It's my kids' most requested Birthday treat - the homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie cake! Easy to make and tastier than store bought, this cake starts out with my basic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
1 1/3 cups butter or shortening (I like Earth Balance for less saturated fat)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour (I use white whole wheat flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chip
Blend butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy again. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Beat until well mixed. The dough will be stiff. Add chocolate chips and combine with a spoon.
For the cookie cake, line a 1/2 sheet cake pan with parchment paper. I did this gleefully this morning. I have owned this 1/2 sheet cake pan for five years, but this is the first time (thanks to a kitchen facelift that included a new 30" oven!) that I have been able to use it!! If you're still stuck with a 27" oven like I was, a jelly roll pan works, too - just don't try to put all the dough in it! If you do it will overflow and leave a gooey mess in the bottom of your oven! Yes, this is the voice of experience speaking! If you don't have a jelly roll pan, a standard cake pan works, too. Just do the math and halve the recipe.
Pat the dough into the pan evenly. If the dough sticks to your fingers, put a plastic sandwich bag over your hand and spray the palm side with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
If you've been good and used the Earth Balance shortening and whole wheat flour, go ahead and make this delicious frosting recipe. The cream cheese in it keeps it slightly less sweet than store-bought. It must be good - the kids all begged for the corner piece!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
12 ounces cream cheese
1 stick butter
3 cups chocolate chips, melted
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla. Beat again. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave and add to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until smooth.
Happy 10th Birthday, Anna!