks amazing Liv! Xx
Olivia says
Ahh, thank you Thalia!! xoxo <3
Keith @ How's it Lookin? says
I gotta try this. Cookie dough is so amazing. Thanks a lot
Olivia says
Thanks Keith!
Amanda \ The Cinnamon Scrolls says
You ARE crazy, but that’s why we love you! 🙂 This cake makes all my chocolate-and-cookie-loving dreams come true.
Olivia says
Aww thank you! 💕 Shall I ship a piece or two over? 😉
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
And I forgot to mention…that photo!! Gorgeous!
Olivia says
Ahh thank you! 😘😘😘
Nila @ The Tough Cookie says
Hi Liv, you really are crazy, because to me this cake looks just perfect! 😉
I tried to picture the look you were going for (with the cookie dough frosting top) but I love the way those dramatic chocolate drips look on the cake! Definitely going to make this. Great photos, btw!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Nila! Please let me know how you like it! 😄💕
Rust says
That cake is gorgeous.
Olivia says
Thank you!! 😄
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
OMG Olivia! You must feel me rolling my eyes because…hello…This cake is AMAZING! My son Casey would adore it! He is a HUGE cookie dough fan. I am going to try to attempt this cake this year for his birthday in July. I’m sure mine will not even come near to yours, but I absolutely have to give it a go because it looks and sounds like layer cake perfection!
Olivia says
Lol, thanks so much Mary Ann! I can’t wait to see your take on it! 🙂
Sandy says
I want to try this but I must be missing something in the directions????? I make the cookie dough and then just add it directly between the cake layers? I just don’t see this step anywhere???? Sorry. 😕
Olivia says
Hi Sandy! Yes, you spread it between the layers like a frosting.
Clarissa says
Just curious.mthe frosting has all purpose flour. Will it not get someone have an upset stomach. Considering flour is not cooked or baked as part of the ingredients?
Olivia says
Hi Clarissa! Flour doesn’t need to be cooked, it is safe to eat as part of the cookie dough (raw egg would be more of a concern).
Chrystine says
How do I get the cookie dough cake receipt?
Olivia says
Hi Chrystine! The recipe is near the bottom of the post. If you’re on mobile you may need to click the Read More button.