Chocolate Cake With Cookie Dough Frosting

Ever had one of those days when you think, “I could totally smash a slice of chocolate cake right now,” but then you remember you also have a thing for cookie dough? Why choose when you can have both? That’s the genius behind this chocolate cake with cookie dough frosting—it’s basically the dessert equivalent of having your cake and eating cookie dough too!

Why This Recipe is Awesome

Let’s get real for a second—this cake is what happens when your inner child grows up but refuses to make adult dessert choices. The chocolate cake is rich and moist (sorry if you hate that word, but there’s no better description), while the cookie dough frosting is basically an excuse to eat raw cookie dough without your mom yelling at you about salmonella. It’s the dessert that says, “I’m technically an adult but still want to lick the mixing bowl.”

The best part? It looks fancy AF but doesn’t require a culinary degree. Your friends will think you’ve been secretly taking pastry classes or something.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (the regular stuff, nothing fancy)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (because adulting means you can have as much sugar as you want)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the darker, the better—like my soul in the morning)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda (not baking powder, they’re different… trust me on this one)
• 1 teaspoon salt (just a pinch to make the sweet stuff taste sweeter)
• 2 large eggs (preferably from chickens, but you do you)
• 1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with a splash of vinegar if you’re not fancy)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (keeps it moist—there’s that word again)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the real kind, not that imitation nonsense)
• 1 cup hot coffee (instant is fine, this isn’t a barista competition)

For the Cookie Dough Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (patience, grasshopper—truly soft butter matters)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed (like your emotional baggage)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (more sugar, because why not?)
• 1/4 cup milk (whatever percent you have lying around)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (still the real kind)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (balances the sweetness)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (heat-treated—see instructions below)
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (the regular size works too, but mini ones distribute better)

Step-by-Step Instructions

For the Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Don’t skip this step unless you enjoy undercooked cake batter, which… actually isn’t the worst thing.
2. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Or use parchment paper if you’re fancy (or lazy and hate cleaning).
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make it look like a desert landscape.
4. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until just combined—no need to go all Hulk on it.
5. Slowly add hot coffee (it enhances the chocolate flavor, I swear I’m not trying to caffeinate you) and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin, like suspiciously thin—that’s normal.
6. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks. Allow to cool completely unless you want your frosting to melt and slide off dramatically.

For the Cookie Dough Frosting:

1. First things first—heat treat your flour to kill any bacteria (because salmonella is so not a cute look). Spread flour on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 5-7 minutes. Let it cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. (Doing it by hand? Good luck with your arm workout.)
3. Add milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth and creamy.
4. Gradually add the cooled, heat-treated flour and mix until well combined. If it looks too thick, add a splash more milk. If it’s too thin, add a bit more flour. It’s not rocket science.
5. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Try not to eat it all straight from the bowl (a challenge, I know).
6. Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread a thick layer of frosting on top.
7. Add the second cake layer and frost the top and sides. Get creative with it—or don’t. Rustic is just a fancy word for “I tried.”
8. Sprinkle additional mini chocolate chips on top if you’re feeling extra.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Let’s talk about ways to not mess this up, shall we?

• Using hot cake layers with frosting – Unless you want a frosting waterfall, let those cakes cool completely. I mean completely. Like, walk away and do something else for an hour.
• Skipping the flour heat treatment – Raw flour can contain bacteria. Unless food poisoning is on your agenda, take the extra 5 minutes to heat treat it.
• Over-mixing the cake batter – This isn’t a personal training session. You don’t need to beat it into submission. Mix until just combined.
• Using cold butter for frosting – Rock-hard butter won’t cream properly. Patience, young padawan. Let it soften naturally on the counter.
• Adding hot coffee directly to eggs – Unless you want chocolate scrambled eggs, add the coffee last.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Not everyone has a fully stocked pantry or the same taste preferences, so here are some swaps that won’t ruin everything:

For the cake:

• No buttermilk? Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Boom—fake buttermilk.
• Don’t like coffee? Use hot water instead. You’ll lose some depth of flavor, but I won’t tell anyone.
• Gluten-free? Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture might be slightly different, but hey, it’s better than an allergic reaction.

For the frosting:

• Dairy-free? Use plant-based butter and milk. The taste will be slightly different, but it’ll still be delicious.
• No brown sugar? Use all white sugar with a tablespoon of molasses if you have it. No molasses? Just use all white sugar and accept that life is imperfect.
• Want to mix it up? Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of sea salt to the frosting. Getting wild, I know.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! The cake layers can be made 1-2 days in advance. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. The frosting can be made a day ahead and refrigerated—just bring it to room temperature before attempting to spread it, unless you enjoy tearing your cake to shreds.

Will this frosting melt at room temperature?
It holds up pretty well, but if your kitchen is hotter than Satan’s sauna, maybe don’t leave it out for hours. For summer parties, refrigerate until about 30 minutes before serving.

Can I turn this into cupcakes instead?
Look at you being all innovative! Yes, this recipe makes about 24 cupcakes. Bake at the same temperature for 18-20 minutes. More frosting surface area = more cookie dough in your face.

Is there a way to make this less sweet?
Is there a way to make water less wet? JK—reduce the sugar in the frosting by up to 1/4 cup if you must, but remember, this is dessert, not a salad.

Can I freeze leftover cake?
First of all, “leftover cake” is an oxymoron in my house. But yes, you can freeze slices for up to 2 months. Wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Why heat-treat the flour?
Because raw flour can contain bacteria like E. coli. And while living dangerously has its merits, spending 48 hours in the bathroom isn’t one of them.

Final Thoughts

This chocolate cake with cookie dough frosting isn’t just dessert—it’s therapy you can eat. It’s what happens when you refuse to choose between two great things in life, like wearing pajamas to the grocery store and still being considered an adult.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s impressive enough for company but easy enough that you won’t hate yourself halfway through making it. And if you do mess it up? Just crumble it all into a bowl, add a scoop of ice cream, and call it a “deconstructed cake sundae.” That’s what I call a culinary win.

Now go preheat that oven and channel your inner child-meets-sophisticated-adult. Your taste buds will thank you, even if your jeans won’t. But hey, that’s what sweatpants were invented for, right?