Indulge in the Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake: Your Guide to Decadent Layers and Edible Delight

Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake – Prepare to embark on a sweet culinary journey with my extraordinary new chocolate cookie dough cake! This masterpiece combines rich, moist dark chocolate cake layers, an irresistible edible cookie dough filling, and a luscious brown sugar buttercream frosting that will undoubtedly become a new favorite. Every forkful offers a delightful contrast of velvety chocolate and chewy, sweet cookie dough, creating a sensory experience that is truly beyond compare. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving an indulgent treat, this homemade chocolate cookie dough cake recipe promises to captivate your taste buds and leave a lasting impression of pure bliss. It’s more than just a dessert; it’s an experience designed to bring joy with every single bite.

This recipe is carefully crafted to ensure that even home bakers can achieve a professional-looking and tasting cake. From the foundational chocolate layers to the delightful cookie dough heart and the crowning buttercream, each component is designed for maximum flavor and enjoyment. You’ll find yourself reaching for a second slice before you’ve even finished the first, making it a perfect centerpiece for any gathering or a special weekend project to satisfy your sweet cravings.

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Why You Need to Bake This Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake Today

There are countless reasons to add this chocolate cookie dough cake to your baking repertoire. It’s not just a dessert; it’s a showstopper that consistently earns rave reviews. Here’s why this recipe stands out and should be your next baking project:

Effortlessly Easy to Make: Don’t let the impressive appearance fool you – this chocolate cookie dough cake is crafted with simplicity at its core. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting your journey in the kitchen, the clear, step-by-step instructions and readily available ingredients ensure a smooth and enjoyable baking process. You’ll be amazed at how easily you can create a truly show-stopping dessert that will impress everyone without breaking a sweat. It’s about achieving gourmet results with home baker convenience.
A Trio of Decadent Layers: Prepare for an unparalleled taste experience with each bite of this cake, thanks to its three distinct layers of pure decadence. It features exceptionally moist and rich dark chocolate cake, perfectly complementing the sweet and chewy edible cookie dough filling nestled between them. Finally, a heavenly brown sugar buttercream provides the perfect creamy finish. Each layer offers a unique texture and flavor, combining to create a symphony that is both satisfying and incredibly delicious. This layered approach ensures a delightful experience from start to finish.
The Perfect Treat for Any Season: While its rich chocolatey goodness and satisfying cookie dough filling make it an ideal choice for any warm-weather celebration, this chocolate cookie dough cake isn’t just a summer sensation. It’s truly perfect for any occasion, from festive holiday gatherings and birthday parties to comforting weekend treats or simply satisfying an intense sweet tooth. Its universal appeal makes it a versatile dessert that fits beautifully into any season or event, promising to bring smiles all year round.
Unforgettable Flavor Combination: The magic of this cake lies in the harmonious blend of classic flavors. The deep, intense chocolate pairs exquisitely with the comforting, nostalgic taste of cookie dough, all uplifted by the warm, caramel notes of the brown sugar buttercream. It’s a combination that appeals to almost everyone, making it an instant crowd-pleaser and a memorable dessert that guests will talk about long after the last slice is gone.

Essential Grocery Store Check List for Your Decadent Cake

To ensure your Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake turns out perfectly, here’s a detailed list of ingredients you’ll need, along with a brief explanation of their role in achieving that delicious final result. Quality ingredients make all the difference!

Cocoa powder: This is key to achieving that deep, rich chocolate flavor and intense dark color in your cake layers. Opt for a good quality unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder for the best results, as it creates a smoother, less acidic chocolate flavor.
Sugar (Granulated & Brown): Granulated sugar provides the primary sweetness and contributes to the moistness of the cake. Brown sugar, especially light brown sugar, brings a lovely caramel-like sweetness and a softer, chewier texture to the cookie dough filling, enhancing its classic flavor profile.
Baking powder: As a leavening agent, baking powder is crucial for giving the cake its lift and tender crumb. It works in conjunction with baking soda to create a beautifully airy and light texture.
All-purpose flour: This forms the foundational structure of both the cake and the cookie dough. For the cake, it provides tenderness. For the cookie dough, it provides bulk and texture (remember to heat-treat it for safety!).
Buttermilk: Essential for a truly moist and tender chocolate cake. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda to promote rise and creates a finer crumb, while also adding a subtle tang that deepens the chocolate flavor. Ensure it’s at room temperature for optimal mixing.
Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and moisture to the cake. They also act as a binder, helping all the ingredients come together smoothly. Room temperature eggs are recommended for better emulsification.
Vegetable oil: Contributes to the cake’s exceptional moistness and keeps it tender for longer. Unlike butter, oil remains liquid at room temperature, ensuring a consistently soft texture.
Mini chocolate chips: These are the stars of the edible cookie dough filling! Mini chips ensure that every bite of cookie dough has bursts of chocolate without being too overwhelming, and they add a delightful textural contrast.
Unsalted butter: This is a fundamental ingredient for both the cookie dough filling and the brown sugar buttercream, providing richness, flavor, and creaminess. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content in your recipe. Make sure it’s softened for optimal creaming.
Powdered sugar: Crucial for the smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the brown sugar buttercream. It dissolves easily, preventing a grainy frosting, and provides the necessary sweetness.
Vanilla extract: A flavor enhancer that complements and deepens the chocolate, cookie dough, and brown sugar notes in all components of the cake. Always use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Heavy cream: Used in the buttercream to achieve a creamy, luscious, and spreadable consistency. It helps to lighten the frosting and makes it easier to work with.
Salt: A pinch of salt is vital in all components – cake, cookie dough, and buttercream – as it balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors, making them pop.
Hot water (or hot coffee/chocolate): This ingredient in the cake batter helps to bloom the cocoa powder, intensifying its chocolate flavor and contributing to the cake’s moistness and tender crumb. Hot coffee or hot chocolate can be used for an even deeper flavor.

Step by Step: Crafting Your Perfect Dark Chocolate Cake Layers

Creating the foundation for this decadent cake starts with perfect chocolate layers. Follow these instructions carefully to achieve a moist, rich, and flavorful cake every time.

Prepare Your Baking Pans: Begin by preheating your oven to 325°F (165°C). This ensures the oven is at a consistent temperature when the cakes go in. Prepare three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans by spraying them generously with cooking spray. Then, line the bottoms with parchment paper circles and spray again. This double-layer of preparation guarantees your cakes won’t stick and will release cleanly. Set these prepared pans aside.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer), add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until all the dry ingredients are thoroughly combined and there are no visible lumps. This step is crucial for an even texture in your cake.
Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, room temperature buttermilk, hot water (or hot coffee/chocolate for extra depth!), and pure vanilla extract. Continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth and well integrated. Using room temperature ingredients helps them combine more easily and creates a more uniform batter.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: With your stand mixer on the lowest speed, slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a tough cake. There should be no visible streaks of dry flour. Once combined, use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring the batter is homogeneous. The batter will be thin, which is perfectly normal for this recipe and contributes to its moistness.
Bake the Cake Layers: Divide the thin batter evenly among your prepared cake pans. For 8-inch pans, aim for about 15 ounces (approximately 1¾ cups) of batter in each. Place the cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes (or 25-30 minutes for 6-inch pans), or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean with no wet batter attached.
Cool the Cakes: Once baked, carefully remove the cakes from the oven. Allow them to cool in their pans on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the cakes to set and become firm enough to handle without breaking. After this initial cooling, gently invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and let them cool completely to room temperature. This complete cooling is vital before leveling or frosting to prevent melting the buttercream and ensure structure.
Prepare for Assembly: Once the cake layers have reached room temperature, you can level the tops with a serrated knife or a cake leveler if needed to create flat surfaces for stacking. Then, wrap each cooled and leveled cake layer tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them for at least 30 minutes, or up to several days. Freezing slightly firm cakes makes them much easier to handle, level, and frost, minimizing crumbs and creating a sharper finish.

Step by Step: Creating Your Irresistible Edible Cookie Dough Filling

The star of this cake, the edible cookie dough filling, is surprisingly simple to make and completely safe to eat raw. Here’s how to create that perfect chewy, sweet layer:

Heat-Treat the Flour (Crucial Safety Step): It’s essential to heat-treat your all-purpose flour before using it in edible cookie dough to kill any potential bacteria. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Spread the measured all-purpose flour evenly onto a baking sheet (you can line it with parchment paper for easier cleanup). Bake for about 7-10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the flour reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) as measured by an instant-read thermometer. This step is vital for food safety. Remove the flour from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature before proceeding. Do not skip this step!
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar (packed), and granulated sugar. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream these ingredients together on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This creaming process incorporates air, giving the cookie dough a lovely texture.
Add Vanilla Extract: Pour in the pure vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix well on low speed until it’s fully combined, ensuring the vanilla flavor is evenly distributed throughout the base.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the cooled, heat-treated flour and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just a dough forms. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; as soon as the flour streaks disappear, stop mixing.
Stir in Mini Chocolate Chips: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the mini chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Mini chips are preferred here as they create a more consistent texture in the filling.
Portion and Prepare for Assembly: Divide the finished cookie dough into two equal portions for the cake layers. If you want extra cookie dough balls for garnish (which I highly recommend for a beautiful presentation!), set aside about ⅓ of the dough before dividing the rest. Take each of the two main portions of cookie dough and press it evenly into an 8-inch cake pan lined with plastic wrap. This helps create perfectly round and flat cookie dough layers that will fit seamlessly into your cake. Alternatively, you can roll them out between two sheets of parchment paper to the diameter of your cake layers. Place these flattened cookie dough discs in the refrigerator or freezer for 15-30 minutes to firm up, making them easier to handle during assembly.

Helpful Tips for Your Edible Cookie Dough:

Butter Consistency is Key: Ensure your butter is softened but not melted. If it’s too warm or melted, your cookie dough will be greasy and difficult to work with. If it’s too cold, it won’t cream properly, resulting in a dense dough.
Sugar Choice Matters: While light brown sugar lends a classic caramel-like flavor, don’t hesitate to use dark brown sugar if you prefer a deeper, richer molasses note. Both work wonderfully, just yielding slightly different flavor profiles.
Adjusting Dough Consistency: If your cookie dough feels a little dry and crumbly, you can add a small amount of milk (dairy or non-dairy) one teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Add more for a softer, more pliable texture, or less for a firmer dough that holds its shape well.
Garnish for Extra Flair: I personally recommend making 1.5 times the cookie dough recipe if you plan on having extra for a garnish. Rolling small balls of cookie dough to place on top of your finished cake adds a charming, professional touch and an extra burst of flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Your Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake

Got questions about baking this show-stopping Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake? We’ve got answers to help you perfect your creation.

Q: Can I use a different type of frosting instead of brown sugar buttercream?

A: Absolutely! While the brown sugar buttercream perfectly complements the cookie dough, feel free to get creative and experiment with other frostings. Cream cheese frosting would add a tangy balance, a classic chocolate ganache would enhance the chocolate notes, or a traditional vanilla buttercream could provide a sweeter, simpler contrast. Choose what best suits your personal preferences and the occasion!

Q: Can I customize the recipe by adding other mix-ins to the cookie dough filling?

A: Certainly! This recipe is wonderfully versatile. Feel free to get creative and add additional mix-ins to your edible cookie dough filling. Chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans), colorful sprinkles for a festive look, or even crushed cookies (like Oreos or Biscoff) can add extra texture and exciting new layers of flavor. Just ensure any additions are finely chopped so they blend well.

Q: Can I make the cookie dough filling ahead of time?

A: Absolutely! Preparing components in advance is a great way to spread out your baking tasks. The edible cookie dough filling can be made ahead of time and stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to assemble the cake, just make sure to bring the cookie dough to room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour to soften slightly, making it easier to spread and incorporate into the cake layers.

Q: Can I make this chocolate cookie dough cake for special occasions or celebrations?

A: Definitely! This cake is specifically designed to be a showstopper and is absolutely perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, holiday parties, or any special occasion you want to make extra memorable. Its indulgent combination of rich chocolate cake, sweet edible cookie dough, and creamy buttercream is guaranteed to impress your guests and be the highlight of any dessert table.

Q: How do I ensure my chocolate cake layers are perfectly moist?

A: Several factors contribute to moist cake layers in this recipe. Firstly, using buttermilk and hot water (or coffee) adds significant moisture and tenderizes the crumb. Secondly, avoid overmixing the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined; overmixing develops gluten, leading to a tough, dry cake. Finally, don’t overbake! Keep a close eye on your cakes and remove them from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean. Cooling them properly also helps retain moisture.

Mastering Brown Butter: A Step-by-Step Guide for Enhanced Flavor

Browning butter is a simple technique that transforms regular butter into a nutty, aromatic, golden liquid that adds incredible depth of flavor to your buttercream. It’s a game-changer!

Choose the Right Pan: Select a heavy-bottomed saucepan or a light-colored skillet for browning butter. A light-colored pan allows you to easily observe the color changes. Ensure the pan has high sides, as the butter will foam and splatter as it cooks, preventing any messy spills.
Melt the Butter: Place the saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the unsalted butter. Allow the butter to melt completely. As it melts, it will begin to foam and bubble. Initially, the foam will be opaque and white.
Stir and Observe: Continuously stir the butter with a heat-resistant spatula or whisk. This is crucial for even browning and to prevent the milk solids from sticking and burning at the bottom of the pan. As the butter continues to cook, the foam will subside, and you’ll start to see small brown flecks forming at the bottom of the pan.
Monitor the Color and Aroma: Keep a very close eye on the butter during this stage. It will gradually change color from a vibrant yellow to a rich golden brown, then deepen to an amber hue. Simultaneously, it will release a distinct, delightful nutty aroma, reminiscent of toasted hazelnuts. The entire process typically takes about 5-8 minutes, but it can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly, so vigilance is key.
Remove from Heat and Transfer: The moment the butter reaches a deep golden brown color and has a strong nutty scent, immediately remove the pan from the heat. To stop the cooking process and prevent the butter from burning, quickly transfer it to a heat-resistant bowl. Be extremely cautious as the butter will be very hot.
Cool the Browned Butter: Allow the browned butter to cool slightly before using it in your buttercream. For a super smooth buttercream, you can strain the butter through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any browned bits, though many enjoy the flecks for extra flavor and visual appeal. For the buttercream, you’ll want the brown butter to return to a semi-solid, room temperature state, similar to regular softened butter. This might require refrigerating it for a while and then letting it soften, or placing it over an ice bath to speed cooling while stirring.

Important Tips for Perfect Brown Butter:

Stay Attentive: The browning process can happen very quickly, especially towards the end. It’s vital to stay right by the stove and not leave the butter unattended, even for a moment, to avoid burning it.
Adjust Heat: Don’t be afraid to adjust the heat as needed. If the butter is browning too quickly, lower the heat. If it’s not browning at all after a few minutes, you can slightly raise it.
Cooling for Buttercream: For this buttercream recipe, it’s critical that the browned butter cools down and re-solidifies to a soft, room-temperature consistency. If you add hot or liquid brown butter to your buttercream, it will melt the other butter and ruin the frosting’s texture. You can place the bowl of brown butter in the fridge for 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a soft, spreadable consistency.
Understand the Loss: When butter is browned, it loses some of its water content. This recipe accounts for that by requiring 1 cup of butter for browning, then combining it with an additional ¼ cup of room temperature butter for the frosting, ensuring you have the right amount of fat for a stable and delicious buttercream.

Essential Tools for Baking Your Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake

Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking experience, ensuring precision and ease. Here’s a list of the essential equipment I used to create this stunning cake:

Mixing Bowls: You’ll need various sizes for separating wet and dry ingredients, preparing the cookie dough, and making the buttercream.
Electric Mixer (Stand or Handheld): Indispensable for creaming butter and sugar, mixing the cake batter efficiently, and whipping the buttercream to a light and fluffy consistency.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accuracy is crucial in baking. These ensure precise measurement of all your ingredients, which is key to a consistent and delicious result.
Cake Pans: Three round pans of the same size (8-inch recommended) are needed for baking the uniform cake layers. Consistent size ensures even baking and easy stacking.
Offset Spatula: This tool is invaluable for smoothly spreading fillings between cake layers and applying a perfectly even crumb coat and final layer of frosting.
Cooling Rack: Essential for allowing your baked cakes to cool completely and evenly, preventing condensation that can make cakes soggy.
Sifter (or Fine-Mesh Sieve): Used for removing lumps from dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar, ensuring a smooth batter and a lump-free buttercream.
Knife or Cake Leveler: To achieve professional-looking, even layers, you’ll need to trim and level the tops of your cooled cake layers. A cake leveler makes this task quick and precise.
Pastry Bag and Decorating Tips: Optional, but highly recommended for piping decorative borders, swirls, or for more controlled application of the buttercream.
Cake Stand or Serving Plate: A beautiful presentation makes all the difference! Choose a sturdy cake stand or a flat serving plate to showcase your finished masterpiece. This one is my favorite!

Storing and Freezing Your Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake for Lasting Freshness

Proper storage is key to extending the life and maintaining the deliciousness of your Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake. Whether you’re enjoying it now or saving it for later, here’s how to keep it fresh and flavorful.

Refrigeration:

To maintain the cake’s optimal freshness, especially given the buttercream and cookie dough filling, it’s best to store the assembled cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This protects it from absorbing odors and prevents it from drying out. When properly stored, the cake can remain fresh and delicious for up to 3-4 days. Before serving, always allow the cake to sit at room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes. This allows the cake layers and buttercream to soften slightly, enhancing their flavors and textures for a truly enjoyable experience.

Freezing for Future Enjoyment:

If you have leftover cake or wish to prepare it well in advance for a future event, freezing is an excellent option. For best results, ensure the cake is completely cooled before freezing.

Whole Cake: For optimal preservation, tightly wrap the entire assembled cake (without any garnishes like fresh fruit) first in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil. Place it in an airtight freezer-safe container to prevent freezer burn.
Individual Slices: If you prefer to freeze individual portions for easy access, wrap each slice separately and tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. This is perfect for satisfying sudden cravings!
Frozen cake can be stored for up to 1-2 months.

Thawing Your Frozen Cake:

When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen cake, the key is a slow and gradual thawing process.
Transfer the wrapped cake or individual slices from the freezer to the refrigerator.
Allow the cake to thaw slowly in the refrigerator overnight (approximately 8-12 hours for a whole cake, or 2-4 hours for individual slices).
This gradual thawing helps to retain the cake’s moisture, preserves its delicate texture, and prevents any noticeable changes in quality. Once thawed, bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.

How to Serve: Once your magnificent chocolate cookie dough cake is beautifully stacked and frosted, it’s ready to be enjoyed! You can typically cut the cake into 8 to 12 generous pieces, depending on your preferred serving size. I personally love to serve the cake at room temperature, as this allows the chocolate cake, edible cookie dough, and brown sugar buttercream to achieve their perfect texture and blend of flavors. However, for a truly unique and comforting experience, my husband enjoys serving his slice in a bowl with a splash of cold milk poured over it – a delicious twist reminiscent of cookies and milk! Don’t forget to garnish with those extra cookie dough balls for a final flourish.

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Thank you for joining me on this baking adventure! If you loved this Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake recipe or have any questions, please remember to LEAVE A STAR AND A COMMENT REVIEW below. Your feedback means the world to me! For more fun baking ideas, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and delicious inspiration, make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. I love sharing so many exciting things on all platforms, and I can’t wait to connect with you there! Happy Baking!

Recipe

Chocolate Cookie Dough Cake

Molly Murphy

Dark chocolate cake layers, with a edible cookie dough filling, and then topped with a brown sugar buttercream!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe
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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

For the cake

3 eggs room temperature
1 cup buttermilk room temperature
1 cup hot water or hot chocolate
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled.
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Cookie Dough

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar packed
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the brown butter frosting

1 cup unsalted butter. Browning butter loses about 25% of liquid
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter room temp
5 cups of powder sugar
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and then line with parchment paper. Spray again. Set aside.
In a stand sized mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low until evenly combined.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, hot water, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil until evenly combined.
With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. There should be no flour streaks. With a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure the batter is evenly combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepped pans (about 15 ounces in each 8 inch pan) and bake for 30-33 minutes. After they are done baking, let them cool for 15 minutes in the cake pans and then transfer them to a cooling rack and let them finishing cooling there.
After the cakes have come to room temperature, level the tops of the cakes, if needed, and then wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them in preparation for frosting the cake.

For the Cookie Dough

Preheat your oven to 165 degrees F, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and evenly spread the flour across the sheet pan. Bake for 7-10 minutes to kill any bacteria. Let it cool and set aside.
With an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and mix on low until combined.
Add in the (baked) flour and salt, mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the mini chocolate chips.
Set aside ⅔ of the dough for the cake filling and use the remaining ⅓ to roll into small balls for decorating
With the other ⅔ of the cookie dough, divide it into 2 even parts. Place a generous layer of plastic wrap inside an 8 inch cake pan. Take one of the pieces of cookie dough and evenly spread to it the edges of the cake pan, making a cookie dough layer to use later. Repeat 2 more times and set aside.

Brown butter frosting

In a medium sized sauce pan, melt the butter on medium heat. Keep stirring the butter until it starts to foam and the milk deposits on the bottom separate. Stir until the butter starts to brown and you hear crackling noises. Take off heat. Pour in a glass bowl, and let it completely come to room temperature.
In a bowl of a standard mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the room temperature browned butter, the regular butter, and beat on medium high speed for 2-4 minutes. If there are chunks of butter, don’t stress, they will eventually get beaten out.
After you beat the butters, add the brown sugar, sifted powder sugar, vanilla, cream and salt. Mix on low just until combined, once all combined beat on high for at least 2 minutes.
Beat by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to get all the air pockets out.

Assembly

Spread a small dollop of buttercream on the middle of the cake board. Place the first cake layer on the board.
Place prepped cookie dough right on top of the cake layer.
Place the second cake layer right on top of the cookie dough, top side down.
Repeat this step with the last cake layer
Spread a thin layer of buttercream around the entire cake to lock in any crumbs. This is called the crumb coat. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes to ensure the crumbs get locked into this coat of buttercream.
Frost the cake with the remaining brown sugar buttercream and top with the extra cookie dough balls.

Keyword cookie dough, chocolate cake

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