Cake: Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

By NicoleS

Ingredients

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer:
• 1 cup (5 oz, 150g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (4 oz, 113g) butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (2 oz, 57g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (4 oz, 114g) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 oz, 170g)
• Chocolate Chip Cake:
• 6 egg yolks at room temperature
• 3 egg whites at room temperature
• 1 cup (8 oz, 230g) sour cream at room temperature, divided in 1/2
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (10oz, 285g) cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups (9 oz + 3 oz, 255g + 85g) granulated sugar, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 sticks + 2 tablespoons (9 oz, 255g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (8 oz, 215g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
• Brown Sugar Buttercream (This didn't work for me, so I tried American buttercream with molasses, recipe follows notes):
• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 pound unsalted butter (453g) room temperature, cut into 16 pieces
• 6 oz (3/4 cup, 180 ml) plus 2 oz (1/4 cup, 60 ml) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• Simple Syrup: (half the following recipe)
• 1 cup (8 oz, 250ml) water
• 3/4 cup (6 oz, 170g) granulated sugar
• Extract of choice to taste (I used 1 tsp. vanilla & 1 tsp. butter for half a recipe but may reduce that next time)
• Ganache: (just need 1 cup at room temperature)
• 4 oz Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Details

Adapted from baking-sense.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make the cookie layer:
Line an 8" or 9" cake pan with a parchment round. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cream the butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the chips all at once and mix until combined. Spread the dough into the cake pan. The dough should be about 1/2" thick (if you have excess dough use it to make cookies). Bake until the middle of the cookie puffs up a little and then collapses, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. Flip the pan over and bang one edge of the pan a couple of times. The cookie should loosen and fall out. Set aside at room temperature until ready to assemble the cake.

Bake the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325°F convection or 350°F regular. Line two 8" or 9" cake pans with a circle of parchment paper or butter and flour the pans. Toss the chocolate chips with the tablespoon of water until moistened. Sprinkle the all- purpose flour over the chips and toss to distribute the flour. Set the chips aside while you make the cake batter.

Combine the yolks, 1/2 the sour cream and the vanilla in a small bowl, whisk to combine. Into the bowl of a stand mixer put 1 cup of the sugar, sift in the flour, leavening and salt. Mix with the paddle on low speed to distribute the leavening. Add the butter to the flour mixture. Mix on low until the butter is incorporated and the batter looks like a paste. Add the other 1/2 of the sour cream to the flour and butter mixture. Increase the speed to medium and mix about 3 minutes until the batter lightens in texture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add 1/2 the egg yolk mixture. Mix until mostly incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the rest of the egg yolk mixture. Scrape the bowl and mix until incorporated. Take the batter off the mixer. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter just before the whipped egg whites.

Whip the egg whites on medium high until they form soft peaks. Turn the mixer to medium low and slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Turn the mixer to medium high and whip the whites to full peak. Fold the whites into the base in 2 parts. Fold just until there are no streaks of egg whites. Pour 1/3 of the batter into one pan and 2/3 of the batter into the other pan. Spread the batter evenly.

Bake about 25-30 minutes until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan. Run a small spatula around the cakes and remove them from the pans. Cool the cakes completely. Wrap each cake in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Make the Brown Sugar Buttercream:
Combine the water and 6 oz granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Cook the sugar syrup on medium high heat, stirring until the sugar is melted. Once the syrup begins to boil do not stir the syrup. Allow it to cook to 235°-240°F (soft ball stage). While the syrup is boiling, whip the whites on medium high speed. When the whites are soft peak reduce the mixer to medium low and slowly add the 2 oz dry sugar and a pinch of salt. Increase the speed to medium high and whip to full peak. As soon as the syrup is at the correct temperature, remove the pan from the heat. With the mixer running on medium low, slowly pour the hot syrup between the edge of the bowl and the whisk. Increase the speed to medium high and continue whisking until the whites are cooled to about 80°F. When the whites have cooled, with the mixer running on medium, add the butter one piece at a time. Add the vanilla and increase the speed to medium high and whip until the buttercream comes together. Mix in the molasses at the end. Divide the buttercream in 1/2, reserve one 1/2 for icing the cake, use the remaining for filling.

Simple Syrup:
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium high heat just until all the sugar is melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before adding the liquor/flavoring.

Ganache:
Chop the chocolate into small pieces, none larger than 1/2" or chop roughly and finish chopping in a food processor. Place the butter in the bowl (or food processor bowl) with the chocolate. Pour the cream into a microwave safe bowl and heat until just below the boiling point. You want to get the cream as hot as you can without it boiling over. The time will depend on your microwave. Mine takes about 2-3 minutes for a cup of cream. Pour the cream all at once over the chocolate. Do not stir for 1-2 minutes to allow the chocolate to begin melting. Gently stir with a wooden spoon, trying not to incorporate any air, until all the chocolate bits are melted or, if using the food processor, run the processor for 20-30 seconds until the chocolate is melted (food processor will add air bubbles). Stir in the corn syrup if using.

Assemble Cake:
Trim the sides and top of both cake layers to remove excess brown edges. Split the larger cake in two, horizontally, you will now have a total of three cake layers. Place the chocolate chip cookie layer on a serving platter or cardboard cake circle. Spread 1 cup of the ganache evenly over the cookie. Place one of the cake layers on the cookie. Brush the layer generously with rum syrup. Spread 1/2 of the buttercream reserved for the filling onto the cake layer. Place another cake layer, sprinkle with syrup and spread with remaining filling. Top with the last cake layer and sprinkle that layer with syrup. If the cookie base is bigger than the cake layers you can trim the cookie so it is even with the cake layers. Crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream and chill until the crumb coat is set. Ice with a final coating of buttercream, reserving a little buttercream for decoration. Pipe a border around the top edge of the cake and decorate with mini chocolate chips. The cake will keep at room temperature for several days.

Notes:

1-You can use the cake as soon as it cools to room temperature, but it's easier to trim and split when it's cold. 2-All the components of the cake can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen until ready to assemble.

Deliciously Plain Buttercream Frosting.


Deliciously Plain Buttercream Frosting (Triple the recipe & add 2 Tablespoons molasses for Brown Sugar Buttercream):
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/8-1/4 tsp. salt
4-5 Tbls. milk
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter until very fluffy. Add part sugar and salt and beat again. Continue adding sugar and milk in small batches, alternately, beating until very fluffy. Stir in vanilla.