By CARRIE SELLMAN
FOUNDER & EDITOR, THE CAKE BLOG
Last month we celebrated a very special birthday in my house… my husband’s! Of course my husband likes cake. Or is at least smart enough not to tell me that he doesn’t like cake. But I know, deep down, that his true favorite is chocolate chip cookies. It’s pretty apparent. And trust me, I’ve come to terms with this over the years. So this year I decided to celebrate his inner cookie monster and do something a little different for his birthday ‘cake’.
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A cookie cake like none I had seen before. The ultimate cookie cake, with one cookie layer for each of the years we’ve been together. Layers upon layers of chocolate chip cookies and buttercream icing, stacked tall and high. So grab a knife and a cold glass of milk because we’re celebrating a wonderful man, my best friend and most loyal supporter, with a 12 Layer Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake!
No, this is not your typical cookie cake from the cookie place in the mall food court. Yes, it is a cookie cake for extreme cookie lovers! 12 layers of chocolate chip cookie, filled with buttercream icing and stacked high. Ready to slice for a statement making presentation! This cake definitely says “Happy Birthday to YOU…. Dear Cookie Lover!”
Okay, so I know this idea is not rocket science. And a cake-ish dessert made from cookies is not a new concept. Great ladies such as Martha, Paula Dean, my friend Jess and many others have created amazing cake-ish desserts using cookies. But given that I’ve never seen one made in the true style of a layer cake (12 layers no less!) and that it did take some trial and error before getting this right (translation: this was not my first attempt) …. I thought I’d share a quick DIY with you today.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE CAKE
a DIY by Carrie Sellman
Supplies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Buttercream Icing
- Ice Cream Scoop
- Cookie Trays
- Parchment Paper
[post_ads]STEP 1 : Mix up your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough using mini chocolate chips. Using an ice cream scoop, place one ball of cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie tray. The size of your scooper will determine the final size of your cookie. I used a #10 food scoop, which is roughly 3.25 oz. This resulted in layers that were roughly 8″ round. I highly recommend using a scoop, no matter which size you choose, to ensure that each layer comes out very close to the same size.
STEP 2 : Place a second square of parchment paper on top of cookie dough. Pressing with your hand, gently flatten the ball of dough using an even circular motion. Continue flattening until dough is a thin round disc, about the thickness of the mini chocolate chips. The more you do this, the easier it gets. Reusing your top square of parchment builds a thin layer of butter on the parchment, helping it peel off easily.
STEP 3 : Remove top parchment and bake at 375 for 8 to 9 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
STEP 4 : Let cookie cool until set. Remove from tray and set aside. Repeat Steps 1 to 4 with remaining cookie dough, making roughly 10 to 12 layers. You can double up and bake two trays at a time. Simply rotate their placement in the oven half-way through baking. Let all cookies cool.
STEP 5 : Place a cooled cookie directly onto serving platter. Cover with a thin layer of buttercream. Top with another cookie. Continue alternating layers of cookie and buttercream until all 12 cookies are stacked.
STEP 6 : Cover cake with a dome or cling wrap and let rest for 4 hours or overnight. Cookies will soften slightly, making the cake easier to cut. Slice somewhat modestly, as each piece is quite rich and full of cookie goodness! Pour a cold glass of milk and enjoy!
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Bakers Notes : I originally made this cake using my grandmother’s cookie recipe, a highly-guarded family favorite for decades. Ironically, that cookie recipe didn’t translate well for this project. After several variations, I finally decided that the classic recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House bag was the winner. I know, right?! Could it really be that simple? I felt like I was in an old episode of Friends, searching for the perfect cookie recipe. Only to find the recipe right on the back of the chocolate chip bag. {I might be dating myself with that TV reference but I know some of you will get it!} I didn’t reprint the recipe here because well… it’s not mine. And it’s quite easy to find.
Whether you top if off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or simply serve with a cold glass of milk, I hope you enjoy this 12 Layer Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake!
Happy Birthday to my sweet, cookie-loving husband!
