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!
Raw flour should NEVER be consumed as it can harbor e. coli and salmonella. You’re going to make your readers sick.
I have made this cake and the taste of the chocolate and peanut butter was wonderful. I have one question about the cookie dough layer. In my dough you can taste a lot of crispy bits of the brown sugar, is that how it’s supposed to be or can I make the dough smooth without those crispy bits? My dough also wasn’t as thick as yours.
My guess is that the brown sugar you used had little bits in it. That can happen – I try to pick the biggest ones out.
If the dough ended up a little thin, just don’t add as much of the milk next time.
Quick question. What do you do with the other 1/2 cup of heavy cream in the ganache? It says to microwave half of it and pour it over the chocolate chips, but it doesn’t say what to do with the other half cup. Help please!
Half of the chocolate chips and heavy cream are used for the ganache between the layers, the other half are used in the ganache for over the top of the cake.
Hi,
I came across ur website. Loved to try the cookie – dough brownie cake. for my two month baby girl monthly, birthday celebration.
I have a question. The cookie dough ingredients, you have mentioned to put flour. But not to bake or cook it. Can we use as it is, I mean doesn’t it sound to eat raw.
I usually don’t have issue with raw flour, but if it’s a concern for you, you can toast the flour prior to adding to the dough.
Thanks for ur reply.
If I wanted to make this with regular cookie dough (instead of the peanut butter) would I just leave the peanut butter out?
Yes, it should be fine to leave the peanut butter out. If the dough ends up a bit thicker, just add a little more milk.
My Grandson found this recipe for his birthday cake ans asked if I would make it for him well let me tell you the smile on his face was priceless and not to say how good it was. Thank you so very much for makung his day and Grandmom was the bomb in his eyes. Keep up the good work.
Aww that’s wonderful! I’m so glad he enjoyed it! 🙂
Hello, this cake looks soooo nice, but I have a few questions, if you don’t mind.. First, you don’t bake the cookie dough, but one of the ingredients is flour. It’s fine to use flour and eat it without bake? Second, how tall is the cake? I will make a square cake instead of doing it round for about 20 people and I was wondering if the amount of ingredients is enough. Thank you so much!!
I don’t usually have issues with the flour, but use your best judgement. I’ve heard of people toasting flour before, so you could consider doing that. With 5 layers, it’s pretty tall. I don’t remember the exact hight, but probably close to 5 inches.
Would you be able to use the frosting in between the layers as well?
Sure!
Hey love this cake
I was wondering what would i have to do with the Brownie layer in order to make it a blondie brownie sort of thing
Thanks xx
I don’t have a blondie recipe on the site. I suggest finding one you like to swap out with the brownies.
Hey What if i have to make half the quantity of this cake ? i just want to make 2 layers of this cake instead of 3 . <3
Sure, you’d just need to play around with adjusting the recipe. 🙂
I have made this a number of times, and it’s a hit with everyone. One issue I have had is with the weight of the cake pushing out the cookie dough layers. I’m going to try chilling the layers during the building process – if I have time.
Thanks for posting this. I can’t wait to try a few of the other cakes you have posted here!
Made this for a Super Bowl party. Worked out great! I would omit the peanut butter from the cookie dough next time since I didn’t care for the flavor. It’s a heavy ‘cake’ so just keep that in mind. But it came out wonderfully. I also didn’t do the PB frosting and instead opted for my dads chocolate frosting.
I was on your blog about Joan and looking over your recipe for the turtle chocolate cake. It looks wonderful and I am going to attempt a gluten free version this weekend…hopefully. Near the bottom of the page there we several photos of cakes….one was this one here, but when I tapped on the link it sent me to a website called itWFT. Not sure what that was about…but thought I’d share with you.
Thanks for this yummy turtle recipe….anything turtle(ish) is wonderfully yummy!
Oh no, that’s weird! I’ll definitely look it that! Thank you! I hope you enjoy the cake!
Made this for Christmas dessert. It was good, but I have to say it’s been MUCH tastier after setting in the fridge. I had a second piece the next day and the taste and consistency had improved after an overnight in the fridge. Maybe layers needed a chance to come together a bit? I would definitely make again!
I just made this cake today for my daughter’s birthday. I was amazed that it was easier than I thought it would be. I used two boxes of Ghirardelli brownie mix in lieu of the recipe here because of time constraints and it worked well. Everybody loved it!!
Can I bake the Triple Chocolate Cake in two 9″ rounds instead of three 8″ rounds?
Yes, you can. I don’t remember the exact baking time, but it’ll need to bake a little longer.