Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Recently for my brother Dan’s birthday, my sister in law/Robyn (her blog is Werling Around) decided to make a cookie cake to celebrate the occasion. This recipe was so good we made it twice in one week! (There was at least eight of us sharing, and my nephew may or may not have snuck some out of the fridge the next morning…..) This cookie cake was equally exciting for my daughter with food allergies, because this one was totally safe for her to eat!
The Cookie Cake recipe comes from Peas and Crayons (pin) and since we made it twice I will say, follow the directions and suggestions! The first cookie cake we chilled and baked the dough, and for the second one due to time constraints we oh so, so briefly chilled the dough and baked it. The first cookie cake definitely tasted like a cookie cake, and the second lesser-chilled one tasted more like a giant chocolate chip cookie. Tip: Lots of cookie recipes taste even better with about a 30 minute chill. Finally, the browning under the broiler for a few minutes is definitely what makes this recipe, don’t think about skipping it either! Most foods look and taste a lot better with an oh so slight tan, golden brown and delicious color.
Update: I tried making this with my stand mixer and while the dough was soft and easy to work with the cake ended up being fluffy. So, tough it out with a hand mixer the result will be a denser cookie vs. fluffy thick cookie. (The stand mixer gets the butter more evenly distributed which makes everything more fluffy.)
Decorating
Robyn wanted to decorate the cake with some super tasty chocolate buttercream like how they prepare it in the stores. I knew I had made something similar in the past, and thought on it a bit, and decided to use a nearly foolproof non-dairyish icing recipe I use when making desserts for my other sister-in-law. While the recipe I had in mind works best as a glaze or warm icing, I tweaked the amounts to make the frosting stiffer so we could pipe it. The basic chocolate icing recipe from The Yummy Life (pin) is easily adaptable by switching out some fats and liquids that work with your diet.
The icing recipe made enough for two small cookie cakes – 8″ maybe, and the icing freezes well too. (Remove from freezer and let it thaw in fridge, or come to room temperature while you’re making the dough.) The first cake we piped the icing out of a bag without a tip, and second time we just smeared the frosting on with a butter knife. (Nailed it!) We already made an ace cake the first time, so we totally went goofy with the second one! Add some sprinkles (and maybe some ice cream on the side) and you got the best cookie cake ever.
Which is your favorite decorating style? Pretty or winging it?
Enjoy your cake, and Happy Birthday Dan-O!
Cookie Cake
Ingredients
Cookie Cake
- 1/2 cup [1 stick] of unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup [1/2 stick] of butter [regular/salted] softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips [or bittersweet]
Tools
- Round springform metal or ceramic 8-9" pan
- Parchment paper
- Ziptop bag or piping bag
Easy Chocolate Frosting (enough for two cakes)
- 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/8 cup canned evaporated milk may substitute almond milk, coconut milk, half & half etc.
- 2 tablespoons butter may substitute coconut, canola or vegetable oil, if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- Salt pinch
Instructions
Dough
- In a large bowl, cream softened butters and sugars. Start on slowest setting, and increase as needed.
- Slowly add in egg and vanilla. Mix to incorporate.
- In another bowl mix the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients into the sugar/egg mixture until combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight.
Baking
- Pre-heat oven to 350F and get dough from the refrigerator.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of an ungreased spring-form pan and lock the sides. (A round metal or ceramic pan works as well.)
- Press the dough evenly into the pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 18-22 minutes.
- Once the cookie cake is done baking, turn the oven to broil on HIGH. Brown the top of the cake to a nice golden brown - this can happen quickly so watch it!!! The inside will still be soft and delicious.
- Set aside to cool on a wire rack for five minutes. Then lift cake and parchment paper from pan and completely cool.
- Decorate as desired when completely cooled.
Easy Chocolate Frosting
- In a microwave safe container: Combine chocolate chips, milk, salt, and butter.
- Microwave for 30 seconds.
- Remove and mix together.
- Place back in microwave for another 5-10 seconds to completely melt all the ingredients. Do not overcook!
- Whisk in vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. Add more of either to achieve desired taste and consistency. (Sugar will add sweetness, cocoa powder will add some chocolate taste and temper the sweetness).
- Place in zip top bag and cut a corner or use piping bag to decorate.
https://www.thesugarpixie.net/2016/06/25/chocolate-chip-cookie-cake/https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CookieCake1.jpg?fit=650%2C404&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/www.thesugarpixie.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CookieCake1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1Recipesbirthday,cake,cookie,werling aroundRecently for my brother Dan's birthday, my sister in law/Robyn (her blog is Werling Around) decided to make a cookie cake to celebrate the occasion. This recipe was so good we made it twice in one week! (There was at least eight of us sharing, and my nephew may...thesugarpixie thesugarpixie@gmail.comAdministratorThe Sugar Pixie
This sounds awesome. I would say my decorating style is a cross between pretty and winging it. I start out being pretty and then I loose interest and just start winging it! hehe.