This Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake is one decadent, rich dessert! Brownie and peanut butter cookie dough are layered together and topped with chocolate ganache & a touch of peanut butter icing!
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…
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, Easy Homemade Brownies From Scratch, 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.
Once the brownies are made, it’s all about the cookie dough. It’s eggless, so totally safe to eat 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. 🙂
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. 😉
I sure hope you have an occasion coming up, because this cake would be perfect!
You might also like
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake
- No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pizza
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Pie
- Reeses Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Snickers Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake
UPDATED 9/7/16: See the cake getting put together in this new video!
Watch How To Make It
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 14–18 Slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake is one decadent, rich dessert! Brownie and peanut butter cookie dough are layered together and topped with chocolate ganache & a touch of peanut butter icing!
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) vegetable oil
- 3 cups (621g) sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (195g) flour
- 1 cup (114g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cookie Dough
- 1 1/4 cups (280g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (278g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (180g) peanut butter
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour, heat treated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3–4 tablespoons (45-60ml) milk
- 1 cup (169g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Ganache
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) peanut butter
- 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) water or milk
- Mini chocolate chips, for topping, if desired
Instructions
Make the brownies
- Line the bottoms of three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large bowl and whisk together until well combined. Add the eggs and mix until well combined.
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until well combined, but don’t over mix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three pans and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
- Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to cool on wire rack.
- While brownies cool, make cookie dough.
Make the cookie dough
- Add the butter and sugars to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
- Add the flour and salt and mix just until well combined.
- Add milk to achieve the preferred cookie dough thickness.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be thick. Set aside.
Assemble the 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.
- Place half of chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Microwave half of the heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
- Cover bowl with saran wrap and let sit for 5-7 minutes, then whisk together until smooth.
- 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.
- Place the first brownie into the bottom of the pan.
- 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.
- Put half of the cookie into the pan and spread evenly on top of the brownie. Remove the first two layers from the cake pan and place it on a serving dish.
- Repeat steps 5-7 with the second brownie and remaining cookie dough, then remove from pan.
- Put another 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer from the first section of cake and spread thinly. Place the second section of cake onto the first.
- Put another 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer on top (the fourth layer) and spread thinly. Top with remaining brownie.
Decorate the cake
- Place remaining chocolate chips in a medium size bowl. Microwave remaining heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
- Cover bowl with saran wrap and let sit for 5-7 minutes. then whisk together until smooth.
- Allow to sit for a few minutes until it just starts to thicken, then pour over the top of the cake, spreading it over the top and pushing some over the sides to create the drip.
- Place cake in refrigerator and make the peanut butter buttercream.
- Beat the butter until smooth, then add the peanut butter and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add water or milk, as needed, to get the right consistency.
- Remove cake from fridge, and pipe buttercream around the top edge of the cake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 1007
- Sugar: 81.1 g
- Sodium: 144.9 mg
- Fat: 62.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 110 g
- Protein: 12.8 g
- Cholesterol: 117.7 mg
Enjoy!
Can this cake be frozen and thawed out? I worry the brownie will dry out. It looks amazing!
I did freeze a few pieces for my mom and it didn’t seem to dry out. It was only frozen for about a week though.
HOLY OMG. Like…wow. This is stunning! And I’m the same way. Sometimes I want to dress up…and I just go for it. Hence, I spend $100 on a tank top at WHBM…
Thanks Dorothy! OMG, WHBM is such a trap – I love their stuff!
Oh My Goodness! Are you kidding me?? Why oh why did I come here *says the one who’s been on Weight Watcher’s for 4 months*??
Sharing on FB!
Thanks for the share Doreen! Sorry for ruining your diet 😉
I love your dressy side! Wow! I personally rarely dress up, it makes me uncomfortable. However, every once in a while I really want to get all dolled up and look really girly! That’s not likely to happen, this cake however IS likely to happen! Man that ganache is awesome!
Haha, thanks Tanya! I agree, comfort is key!
Wow. This is just…. wow! All my favourite things, all in one big tower of heaven. I’m not sure I can wait for a special occasion to make this!
Thanks Natalie! No need to wait then 🙂
Holy amazing cake batman!!! I love all the layers and high and pretty it is! Absolutely stunning girl!!!
Thanks Jocelyn! I love tall cakes 🙂
This cake looks beyond amazing! Definitely a recipe to make..:)
Thank you!
This cake is STUNNING! Pinned!
Thanks Tonia!
I couldn’t Pin fast enough – this cake looks absolutely out of this world!
Thank you so much Melanie!
I NEED a slice of this cake! Absolutely incredible, Lindsay!
Thanks Ashley!
Oh. MY. Goodness! I am doing a happy dance right now… and I can’t stop! Pinning and sharing!
Thanks Gloria! 🙂
Are you KIDDING ME?!?! This cake is insane. I kept scrolling and the layers of cookie dough and brownie and chocolate kept appearing! I almost passed out.
Pinned. And bookmarked. And I can hardly wait to make it!
Haha, thanks Lindsey! I hope you like it!
This cake is just so freakin’ awesome Lindsay! All those layers of decadence…drooling! Pinned!
Thanks Trish! 🙂
Holy mother is cakes, this is insane. You’ve out done yourself!
Thanks Risa!
Oh my goodness, I don’t think it can get any better than the peanut butter cookie dough brownie layer cake!!! YUM!!!!
Thanks Jamie!
Just found this recipe. But am wondering about the amounts of ingredients for the brownie layer – it lists only 1 tablespoon of cocoa…is this correct? Would love to make it but want to be sure I have the right amounts. Thanks!!!
Sorry about that Genna! It should have been 1 cup. Thanks for pointing it out! It’s been updated.
Thanks so much!!! Can’t wait to try this! 🙂