Funfetti Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake

Let's talk cake. Let's talk about how I am super intimidated by layer cakes. Let's talk about how I get the courage to brave making one, only to find out I don't have three 8-inch cake pans, I have 1 and two 9-inch pans. Let's talk about the admiration and jealousy I have for people who make beautiful homemade cakes.

I'm talking homemade from scratch cakes, that are fluffy and have whipped creamy frosting. Not fancy cakes with fondant or anything like that. Just cakes you can make from your pantry. Yeah, those cakes.

The original recipe for this cake is a three-layer cake. Mine is a two layer due to my mix-and-match cake pans. If this had been a three-layer cake, I don't know if anyone could eat a piece by themselves. It's ridiculously thick and decadent and full of sugary goodness. It should be required that you enjoy this cake with a glass (or four) of milk. Mine did not come out as pretty as the original recipe, but I'm still new to cake baking. I don't think I've actually made a layer cake. I've made just single layer cakes, which are still great, but don't have the aesthetic appeal layer cakes have. This cake is for celebrating. A big 'ol slice of this cake is going to work tomorrow for a co-worker's birthday. What's a better way to say happy birthday and thanks for being awesome than a nice slice of holy-chocolatey-sugary-happiness? Layers of chocolate brownie, funfetti cookie dough and chocolate ganache sounds like a great birthday gift to me.

Funfetti Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake
adapted from Live, Love & Sugar

For the brownies:
1.5 cups vegetable oil
3 cups sugar
3 tsp. vanilla extract
6 eggs
1.5 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

For the cookie dough:
1.5 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
2 (15.25 oz) boxes funfetti cake mix
1 and 1/3 cups flour
5-6 tbsp. milk
a small handful of chocolate and white chocolate chips

For the ganache:
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided

Chocolate frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp. milk
sprinkles for topping

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans, by either lining with parchment paper and greasing the sides or using a baker's non-stick spray.
2. For the brownies, mix together the oil, sugar, a vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well until combined.
3. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Divide evenly between cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a couple of crumbs on it.
4. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
5. Make the ganache by placing half of the chocolate chips into a large bowl. Heat half of the heavy cream in the microwave until boiling (about 1 minute) and pour over chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth and combined.
6. For the cookie dough, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add in one box of funfetti cake mix and one and a half cups of mix from the second box. Mix until well combined.
7. Add in one cup of flour and mix. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until you get a good consistency that is thick, but spreadable.
8. Stir in chocolate chips and extra sprinkles if desired.
9. To assemble the layers, spread 3-4 tablespoons of ganache over the top of one of the brownie cakes. Top with a very thick layer of the cookie dough. Top the cookie dough with another layer of 3-4 tablespoons of ganache. Place second brownie cake on top.
10. Heat the remaining half cup of heavy cream in the microwave until boiling and pour over remaining chocolate chips. Let sit, then whisk. Let it sit for another 3-4 minutes and then pour over the top of the cake spreading out and allowing to drip down the sides.
11. For the frosting, beat the butter and shortening until combined. With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar in half-cups at a time. Add in the cocoa and mix until combined. Add the milk and beat until smooth and fluffy. Pipe onto cake as desired and top with sprinkles.

 

Yep, I broke one of the brownie cakes, but it magically healed itself while cooling

Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

Just when things wind down from the wedding and I'm enjoying my days not being a bit of a whirlwind, my cheer teams goes and wins their Emass Championships yesterday and keeps us in the running! This may sound like a complaint, but it's not. I'm so super proud of them and can't wait to keep improving the routine and see what they bring to New England Regionals in two weeks! We now face the battle of finding gym space. With the weather getting colder and winter sports on the horizon, gym space in the schools dwindles, and we get the bottom of the waiting list. This week we have early practices, which is nice to come home and make dinner at 5:30 instead of trying to make it at 4:30 or 8:00. I also get time to bake at night, which I've been trying to get back to.

Since my last post, which was the Banana Butterscotch Cream Pie Cupcakes, I made a few dishes, and if I find some more time, I'll get around to posting the recipes for them. However, these cupcakes are way better than those recipes, so they get the spotlight for this post. This recipe comes from one of my favorite cooking blogs, Annie's Eats. She makes amazing cupcakes (well, amazing everything) and I've used some of her recipes in the past and always had great results. This is a great play off of Chubby Hubby Ice Cream, a Ben & Jerry's favorite. It has a malted vanilla cake filled with chocolate ganache and chopped up milk and dark chocolate covered pretzels, and topped off with a fluffy peanut butter buttercream frosting. I'm not a huge malt fan. I've made some chocolate malt cupcakes before, and they're yummy, but malt is just a flavor I'm done with after a few bites. These cupcakes are great because the peanut butter and chocolate mix in well so the malt isn't overpowering.

Chubby Hubby Cupcakes
 slightly adapted from Annie's Eats

for the cake:
3 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1.5 cups sugar
1 cup malted milk powder
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature

for the filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup coarsely chopped pretzels (or chocolate covered pretzels)

for the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4.5 cups powdered sugar
pinch of coarse salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. heavy cream

chocolate covered pretzels for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 cupcake tins. Mine made 28 cupcakes, so I lined 4 more in a smaller tin.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the sugar, about a quarter cup at a time, mixing between each addition. Blend in the malted milk powder. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixture on slow speed, add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
4. Divide the batter between the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
5. For the ganache, heat the heavy cream until scalding. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for a few minute. Mix together until chocolate is melted and smooth. Mix in the unsalted butter. Let sit and firm up while cupcakes cool.
6. When cupcakes are cool, cut out the centers and fill with ganache. Sprinkle with chopped pretzels.
7. For the frosting, beat together the butter and peanut butter, for 4 minutes until fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar, in half-cup increments with the mixer on low. Mix in salt. Mix in vanilla and cream until just incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Frost cupcakes however you choose.