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This Brownie Cookie Dough Cake features two fudgy chocolate brownie layers studded with chocolate chips, a thick layer of edible brown-butter cookie dough, and a silky condensed-milk buttercream studded with cookie dough chunks. Topped with extra scoops of cookie dough and a sprinkling of mini chips, it’s rich, chocolatey, and satisfyingly soft. Makes one 8″ round, double-layer cake.
The Layers
The cake uses two dense, fudgy brownie layers filled with chocolate chips. Milk chocolate chips were used here for a creamier bite, but semisweet chips or chopped chocolate work equally well. You can also fold in nuts or other mix-ins to suit your taste.
Between the brownie layers is a thick spread of edible brown-butter cookie dough. This egg-free cookie dough is pasteurized for safe raw consumption and delivers that classic creamy, indulgent cookie-dough flavor. Brown butter adds a toasty, caramel-like note that elevates the whole cake. If you want extra topping, make an additional half batch of the cookie dough to scoop on top.
The Frosting
The frosting is a luscious two-ingredient Russian-style buttercream made from unsalted butter and sweetened condensed milk. It whips up creamy and light with a subtle milky sweetness that complements the cookie dough and brownie layers. A touch of vanilla brightens the flavor.
Beat the butter until very fluffy, then add the condensed milk gradually until smooth. Reserve a small amount of plain buttercream to pipe a clean border around the cake. Fold the room-temperature cookie dough into the remaining buttercream and mix just enough so there are still large chunks of dough throughout the frosting. For this cake, slightly less condensed milk is used than in some recipes to prevent the final frostings from becoming overly sweet once the cookie dough is added.
Accurate flour measurement is important—use a scale or spoon-and-level with measuring cups. Avoid overmixing once the flour is added to prevent excess gluten development. Most importantly, do not overbake: remove the layers when the centers are still slightly jiggly; they will set as they cool.
This cake contains a good amount of butter across the brownies, cookie dough, and frosting. Serving at room temperature ensures the layers are tender and the buttercream is soft and creamy for the best texture and flavor.
Start with butter that is very soft but not melted. Beat it on high until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add sweetened condensed milk gradually, beating well between additions so the frosting remains smooth. Add room-temperature cookie dough and pulse just until large chunks remain. Fold briefly with a spatula to remove large air pockets before using.
If the frosting splits, melt about 1/4 cup of the frosting in a warm water bath or microwave, cool to room temperature, then add it back to the bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy.
Yes. The brownie layers can be made a day or two ahead (wrapped tightly at room temperature). Make the buttercream base the day before if helpful, but do not add the cookie dough until the day you frost the cake; chilling changes the texture and it will need re-beating to become light again. Assemble the cake a day ahead if desired, refrigerate covered, and bring to room temperature before serving.
Ingredients:
Full measurements and steps are provided in the recipe card below.
Cake Layers
- All-purpose flour: weigh for best results or use the spoon-and-level method.
- Baking soda: a small amount gives gentle lift while keeping the brownies fudgy.
- Salt: balances sweetness and enhances chocolate flavor—don’t skip.
- Natural cocoa powder: not Dutch-processed; its acidity helps build flavor with the leavening.
- Unsalted butter: melted and cooled; provides moisture and richness.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar: brown sugar adds moisture and depth; granulated sugar adds chew.
- Large eggs (room temperature): for structure and silkiness.
- Pure vanilla extract: for flavor.
- Chocolate chips: your choice—milk or semisweet both work well.
Frosting
- Unsalted butter, softened: must be very soft to whip light and airy.
- Sweetened condensed milk: one 300 mL (390 g / 14 oz) can.
- Pure vanilla extract: to taste.
- Mini chocolate chips: for texture and decorating.
Cookie dough: Use one batch of an edible brown-butter chocolate-chip cookie dough. Half the batch fills between the layers and half goes into the buttercream. For extra scoops on top, prepare an additional half batch (optional).
Steps
Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven and prepare two 7″ or 8″ round cake pans (grease and line with parchment).
- Melt the butter and cool to room temperature.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder; set aside.
- Whisk the brown and granulated sugars with the eggs and vanilla until smooth and lighter in color.
- Whisk the cooled melted butter into the egg mixture until combined.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips just until incorporated.
- Divide batter between pans and bake 25–30 minutes until centers are still slightly jiggly. Cool completely; layers will sink slightly in the middle.
Frosting
- Beat the softened butter until pale and very fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add vanilla and incorporate.
- Gradually add sweetened condensed milk while beating until smooth.
- Fold the buttercream gently with a spatula to remove large air pockets.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of plain buttercream for piping a border (optional).
- Add mini chocolate chips and half the cookie dough to the remaining buttercream; mix just until chunks remain distributed.
Assembly
- Place a small dollop of buttercream on a cake board and set the first brownie layer on top (don’t trim the edges; the sunken center will hold cookie dough).
- Spread half the batch of edible cookie dough over the layer, then add a generous layer of cookie-dough buttercream and smooth.
- Place the second brownie layer on top, bottom-side up, pressing gently. Cover the top and sides with the remaining cookie-dough buttercream and smooth. Press mini chocolate chips onto the sides.
- Pipe the reserved plain buttercream along the top edge to create a neat border.
- Decorate the top with extra scoops of cookie dough if desired. Slice and serve at room temperature.
Happy baking! xx
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📖 Recipe
Fudgy Brownie Cookie Dough Cake
Mary
Pin Recipe
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Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric handheld mixer
- Two 8″ round baking pans
Ingredients
Fudgy brownie cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
- 1 ¾ cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ¾ cups brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips (milk or semisweet)
Cookie Dough Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (300 mL / 390 g / 14 oz)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup mini chocolate chips (for mixing and decorating)
Cookie Dough
- 1 batch edible brown-butter chocolate-chip cookie dough
- Optional: ½ batch extra cookie dough to scoop on top
Shop Ingredients on Jupiter
Instructions
Fudgy brownie cake
- Preheat oven to 175°C (345°F). Grease two 7″ or 8″ round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Melt 1 ¾ cup butter and cool to room temperature.
- Sift together 2 cups flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 cup natural cocoa powder.
- Whisk 1 ¾ cups brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 5 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and lighter in color.
- Whisk the cooled melted butter into the egg mixture until combined.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and 1 cup chocolate chips just until combined.
- Divide batter into prepared pans and bake 25–30 minutes. Remove when centers are still slightly jiggly. Cool completely.
- Run a knife around the edges to release the cakes from the pans and peel off parchment.
Cookie Dough Buttercream
- Beat 2 cups softened butter until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix to incorporate.
- Gradually add one can sweetened condensed milk while beating until smooth.
- Fold the buttercream gently with a spatula to remove large air pockets.
- Reserve ½ cup of plain buttercream for piping a border.
- Add ¼ cup mini chocolate chips and half the batch of edible cookie dough; mix just until chunks remain.
Assembly
- Spread a small dollop of buttercream on your cake board and place the first brownie layer on top.
- Spread half the cookie dough on the layer, then a layer of cookie-dough buttercream; smooth evenly.
- Place the second layer bottom-side up and press gently. Frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream and press mini chips onto the sides.
- Pipe the reserved plain buttercream around the top edge. Add extra cookie dough scoops if desired. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Weigh flour or use spoon-and-level measuring.
- Do not overmix after adding flour.
- Remove brownies when centers are still slightly jiggly; they will set while cooling.
Let us know how it was!