Cookie Dough Cake

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 04/13/21
Cookie Dough Cake

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Chill: 60 mins
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 1 cake
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1030 Calories
51g Fat
140g Carbs
9g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 1030
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51g 66%
Saturated Fat 29g 146%
Cholesterol 155mg 52%
Sodium 501mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 140g 51%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 101g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 144mg 11%
Iron 5mg 25%
Potassium 282mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sometimes you crave a cookie. Sometimes you want a slice of cake. Then there are the times when you just want to eat the raw cookie dough straight from the refrigerator. With this recipe for cookie dough cake, you can experience the best of all worlds in every bite.

Mini chocolate chips are added to the batter of a luxurious vanilla layer cake. It is then frosted with a simple buttercream frosting and sprinkled with tiny balls of edible cookie dough. Finally, the entire cake is blanketed with chocolate ganache and then garnished with more balls of cookie dough.

The most important thing to remember when making a cookie dough cake is to purchase prepared cookie dough that is edible when raw. Most of the brands sold today know that we all love to nibble at the raw cookie dough, so they have formulated their product to be enjoyed either cooked or uncooked. Read the labels carefully of your favorite product before using it in this recipe.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 4 large eggs

  • 3 cups cake flour

  • 3 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the Cookie Dough Buttercream:

  • 1 pound confectioners' sugar

  • 1 cup butter, softened

  • 6 tablespoons milk, more if needed

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 16 1/2 ounces chocolate chip cookie dough

For the Chocolate Ganache:

  • 3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) round baking pans. Alternatively, if you only have 1 or 2 (8-inch) round baking pans, each layer can be baked one and a time.

    Cookie dough cake ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  2. To make the cakes, cream together the sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

    Butter and sugar in a mixing bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  3. Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

    Eggs added to the butter and sugar mixture

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  4. In another large bowl, mix together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

    Dry ingredient for cookie dough cake in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  5. Add the vanilla extract to the milk. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk mixture, blending after each addition until smooth. Do not overbeat.

    Wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls with milk on the side

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  6. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

    Cookie cough cake batter with chocolate chips added

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.

    Cookie cough cake batter in pans

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  8. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.

    Cookie dough cakes cooling on racks

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  9. To prepare the cookie dough buttercream frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla in the large bowl of an electric mixer.

    Frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  10. Beat at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy. If necessary, add more milk until the frosting achieves the desired consistency.

  11. Roll the refrigerated cookie dough into tiny balls and divide into 3 portions for the separate layers.

    Pan with cookie dough balls

    Kristina Vanni/Eric Kleinberg

  12. Place the first cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Top with some of the buttercream frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cookie dough balls. Flatten slightly.

    Assembling cookie dough cake

    Kristina Vanni/Eric Kleinberg

  13. Repeat the process with the remaining layers, reserving the final 1/3 of the cookie dough balls for garnish.

  14. Use the remaining frosting to evenly coat the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate to set.

    Frosted cookie dough cake

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  15. To make the chocolate ganache, combine the semisweet chocolate chips and whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.

    Ganache ingredients in a pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

  16. Pour the ganache mixture on top of the chilled cake and allow to drip down the side of the cake. Decorate with the remaining 1/3 of cookie dough balls in a circle around the top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Cookie dough cake

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni & Eric Kleinberg

How to Store

Leftover cake should be tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge for up to three days.

What Is the Difference Between Cookie Dough and Cake Batter?

While cookie dough and cake batter are both made using the same essential ingredients, they produce very different results, and the two mixtures cannot be used interchangeably. Cake batters contain more flour, eggs, and leavening and are whipped to produce airy cakes or cupcakes, while cookie batters are lower in flour and eggs (or made using no eggs at all) and produce chewy or crunchy and dense results. While you cannot turn cookie dough into a cake batter or vice versa, you can transform your cookie dough into a big cookie cake.