Chocolate Chip Cake With Whipped Cream

Have you ever looked at a chocolate cake and thought, “This is good, but it needs more chocolate”? Well, pull up a chair, my friend, because we’re about to fix that problem forever. This Chocolate Chip Cake with Whipped Cream is basically what would happen if a chocolate chip cookie and a fluffy cake had a delicious baby, then topped it with clouds of cream. It’s the dessert equivalent of finding money in your pocket you forgot about!

Why This Recipe is Awesome

Let me count the ways this cake will change your life (or at least your dessert game). First, it’s ridiculously simple to make—we’re talking “I’ve had three glasses of wine and can still pull this off” level of easy. Second, it’s got the perfect balance between cakey goodness and chocolate chip cookie vibes. And finally, that homemade whipped cream on top? It’s like the cool hat that makes a good outfit great.

Plus, this cake somehow manages to be both impressive enough for company and comforting enough for when you’re alone watching Netflix in your pajamas. Versatility, people. That’s what we call a dessert win.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (the regular stuff, nothing fancy)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (it’s what makes the magic happen, height-wise)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (baking powder’s cooler cousin)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (trust me, don’t skip it)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (not melted, not cold—the Goldilocks zone)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (the sweet stuff)
• 3 large eggs (from chickens, preferably)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the real deal, not that imitation nonsense)
• 1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with a splash of lemon juice if you’re not a buttermilk person)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk, or dark—choose your fighter)

For the whipped cream:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream (cold as your ex’s heart)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (the fancy dusty sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (again, the real stuff)
• Extra chocolate chips for topping (because, duh, more chocolate)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep time! Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or spray it with that magical baking spray. Your future self will thank you for this step.
2. Mix the dry team. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside while you handle the fun stuff.
3. Cream it up. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until it looks fluffy and slightly lighter in color (about 3 minutes). If your arm gets tired, remember this counts as your workout for the day.
4. Egg time. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Splash in that vanilla extract too. Your kitchen should be starting to smell amazing right about now.
5. Mix it all together. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined—don’t go crazy here or you’ll have a tough cake!
6. Chip it good. Fold in those chocolate chips gently. Be generous—this is no time for restraint.
7. Bake it! Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Pop it in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
8. Cool your jets. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. I know it’s tempting to dig in right away, but patience is a virtue or something.
9. Whip it good. Once the cake is cool, make the whipped cream by beating the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. (You could do it by hand if you want a serious arm workout.)
10. The grand finale! Spread that cloud-like whipped cream over your cooled cake and sprinkle with extra chocolate chips. Cut into squares and watch it disappear faster than your motivation on Monday morning.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even the most kitchen-savvy among us can mess up sometimes. Here are some pitfalls to sidestep:

• Using warm butter instead of room temperature. If it’s melty, your cake will be flat. If it’s too cold, you’ll get weird butter lumps. Goldilocks zone, remember?
• Overmixing the batter. This isn’t a stress-relief exercise. Mix just until combined unless you’re going for the “rubber tire” texture.
• Opening the oven door too early. I know you want to peek, but resist for at least the first 20 minutes. Your cake will thank you by not collapsing dramatically in the middle.
• Using cold eggs. Cold eggs don’t play well with room-temp butter. Let them hang out on the counter for about 30 minutes before baking.
• Trying to whip cream that isn’t cold. Warm cream = sad, soupy mess. Cold cream = fluffy clouds of joy. Science!

Alternatives & Substitutions

Let’s be real—sometimes we want to bake but don’t have exactly what the recipe calls for. Here are some swaps that won’t ruin everything:

Buttermilk alternatives: No buttermilk? No problem. Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1 cup. Let it sit for 5 minutes and—bam!—fake buttermilk.

Chocolate chip varieties: Feel free to mix and match your chips! Half semi-sweet, half milk chocolate? Go for it. Throw in some butterscotch or peanut butter chips? You rebel, you. White chocolate chips? Well, IMO that’s questionable, but you do you.

Gluten considerations: For gluten-sensitive folks, a good quality 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend works pretty well here. The texture might be slightly different, but with all those chocolate chips, who’s really going to notice?

Frosting alternatives: Not feeling the whipped cream? A simple cream cheese frosting or chocolate ganache works beautifully too. Or go totally wild and use store-bought frosting. I won’t tell anyone.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! The cake itself can be made a day ahead. Just wait to add the whipped cream until a few hours before serving. Unless you enjoy soggy cream situations, which, no judgment, but… why?

How do I store leftovers?
Leftovers? What are those? Just kidding. If by some miracle you have some left, refrigerate it because of the whipped cream. It’ll keep for about 3 days, though the whipped cream might lose some of its fluff after day one.

Can I freeze this cake?
You can freeze the cake part without the whipped cream for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then add fresh whipped cream before serving. Frozen whipped cream is just sad.

Can I use a cake mix as a shortcut?
Look, we’re friends here, so I’ll be honest. You could use a vanilla cake mix and add chocolate chips. Will it be as good? No. Will it still be cake with chocolate chips? Yes. Sometimes good enough is good enough.

Why did all my chocolate chips sink to the bottom?
Ah, the infamous chip sink. Next time, toss your chocolate chips in a tablespoon of the flour mixture before adding them to the batter. This gives them a little flour jacket that helps them defy gravity.

Can I make this into cupcakes instead?
You brilliant thing, yes! Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18-22 minutes. This recipe should make about 24 cupcakes.

Final Thoughts

There you have it—a chocolate chip cake that’s basically a giant chocolate chip cookie in cake form, topped with clouds of whipped cream. It’s the kind of dessert that makes people think you actually know what you’re doing in the kitchen.

Whether you’re making this for a special occasion or just because it’s Tuesday and you deserve cake (valid), this recipe hits that sweet spot between “impressive” and “won’t make you cry with complicated techniques.”

So go forth and bake! And remember, even if it doesn’t turn out picture-perfect, it still has chocolate chips and whipped cream. In the dessert world, that’s what we call “foolproof deliciousness.” Worst case scenario? Grab a spoon and call it a fancy trifle. Baking crisis averted!