Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

I created this recipe especially for my youngest Hungry Puppy.  Sometimes, I like to  make a cake or other dessert that I know one or both of my Hungry Puppies will just absolutely love.  Something that I know will be their absolute favorite.  Why?  Just because.  They get so excited to come home from school to find their favorite flavor of treat baked just for them.  This cake, though, was one that I knew could be everyone's favorite.  My Hungry Puppies and I have a major weakness for cookie dough, so I decided to  stuff a cake with it!  It turned out brilliantly. I slightly modified the cookie dough recipe found here.  I used my current favorite yellow cake recipe, and the frosting from the Copy Cat Nestle Cafe Oreo Brownies (which I need to make again soon, by the way...).  We love this cake!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla butternut flavoring
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling:
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
5 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Chocolate Frosting:
3 cup powdered sugar, divided
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 Tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease and flour 2 9-inch round baking pans.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and vanilla butternut flavor until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until well blended. Add the buttermilk and beat on low speed until just combine. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until incorporated. Stir in the mini chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread evenly. Tap the pans on the counter to remove any large air bubbles. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges of the cakes, then turn the cakes out of the pans and let finish cooling on a cooling rack.  

For the cookie dough filling, stir together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until blended.  Add the milk and vanilla extract and stir until combined.  Add the flour and salt and stir until completely incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.  Set aside.

For the chocolate frosting, place 1 cup of the powdered sugar, the cocoa powder, butter, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of the milk in a bowl.  Beat together until combined.  Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until incorporated.  Beat in the remaining milk, one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.  Beat frosting on high until fluffy and smooth.

To assemble the cake, level the cakes (if necessary - just use a serrated knife to cut the rounded domes off the top).  Place one cake layer upside down on a serving plate.  Spoon the cookie dough filling on top of the cake layer and pat it evenly over the cake.  Place the second cake layer upside down on top of the cookie dough filling.  Frost the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate frosting.  Makes 16 servings.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy