I baked a layered Chocolate Chip Cake crowned with vanilla buttercream, glossy chocolate ganache, and homemade cookies that hides a clever cookie-in-cake trick.

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I can’t stop thinking about this Milk and Cookies Cake. It’s basically a chocolate chip cookie flavored cake layered with silky vanilla buttercream, glossy chocolate ganache, and crowned with homemade cookies.

I bake it when I want something that looks fancy but really hides secrets, there’s plenty of unsalted butter folded into the batter and mini semisweet chocolate chips scattered through every crumb so each bite is suspiciously like straight from a cookie tray. It started as an experiment and now its my go-to Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe when I want to impress without stress.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: main structure, mostly carbs, some protein, low fiber, neutral taste.
Unsalted butter: adds richness, fat for moistness, gives flavor and it’s golden crumb.
Granulated sugar: sweetens, mostly simple carbs, it helps browning and texture.
Brown sugar: molasses notes, adds moisture and caramel flavor, kinda slightly acidic.
Eggs: binders, provide protein and lift, they help structure and moisture.
Whole milk: adds fat and calcium, keeps cake tender, it’s slightly sweet.
Sour cream: tangy fat, keeps crumb moist and tender, adds slight tang.
Chocolate chips: rich chocolate bites, mostly fat and sugar, add texture.

Ingredient Quantities

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour

1 tablespoon (14 g) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda

1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature

1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream or plain yogurt

1 1/2 cups (255 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the vanilla buttercream:

1 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened

6 cups (720 g) powdered sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) heavy cream or whole milk

Pinch of fine sea salt

For the chocolate ganache:

8 oz (225 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream

1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter or light corn syrup optional for shine

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional

For the cookies (about 18 medium cookies):

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Grease and line two 9 inch round pans or three 8 inch pans with parchment. In a bowl whisk 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (14 g) baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda and 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt; set aside.

2. In the bowl of a mixer beat 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add 3 large eggs one at a time, beating after each, then 2 teaspoons vanilla. Scrape bowl.

3. With mixer on low alternate adding the dry mixture and 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk mixed with 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream or plain yogurt, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined, dont overmix. Fold in 1 1/2 cups (255 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake 18 to 22 minutes for 8 inch pans or 25 to 30 minutes for 9 inch, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack.

5. While cakes bake make the cookies: cream 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar until creamy. Mix in 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir in 3 cups (375 g) flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until just combined, then fold in 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips. Chill dough 20 to 30 minutes, scoop about 18 medium cookies onto parchment lined sheet and bake at 350F about 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool on rack.

6. Make the vanilla buttercream: beat 1 1/2 cups (340 g) softened unsalted butter until pale, then add 6 cups (720 g) sifted powdered sugar a cup at a time on low. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla, a pinch of salt and 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) heavy cream or whole milk to reach spreadable consistency. Beat 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Reserve a bit for piping if you want.

7. Make the chocolate ganache: place 8 oz (225 g) finely chopped semisweet chocolate in a bowl. Heat 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream until just simmering, pour over chocolate and let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter or light corn syrup if you want extra shine. Let ganache cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.

8. Level cake layers if needed. Place one layer on your cake board or plate, spread an even layer of buttercream, sprinkle a few extra mini chips if you like, then stack next layer. Repeat if using 3 layers. Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over whole cake and chill 15 to 30 minutes until set.

9. Final finish and decorate: smooth a final layer of buttercream, chill briefly to firm. Warm ganache slightly if too thick and pour into center of cake letting it run toward edges to create drips, then spread remaining ganache on top. Arrange the homemade cookies on top and around the cake, crumble a few cookie bits for extra texture, and sprinkle flaky sea salt if using. Chill briefly to set then serve at room temp.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350F)
2. 2 × 9 inch round pans or 3 × 8 inch pans, plus parchment paper and nonstick spray
3. Stand mixer or electric hand mixer (for cake, cookies and buttercream)
4. Mixing bowls (at least two) and a whisk
5. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale for accuracy
6. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon for folding and scraping
7. Wire cooling rack(s)
8. Baking sheets and a cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning cookies
9. Offset spatula or bench scraper and a cake board or plate for assembling and smoothing

FAQ

Q: Can I swap the whole milk or sour cream for lighter or non dairy options? A: Yes, but expect small changes in texture and flavor. Use full fat non dairy milk like oat or soy for best results, and swap sour cream with full fat coconut yogurt or thick plant based yogurt. If you use skim milk the cake may be a bit drier, so add a tablespoon extra yogurt or 1 more egg yolk.

Q: How do I keep the cake layers flat and even? A: Weigh the batter so each pan gets the same amount, tap the pans to remove big air bubbles and bake on the middle rack. Rotate the pans front to back once if your oven has hot spots. Don’t overmix the batter or you'll get a tough crumb.

Q: Can I make parts of this ahead of time and freeze them? A: Totally. Bake layers and cool completely, wrap tightly and freeze up to 1 month. Cookies and ganache freeze well too. Buttercream stores in the fridge up to a week or frozen 1 month, bring to room temp and whip again before using.

Q: How should I add the cookies and chips so they don't sink to the bottom? A: Toss cookie chunks or chips in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter, fold in gently at the end. For bigger cookies use them between layers or as a topping instead of mixing them in.

Q: My ganache is too thick or too thin, what now? A: If too thick warm it gently over a double boiler or zap in 10 second bursts in the microwave and stir, add a splash more cream. If too thin let it cool until it thickens, or chill briefly and stir, it will set firmer as it cools. Never boil the cream or you might seize the chocolate.

Q: Can I halve the recipe or change pan size? A: Yes. Halve everything and bake in smaller pans, just watch bake times. Two 8 or 9 inch round pans usually take 25 to 35 minutes, smaller pans take longer. Use a toothpick in the center to check doneness.

Milk And Cookies Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with cake flour for a lighter crumb (for each cup AP remove 2 Tbsp flour and add 2 Tbsp cornstarch, sift), or use a 1:1 gluten free baking blend with xanthan gum if you need gluten free. They’ll behave a bit different but work.
Whole milk: use buttermilk cup for cup for extra tang and tenderness, or thin plain yogurt with a little water (3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup water = 1 cup), or non dairy milk plus 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to mimic acidity.
Unsalted butter: if you only have salted butter use the same amount but cut the recipe salt by ~1/4 teaspoon, or use solid coconut oil 1:1 for a dairy free option though flavor and texture change a bit.
Semisweet chocolate chips: substitute with chopped semisweet or dark chocolate (equal weight) for better melt and flavor, or use milk chocolate chips if you want it sweeter, or even white chocolate for a different twist.

Pro Tips

1) Let everything come to room temp first — eggs, milk, sour cream, even the butter. Cold ingredients make the batter seize and you end up overmixing to fix it, which gives a tougher crumb.

2) Weigh your flour or spoon and level it. If you scoop from the bag you’ll pack too much flour and the cake gets dry. Also toss the mini chips in a tablespoon of flour so they dont all sink to the bottom.

3) Chill the cookie dough before baking and the cake after the crumb coat. Cold dough = thicker cookies that spread less, and a chilled crumb coat keeps crumbs from wrecking your final finish or making the cookies slide off when you add ganache.

4) For glossy, even ganache pour use a warm bowl and work quickly. If the ganache gets too thick, warm it in 10 second bursts or add a tablespoon of warm cream, not too hot, so it flows nicely without melting the buttercream.