Birthday Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake [paleo-friendly]

When it’s someone’s birthday but they’d much rather have cookie over cake, you make them Birthday Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. 

Friends have I got a special treat for you….

You can thank Mr. FMK for having a big birthday this month because I made a Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake to celebrate! With frosting and sprinkles and all.

Drew turns the big 3-0 and I kind of can’t believe it. We’ve known each other since middle school when he was already 6 foot tall already and I was still 4 foot something. Wish I had a photo somewhere because we looked ridiculous standing next to one another. We had mutual friends growing up throughout high school, several classes together and finally started dating the end of our junior year.

Our relationship wasn’t always easy (college, study abroad, moving in together after college while navigating a new life states away) but I feel pretty damn lucky to have such an awesome human being by my side.

Drew makes me laugh on a daily basis.  He is lighthearted and fun, balancing out my often too serious and easily stressed self.

He does a ton of the dishes around here and for that task alone I feel like I owe him 30 cookie cakes.

But for now, we’ll start with just this one birthday cookie cake 😀 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

This recipe was made for the cookie monsters in your life. Drew is THE cookie monster. I truly don’t know anyone else that loves cookies as much as he does. When I make a batch of cookies, I try not to count how many he eats right off of the pan… it stresses me out.

*It’s usually in multiples of three.

But I wanted to make him a special treat for his big birthday and celebrate him here on the blog. And the best way I know how to do that is with a giant cookie cake.

what you need for the cookie cake

• whole wheat pastry flour (or half whole wheat, half all-purpose – see recipe for paleo / gluten free sub)
• tapioca flour or cornstarch (see notes)
• baking soda
• salt
• butter
• cashew butter (see notes)
• brown sugar
• eggs
• vanilla 
• chocolate chips
• milk (of choice)

How to make the cookie cake

The recipe comes together like a standard cookie dough.

• Dry ingredients mixed separately.
• Softened butter creamed with cashew butter and then brown sugar.
• Add in eggs and vanilla.
• Then incorporate dry ingredients while adding the milk before finally folding in the chocolate chips.
• Transfer to baking pan and voilà.

I opted to do a little simple decorating with some chocolate peanut butter frosting because why not?! Oh and sprinkles – duh.

The chocolate peanut butter frosting is just a simple buttercream recipe of made up of peanut butter, butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and splashes of milk. Oh and I used a little piping tip for the first time ever – it was actually quite fun! If you don’t have a piping tip you can just use a baggie and cut a hole and just do a ring of frosting around the edge.

Some Additional Notes

• The batter will be thick and somewhat sticky – it is not like your standard cookie dough.
• I used slightly wet hands to press the batter evenly into the cake pan.
• Speaking of pans, I think a round springform is best here BUT you can likely use a 9-10″ cast iron skillet or a 9″ pie plate – baking times may vary.
• PALEO-FRIENDLY VERSION: I tested the cookie cake using almond flour and I actually LOVED this version, however I just didn’t feel like it baked up well enough for traditional “cookie cake” standards. But it was SO good. See my notes in the recipe page for the subtitutions and baking time.

Hope you enjoy this lovely dessert – whether you’re celebrating a special birthday or just baking for fun I am so grateful to be in your kitchens!

Oh and Happy Birthday, Drew. I love you 🙂

Let me know if you make this recipe! Leave a comment and review here on the blog – I always love hearing about what you’ve made. Xx Ashley

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

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• Author: Ashley
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: one 9” cake pan 1x

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Description

This Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake is the lightened up version of the store-bought classic. Made with whole grain flour, a little less sugar and butter but still loaded with flavor and chocolate chips. Grain-free version available for paleo-friendly.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour* (see notes for grain-free version)
• 1 TBSP tapioca flour or cornstarch**
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup unsalted creamy cashew butter (see notes)
• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 TBSP milk of choice
• 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips, plus more for topping if desired
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping if desired
• sprinkles, optional

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

• 3 TBS creamy peanut butter
• 2 TBS unsalted butter, softened
• 3 TBS cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 TBS milk

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease 9″ springform pan, (or use square pan or pie plate – cast iron skillet may work); set aside.
2. In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In large bowl using electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and cashew butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add in sugar, mixing on high speed for about 20 seconds. Add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla mixing on medium speed until combined.
4. Slowly incorporate about half of the bowl of flour, add in milk with mixer running then add in the rest of the flour. Fold in the chocolate chips until thoroughly combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and use slightly damp hands to spread top of batter smooth; top with more chips if desired.
6. Bake cookie cake for 12 minutes then cover pan with foil and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Edges will turn slightly golden. Insert toothpick into center of cake to check for doneness; toothpick should come out almost clean – no wet batter. Be careful not to over-bake or cookie cake will be dry.
7. Allow cookie cake to cool completely – about 1 hour – before frosting and slicing.
8. To make frosting: in medium bowl using electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add peanut butter and softened butter; beat on medium-high speed until combined. With mixer running on low speed add in cocoa powder and powdered sugar while slowing adding milk 1/2 tablespoon at a time, then mixing on medium-high speed until frosting is light and fluffy. Transfer frosting to piping bag using Wilton 1M star tip and pipe frosting along edge of cookie cake. Top with sprinkles if desired before slicing and serving.
9. Cookie cake can be made a day in advance and wrapped tightly. Add frosting the day of serving. Enjoy!

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Notes

*GRAIN-FREE SUB: Tested with 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour with 1/3 cup tapioca flour. Cover top half way through baking time – this version took about 40 minutes. Edges will be brown, middle lighter. Cool completely before cutting. I couldn’t stop eating it. Other Flour Sub: I didn’t test these but you should be good to use 1 cup whole wheat flour + 1 cup all-purpose flour. If using all whole wheat white, you may want to remove 2 TBSP flour. If using 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose baking flour, remove 2 TBSP flour. **You can omit the tapioca or cornstarch if you don’t have on hand; it just helps keep the texture a little softer. If trying to keep this recipe nut-free, use 3/4 cup butter, and omit cashew butter. Recipe updated for better texture June 2019.

• Category: dessert
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: birthday cookie cake, homemade Mrs. Field’s cookie cake, cookie cake for parties

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