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2.28.2012

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake


  Today, I bring you an old recipe with old photos.  But that does not mean that it isn't delicious.

  And I haven't made anything new lately, just cookies.  And you can only do so many cookie posts at once, so I thought I'd give a little reprieve with a cake...a cookie cake.  But hey!  It's still not really exactly a cookie...

  I have a cookie problem.

  I made my friend Lydia that crazy cake you see up there, Lydia is cool.  We met at a toast party last year.

 
  We bonded, and made art out of toast. 

  Obviously this was meant to be.


  Since then we've done crazy things like make cookies (yeah, cookies, again.  sh.) and take them to the beach.  And then we ate them, still warm, while wading through seaweed and stuff.  It was pretty much the best thing ever.


  We also tried making doughnuts at midnight...yeah didn't work so well. 'Nuff said.

  Buuutt she did make me mint tea once, from that mint plant on the table.  That worked very well.

 
  So anyway, she turned 16 last year, and I thought she should have a cake.  I combined our mutual love of peanut butter cookies with chocolate ganache and peanut butter cream cheese frosting for a less conventional, but still very delicious, birthday cake.

  She liked it :)




Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Yield: one 8-inch cake

Ingredients for the Cookie Base:
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg   

Ingredients for the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed 

Ingredients for the Chocolate Ganache:
  • 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:
For the cookie base, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.  Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.  Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 15 seconds. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg.  Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add the dry ingredients and combine on low speed until just a few dry streaks remain.  Add the chocolate chips and mix for a few seconds until combined.

Press the batter into a smooth and even layer in the pan. Bake until lightly golden and puffy around the edges (the center should still feel quite soft), 20-25 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes and then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.  Cool for at least 4 hours before turning the cake out of the pan.

For the peanut butter frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer combine the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter until smooth.  Slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and well blended.  Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.

For the ganache, place the chocolate pieces in a large bowl.  Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan on medium high until it comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate and whisk until completely mixed and glossy.  The longer you allow the ganache to cool, the thicker it will set.  For piping or frosting, allow the ganache to completely cool and set up.  If you prefer to just glaze, let it cool slightly before drizzling onto the cake.

To assemble the cake, take the cookie base out of the pan and turn it onto a large plate.  Frost as desired with the peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache.

Sources: Cookie base from Almost Bourdain, frosting adapted from Annie's Eats, and chocolate ganache adapted from Savory Sweet Life