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!
I made this yesterday for my cousins Birthday. Everyone will be talking about this cake forever! It was epic and really not that hard for a novice like me. Thanks so much!!!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks Catherine!
This recipe looks amazing! I want to make it for my son’s birthday party this weekend. Do you think I can make it ahead of time, or is it a “same day” kind of cake? Thanks!
Thank you! Yes, you can definitely make it a day or two ahead.
what the prep time for this cake?
what is the Cook time for this cake?
what is the ready in time for this cake?
thank you : )
I didn’t keep track of times when making it, so I can’t say for sure. The cookie dough isn’t baked, so the cook time is the time for the brownies. All time included is a fair amount – at leave a few hours – given the baking of the brownies, allowing them to cool, making the cookie dough and stacking it all. If you serve it immediately, that reduces some time, but I do refrigerate it first usually.
I finally found a recipe I would like to make thank you..
We, unfortunately, have a peanut allergy issue in our family. Would the elimination of peanut butter in the cookie dough still leave a good flavor? Can I eliminate the peanut butter from the icing or need to make a different type icing for the cake?
Yes, it will still be great without the peanut butter. Just replace the peanut butter with butter in the cookie dough. For the icing, add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract to have a vanilla icing, or about 1/4 cup of cocoa for a chocolate icing.
This is a great idea, but way too sweet! Maybe we are just used to darker brownies and less sweet cookies, but unfortunately, it was almost inedible. I felt really bad because I asked for it for my birthday, and my mom spent a lot of time making it, and now we have all this cake that no one wants. I think doing similar, but with your own favorite brownie and chocolate chip cookie dough recipes might be a good hint. Or just use less sugar and more chocolate maybe?
Hi! Firstly, this cake is absolutely GORGEOUS! All my favorite things in one dessert; just fab 😉 I had a quick question; I made this cake last night for a dinner I am having tonight, and I did a quick taste test of the cookie dough. Is it supposed to have a rather gritty texture? My brown sugar was soft and moist, and my white sugar didnt have any lumps. Let me know if this is normal; hopefully the whole dessert together tastes just fine! I know cookie dough does tend to be a little gritty, but this just seemed too much. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Zara! I hope it ended up tasting great! It shouldn’t really be gritty. It’s basically the same cookie dough I use for cookies, minus the eggs and leaveners. It could be that it need to sit a bit and all kind of come together. Did it work out all right?
Mmmm this looks sooooo good!
Thank you for this ultimately deliscious invention. I did this cake fur my husbands birthday and I cannot stop eating it!!!! (I’m 7 months prego by the way!!!) And you got me addicted to cookie dough!!! I followed your recipe to the letter and it turned out really deliscious. The recipe is very detailed but easy to follow well done!! Will definately try it again for my birthday!!!
I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂 Congratulations on the baby!
Just my two cents:
I really wanted to make this for my husband’s birthday because it looks sooo delicious! However, the brownies turned out terrible. It obviously may have been something I did but I’m pretty sure I made them right–according to the directions. They didn’t bake well, didn’t hold up at all either, and tasted really weird. My suggestion for those who want to make this is to use a favorite brownie recipe or just chocolate cake.
Thanks for the recipe–hopefully it will turn out better for me next time!
I’m sorry you had a bad experience with the brownies. I’ve made them a number of times and never had trouble. Definitely a box mix would work as well, but you’ll probably need two boxes to get the 3 layers.
I too wanted to bake this cake for my SO’s birthday because it looks amazing! But unfortunately, just as Carmen, the brownies turned out terrible: they didn’t bake properly, didn’t taste good (they tasted mainly like egg with sugar) and were falling apart. I had to throw it away and start again with a brownie recipe I know… I wasn’t sure if I would continue with this recipe or go for something else entirely but finaly chose to stick with it. I hope the end result will be ok!
OMG, I don’t know what happened, but something went terribly wrong????. I followed the recipe exactly, but the brownies cooked and overflowed in the oven. Now our house is smoked out:-(. I am so sad because the brownie batter tasted great. I can only assume the pans were too shallow, so I may have to cut the recipe a bit to account for my pan size. So sad because the cake looks amazing????????
Where can I find the actual recipe?
You should be able to see it now. I’m sorry about that, not sure what happened, but it’s fixed.
Where did the recipe go? I thought it was listed in the blog post, but I cannot see it on my computer or my phone?
You should be able to see it now. I’m sorry about that, not sure what happened, but it’s fixed.
I’m planning to make this but have a question; do you refrigerate it again after taking it out??
Yes, I did.
This looks SO delicious! You couldn’t have three better combos than brownies, peanut butter, and cookie dough. I can’t wait to try it:)
Can I do this cake in a cup-cake version or push pops for a bake sale? Any tips on that?
I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to respond Elizabeth! We’ve been out of town. I definitely think you could do push pops quite easily. Just bake the brownies and make the cookie dough and then break the brownie into pieces to make the brownie layers and do the same with the cookie dough for those layers. It’d be delicious!
This cake looks too good to be true! My favorite desserts always combine peanut butter and chocolate. This looks amazing!
Thanks Jenna!