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Chocolate Cookie Brownie Cake Recipe

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3.9 from 15 reviews

This decadent Chocolate Cookie Brownie Cake combines the rich, fudgy texture of a cocoa-infused brownie cake with the delightful crunch and flavor of chocolate chip cookie dough baked right inside. Layers of moist brownie cake envelope discs of soft cookie dough, all generously frosted with a luscious chocolate fudge cream cheese frosting and crowned with a luxurious chocolate ganache. Perfect for special occasions or any chocolate lover’s dream dessert, this cake takes time and care but rewards with indulgent, complex flavors and a show-stopping presentation.

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup Brown sugar (packed light or dark)
  • 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Mini chocolate chips

Brownie Cake

  • 4 oz Chopped semi-sweet chocolate (70% cocoa recommended)
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 cups White granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup Brown sugar (packed light or dark)
  • 3 Large eggs (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup Oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Buttermilk (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup Hot water

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

  • 8 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter (slightly cold)
  • 6 cups Powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 1 cup Cocoa powder (sifted)
  • 2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 cup Chocolate ganache (prepared, see below)

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup Heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Cookie Dough Preparation: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread 2 cups of all-purpose flour on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes to cook the flour so it is safe to eat. Let it cool completely before using.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a mixer, beat the room temperature butter with brown sugar and white granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  4. Add Milk and Vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract and milk, scraping down the bowl to combine thoroughly.
  5. Combine Dough: Add the sifted dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix until incorporated. Fold in the mini chocolate chips evenly.
  6. Scoop and Chill: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a 1 oz cookie scoop to portion 15 balls of dough. Flatten each ball into a disc and refrigerate to chill. Keep the remaining cookie dough in the fridge for later use in the cake.
  7. Prepare Brownie Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and line the bottoms with 8-inch parchment circles. Spray parchment again for easy release.
  8. Melt Chocolate: Place chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 20 seconds, stir, then continue heating in 10-second intervals until mostly melted. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.
  9. Mix Dry Cake Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir in salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
  10. Mix Wet Cake Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and melted chocolate until combined.
  11. Combine Cake Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Add hot water slowly while mixing gently to prevent overcooking the eggs.
  12. Assemble Cake and Cookie Discs: Evenly distribute the brownie batter into the three prepared pans. Place 5 chilled cookie dough discs per pan on top of the batter, gently pressing them in slightly.
  13. Bake Cake: Bake for 30-34 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven.
  14. Cool Cake Layers: Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
  15. Make Chocolate Ganache: Place chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat cream over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir until smooth and glossy. Reheat briefly in microwave if needed to melt any remaining chunks.
  16. Prep Frosting Ingredients: Set the butter out for 30 minutes to reach slightly cold temperature. Meanwhile, sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder together.
  17. Beat Frosting Base: Using a mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on high for 2 minutes until creamy. Scrape bowl and add powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixture. Beat until thick and well combined.
  18. Add Flavorings: Add vanilla extract, salt, and prepared chocolate ganache. Mix on low to combine, then beat on high for about 1 minute until fluffy and smooth.
  19. Prepare Cake for Decorating: Remove cookie dough from fridge 20 minutes before decorating. Set aside a small portion to use as a topping for the cake. Place a small dollop of frosting on your cake board to secure the cake in place during assembly.
  20. Layer and Fill Cake: Place one cake layer bottom side down. Spread 3/4 cup frosting evenly over the layer and smooth. Pipe a border of frosting along the edge. Scatter half of the reserved cookie dough pieces evenly on the frosting. Repeat for the second cake layer.
  21. Crumb Coat: Place the last cake layer on top bottom side down. Apply a thin, crumb-coat layer of frosting so the cake surface shows through slightly. Freeze the cake for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
  22. Finish Frosting: After chilling, cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting smoothly and evenly.
  23. Apply Ganache: Warm the chocolate ganache briefly in the microwave until pourable. Freeze the frosted cake for 10 minutes so it is cold enough to allow ganache to drip slowly and beautifully down the edges. Pour ganache over the top, allowing it to cascade over the sides.
  24. Decorate and Chill: If desired, pipe extra decorations on top using leftover frosting. Freeze the cake again for 10 minutes to set the chocolate. Store the cake in the refrigerator until serving.

Notes

  • Chilling the cookie dough before baking ensures they hold shape and don’t spread too much inside the cake layers.
  • Cooking the flour before mixing into the cookie dough prevents raw flour taste and ensures safety.
  • Use room temperature eggs and buttermilk for better batter incorporation and texture.
  • Melt the chocolate gently to avoid burning and ensure smoothness in both the cake batter and ganache.
  • The cake requires multiple cooling and chilling steps – patience yields the best final texture and appearance.
  • If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar as a substitute.
  • Make sure to sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder for a smooth frosting without lumps.
  • This recipe involves baking at two different oven temperatures for flour and the cake layers; keep the oven temperature accurate.
  • Store the finished cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/chocolate-cookie-brownie-cake-recipe/