March 26, 2014

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

posted by Lindsay
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This Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake is one decadent, rich dessert! It’s my second installment for Cookie Dough Week! Layers of brownie and peanut butter cookie dough are layered together and topped with chocolate ganache and a touch of peanut butter icing! You are going to want a tall glass of milk with this. 🙂

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know by now that while I love super simple treats, I also have a major love of an over the top dessert! In fact, this dichotomy is indicative of my own personality as well.

Most of the time, I’m a pretty laid back kinda gal. Jeans and a top, hopefully cute, but not trying too hard. I mean really, I just don’t have time for that. I used to. But not these days. And ultimately, I want to be comfy. Not comfy = me in a bad mood.

However, when I’m feeling particularly fabulous or I’m going somewhere that maybe I can get dressed up, I really do love to dress up. Sometimes I wish was like Kate Middleton or something (you know, a princess) and always got to be super cute and have places to dress up for.

But of course, I’m not a princess…

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

So this cake is basically my dressy side. Monday’s recipe – the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pizza – was my laid back side. It seems fitting that with two posts for cookie dough week, I’d do one for each side. Just so neither side feels left out. 🙂

This cake really isn’t hard to make, despite being dressy. Yes, you have to bake the brownies, but after that it’s smooth sailing.

I used my new favorite brownie recipe rather than using a box mix. Not only do I totally love this brownie, but a single box mix wouldn’t be quite enough for 3 layers. So if you decide you’d rather go the box mix route, you might want to do 2 mixes.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

Once the brownies are made, it’s all about the cookie dough. It’s eggless, so totally safe to each without baking. No worries there.

To hold the layers together, I used a little bit of chocolate ganache. So little, you really can’t tell in the photos that it’s there, but it is. It’s just a little glue to hold all the fun together. 🙂

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

The method of layering everything together and getting nice, even edges is very similar to the method I use in my Snickers Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake. Basically, you layer everything in a cake pan and then lift it out using parchment paper or saran wrap. It might sound confusing, but it’s explained in the directions and is easy peasy and works like a charm.

Of course I thought about just letting this cake go all natural on me. I still think it’d be super cute with rough cookie dough edges. Maybe just use a cookie scoop to add the cookie dough and then stack with the brownies? It’d be beautiful and elegant in it’s own way.

But since this was my “dressy” day, I went with the well kept edges. 😉

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

I sure hope you have an occasion coming up, because this cake would be perfect!

UPDATED 9/7/16: See the cake getting put together in this new video!

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

  • Yield: 14-18 Slices 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

BROWNIES

  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup cocoa (I use Hershey’s Special Dark)
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

COOKIE DOUGH

  • 1 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3–4 tbsp milk
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp water or milk
  • Mini chocolate chips, for topping, if desired

Instructions

TO MAKE THE BROWNIES:

1. Line the bottoms of three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
2. Mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
4. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
5. Slowly add to the egg mixture until well combined.
6. Pour the batter evenly into the three pans and spread evenly.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
8. Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to cool on wire rack.
9. While brownies cool, make cookie dough.

TO MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH:

1. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
7. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla extract.
8. With the mixer on low speed, add flour.
9. Add milk to preferred thickness.
10. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick. Set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE:

Once the brownies are cool, it’s time to put the layers together. You can pile the cookie dough onto the brownies, stack the layers and leave messy layers, or use the method I used for having clean edges/sides of the cake.
1. Place half of chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
2. Microwave half of the heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
3. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
4. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
5. Using one of the same 8 inch cake pans that you baked the brownies in, put parchment paper or saran wrap in the bottom and up the sides of the pan. You will use it to lift the layers out of the pan.
6. Place the first brownie into the bottom of the pan.
7. Add about 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the brownie and spread into a thin layer. This will help the cookie dough stick to the brownie.
8. Put half of the cookie into the pan and spread evenly on top of the brownie.
9. Remove the first two layers from the cake pan and place on it’s serving dish.
10. Repeat steps 5-8 with the second brownie and remaining cookie dough. Then remove from pan.
11. Put another 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer from the first section of cake and spread thinly.
12. Place the second section of cake onto the first.
13. Put another 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer on top (the fourth layer) and spread thinly.
14. Top with remaining brownie.

TO FINISH OFF CAKE:

1. Place remaining chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
2. Microwave remaining heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
3. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
4. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
5. Allow to sit for a few minutes until it just starts to thicken, then pour over the top of the cake.
6. Place cake in refrigerator and make the peanut butter icing.
7. To make the icing, beat the shortening and butter together until smooth.
8. Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth.
9. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
10. Add water or milk.
11. Remove cake from fridge, and pipe icing onto the top edge of the cake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if desired.

Enjoy!

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Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake - layers of cookie dough, brownies and ganache!

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