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    Home » Recipes » Category » Cakes » Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

    Published: Sep 25, 2020 · Modified: Mar 6, 2021 by Ansley Beutler

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

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    Your childhood cake dreams have been answered with this delicious chocolate chip cookie dough cake! It has moist chocolate chip vanilla cake layers with a silky smooth cookie dough-style frosting and scoops of edible cookie dough on top. Made gluten-free and paleo-friendly too!

    Completed cake sitting on a wooden cake plate with a hand dropping scoop of cookie dough on top. Tiny chocolate chips surround the bottom of the cake.
    Jump to:
    • Cake components
    • Cake ingredient notes
    • Step by step directions for the cake
    • Icing ingredients and notes
    • How to make the icing
    • How to ice the cake
    • Different ways to make this cake
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Reviews

    I'm a huge cookie dough gal. I even have my own edible cookie dough recipe! It's been my go-to ice cream flavor since I was a kid. I mean what's not to love - hunks of cookie dough in creamy ice cream with chocolate chips everywhere. A child's dream come true if you ask me!

    But guess what else is amazing - CAKE! So why not combine the two and create an epic cookie dough cake?!

    Cake components

    Three heavenly components make up this layer cake:

    1. Chocolate chip vanilla cake layers - this three tier has moist a sweet vanilla cake with sprinkles of chocolate chips throughout.
    2. Cookie dough icing - using flavors like vanilla and a little nut butter to provide a cookie dough-style flavoring, this icing tastes just like cookie dough!
    3. Edible vegan cookie dough on top — because every cake deserves to be extra, why not add some edible cookie dough on top?! It's easy to make and safe to eat straight from the bowl.
    Completed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake sitting on top of a wooden cake plate with 8 cookie dough scoops on top of the cake.  Glasses of milk are in the background.

    Cake ingredient notes

    Below is a list of everything you need to make this cake and some substitute recommendations:

    Ingredients list for cookie dough cake on pink surface.
    • Almond and Coconut flour - this combination of flours creates a fluffy and moist cake. If needed, you can substitute the coconut flour for tapioca flour or arrowroot starch.
    • Coconut sugar - to add a little sweetness to the cake. The flavor also adds a slight caramel taste that elevates the cookie dough flavor!
    • Almond butter - this not only ensures the cake is moist, but also helps provide a cookie dough flavor. Any nut butter will work - cashew butter would be the next best option. Peanut butter is also great but to keep this paleo-friendly, stick to almond or cashew.
    • Coconut milk + Apple cider vinegar - this is also known as 'vegan buttermilk' and is what helps the cake rise. No, you won't taste the apple cider vinegar at all. You can also use lemon juice if needed in place of the apple cider vinegar.

    Step by step directions for the cake

    Here is how to make the chocolate chip vanilla cake.

    Step 1 : Mix coconut milk and apple cider vinegar

    First, place the full-fat coconut milk and apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Whisk well with a fork to break up the coconut milk. Set aside.

    Hand stirring white mixture in a bowl on pink surface.

    Step 2 : Whisk the coconut sugar and eggs

    Next grab a large mixing bowl and add the eggs, coconut sugar, almond butter, and vanilla. Beat well with a whisk or mixer. Mix until it's creamy and thick. This step can take a minute or two.

    Step 3 : Add the coconut milk mixture

    Add the coconut milk mixture and stir into the batter. The mixture should have a peanut butter color to it and be slightly thick.

    Step 4 : Fold in the dry ingredients

    Next add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and baking powder to the bowl. Fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Be sure not to over mix!

    Step 5 : Add the chocolate chips

    Finally, pour in the chocolate chips and stir into the batter. I found that mini chocolate chips work best in this recipe.

    Step 6 : Bake

    Pour the batter into three greased 6-inch cake pans. If you want to make a different sized cake other than a three tiered 6-inch cake, check out these other options.

    Bake in the oven until the sides begin to pull away from the sides. It's also a good idea to stick a toothpick in the center of the cake to check its doneness. If the toothpick comes out clean, it's done. If there is some residual batter on the toothpick, it needs a few more minutes in the oven.

    Let the cakes cool before icing.

    Icing ingredients and notes

    To make the cookie dough icing, here is what you need:

    Icing ingredients with labels on a pink surface.
    • Grass-fed butter - this is a buttercream style icing and therefore, we need butter. I prefer to use grass-fed butter but if desired, vegan butter will work as well. When making the icing, your butter should be room temperature.
    • Almond butter - the sweet nutty flavor actually makes the icing have a cookie dough taste to it! Like the cake, any nut butter will work (I recommend cashew butter). Just make sure it's "creamy" style and not chunky.
    • Coconut sugar and Powdered sugar - we use a little coconut sugar to add a hint of caramel to the icing which actually results in a cookie dough flavor. I prefer high-quality powdered sugar for the icing but, to make this paleo, monk fruit powdered sugar will work as well. Monk fruit is slightly sweeter so I recommend starting with half of what is called for and adding more as needed.

    How to make the icing

    You will need a hand or stand mixer to make this cookie dough icing.

    Step 1 : Beat the butter

    First, beat the room temperature butter with the coconut sugar, almond butter, and vanilla. Mix on medium-high speed until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you do this.

    Image showing butter and sugar beaten in mixing bowl.

    Step 2 : Add the powdered sugar

    Next, add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while continuing to beat the mixture. Mix until the icing is creamy and light. If it's too thick and a little dense, add a tablespoon of nut milk or water and continue to beat.

    Image of final icing in bowl once powdered sugar added.

    How to ice the cake

    There is an art-form to icing a cake and it's actually a lot easier than you think! For this cake, it's important to do a crumb coat and then then the final layer of icing. I walk you through each step below:

    The layers

    First, place one of the cakes on your cake stand. Layer with a large scoop of icing. The icing in between the cake layers should be quite thick. This layer of icing also doesn't have to be perfectly smooth. Just make sure it's even so once side isn't lopsided.

    Repeat this with all three layers of cake. Leave the third cake bare on top as the crumb coat comes next!

    The crumb coat

    Cake on a stand with crumb coat on a pink surface.

    A crumb coat is a thin layer of icing over the cake that is used to "seal" the crumbs. Have you ever tried to ice a cake and find that the icing keeps pulling off bits of the cake (aka crumbs)? It's not pretty. The way you mitigate this is with a crumb coat!

    Add a large scoop of icing on top of the cake. Then, using an uneven spatula, brush it over the entire cake - over the top and down the sides. You'll find little pieces of crumb will be picked up in the icing. This is what we want!

    The most important thing with the crumb coat is to not put your spatula back in the icing bowl. This will disburse the crumbs into perfectly good icing. As you scrape the icing off the cake, put the excess in a separate bowl.

    Once the crumb coat is on, place the cake in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set. This can also be done int he fridge but it may take a few additional minutes. The purpose of this part is to seal the crumbs into that layer of icing.

    While the crumb coat is setting, prepare the edible cookie dough.

    Edible cookie dough

    To make the cookie dough used to decorate the top of your cake, mix the following ingredients together in a bowl.

    Cookie dough in glass bowl with chocolate chips.

    Then add in the chocolate chips. Again, mini chocolate chips work best for this part. Stir the batter to disburse the chocolate chips. Set aside while you finish icing the cake.

    The final layer of icing

    Once the crumb coat is set, it's time to put on the top layer of icing.

    Like the crumb coat, spoon a large dollop of icing on top of the cookie dough cake. Brush a thick coat of the icing all over the cake with an uneven spatula. As you can see from the image above, this layer should be a lot thicker than the crumb coat.

    Hand spreading icing layer on side of cake on a pink surface.

    Decorating the cake

    Finally, decorate the cake with scoops of the edible cookie dough on top. You can also crumble up the cookie dough and scatter it on top and along the bottom of the cake. I sprinkled some extra chocolate chips along the bottom.

    Cake with a hand dropping scoop of cookie dough on top.

    Once the cake is decorated, cut into slices and enjoy!

    Different ways to make this cake

    I made this cookie dough cake with three 6-inch layers, however, there are a few other ways you can make this cake:

    • 2 layer 8-inch cake - The only thing you'll need to alter for a two-tier cake is the cooking time. Because the layers will be bigger the cake will require a little longer in the oven to bake. Start with 50 minutes and check the done-ness with a toothpick. Your cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean!
    • Sheet cake - This recipe will make a 9 x 13 inch sheet cake as well. To make this into a sheet cake, it will need to bake for at least 50 minutes in the oven. Again, insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake to make sure it is done. I also highly suggest using a baking pan for this and not a glass pan as this significantly effects the baking time for the cake.
    Slices of cake on a plate with a pink surface.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I store this cookie dough cake?

    This cake needs to be stored in an airtight container. It will last about 4 days sitting out on the counter and about a week in the fridge. I personally prefer storing it in the fridge as it cools and solidifies the icing, giving it more of a cookie dough feel.

    How many people does this cake serve?

    This cake makes 12 large slices and about 18 - 20 standard cake slices.

    Can I substitute the almond flour?

    The only alternative I would recommend using for the almond flour is a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.

    What if I don't have coconut flour?

    The coconut flour is used in this recipe to cut some of the density from the almond flour. You can also use tapioca flour or arrow root starch as a substitution.


    For more delicious cakes, check out my

    • Deliciously Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
    • Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
    • Gluten free Banana Sheet Cake

    PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!


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    Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Ansley Beutler
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 1 3 Tier 6-inch Cake 1x
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Your childhood cake dreams have been answered with this delicious chocolate chip cookie dough cake! It has moist chocolate chip vanilla cake layers with a silky smooth cookie dough-style frosting and scoops of edible cookie dough on top. Made gluten-free and paleo-friendly too!


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the Cake

    • 1 ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
    • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 ½ cup coconut sugar
    • ½ Tbsp vanilla
    • 3 Tbsp almond butter
    • 3 cups almond flour
    • ¼ cup coconut flour
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • ½ Tbsp baking powder
    • ¼ tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips 

    For the Cookie Dough Icing

    • 1 cup grass-fed butter, room temperature (sub.vegan butter)
    • ½ cup coconut sugar
    • ⅓ cup creamy almond butter (sub. any nut butter)
    • ½ Tbsp vanilla
    • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

    For the Edible Cookie Dough on Top

    • 1 cups almond flour
    • 2 Tbsps almond butter (sub. any nut butter)
    • 3 Tbsps maple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp coconut oil (melted and cooled)
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • ¼ cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips

    Instructions

    For the Cake

    1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a small bowl whisk together the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside.
    2. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla, and almond butter until creamy.  Add the coconut milk and apple cider mixture and continue to mix.
    3. Slowly fold in the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt until no flour clumps remain.  Stir in mini chocolate chips.
    4. Pour batter into three 6-inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper or greased with oil.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted in the middle and come out clean.
    5. While the cake cools, prepare the cookie dough icing .

    For the Cookie Dough Icing

    1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the softened butter, coconut sugar, and almond butter together until creamy. Add the vanilla and 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and continue to mix.
    2. Add the remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If the icing it too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a tablespoon nut milk. Set aside while you make the cookie dough to go on top.

    For the Vegan Cookie Dough

    1. In a small bowl, mix together all cookie dough ingredients until no flour clumps remain. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

    To Assemble

    1. To assemble, take 1 cake layer and place in the center of your cake stand. Spoon a large dollop of icing on top and spread across the top to create a thick layer of icing.  Leave some icing hanging over the sides as this will be used to create a "crumb coat" before we ice the entire cake. 
    2. Layer on the remaining 2 cake piece and repeat step 1. Create a "crumb coat" around the sides and on top of the cake with an uneven spatula or cake knife. This is simply a really thin layer of icing that is used to set the crumbs in place. Place the cake in the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
    3. After the crumb coat is set, ice the cake with the remaining icing. With a small cookie scoop, dollop the edible cookie dough on top around the edges.
    4. Slice and enjoy or store in an airtight container until ready to enjoy!

    Notes

    Alternative cake sizes : This recipe can also be made in two 8-inch or 9-inch circular pans or in a sheet cake. See section above labeled 'different ways to make this cake'

    Storing : This cake will keep fresh in an airtight container sitting out on the counter for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

    • Prep Time: 30
    • Cook Time: 40
    • Category: Cakes
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: cookie dough cake, chocolate chip cookie dough cake, paleo cake, vegan cookie dough, paleo cookie dough

    Did you make this recipe?

    Leave a star rating below and tag @the.fit.peach on Instagram!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Molly says

      March 10, 2021 at 6:09 pm

      I made this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake for my family last weekend and they LOVED it! It's a new family favorite. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. emma says

      January 18, 2021 at 9:42 pm

      i would love to make this and make half of it a chocolate cake to do a mix of both for the tiers! can i use the same recipe and just add some cocoa powder ?

      Reply
    3. Charlly says

      November 17, 2020 at 12:07 pm

      Can I use a vegan egg substitute for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Ansley Beutler says

        November 26, 2020 at 9:58 pm

        Hi! I have not tried this recipe with an egg replacement so I can't guarantee it will work. A couple flax eggs are probably your best bet if you do try this with an egg replacement. Let me know how it goes if you try it!

        Reply

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