• Cake
  • Frosting
  • YouTube
  • My Favorite Tools
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Cupcakes
    • Frosting
    • Ice Cream
    • Vegan
  • Cake Basics
  • Tutorials
  • Blog
  • About
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Sugar & Sparrow logo in script font

Sugar & Sparrow

Lifestyle and Cake from Portland Oregon

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
    • Cake
    • Frosting
    • Cupcakes
    • Ice Cream
    • Vegan
  • Tutorials
  • Book
  • Blog
  • About

Milk & Cookies Cake Recipe

February 8, 2019 · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes

Jump to Recipe

One of my favorite go-to things to bake are actually the simplest things ever: chocolate chip cookies. I don’t have a fancy recipe (I literally just use the one on the back of the Hershey’s chocolate chip package), but in my opinion, a warm chocolate chip cookie dipped in milk at the end of a long day is like heaven. So as I was whipping up a batch the other day, I had an epiphany: why not translate the deliciousness of chocolate chip cookies and milk into cake form? It didn’t take me long after that to start testing recipes for the best milk & cookies cake ever. Here’s what happened:

cookies and milk cake by sugar and sparrow

It’s a chocolate chip cookie flavored cake with vanilla buttercream, chocolate ganache, and plenty of homemade chocolate chip cookies on top! I’m calling it a Milk & Cookies Cake as a nod to its inspiration.

cookie cake by sugar and sparrow

Let’s talk about this cake. I based the ingredients off of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, so there are both brown and white sugars involved in the creaming process. The brown sugar gives such a deep, rich flavor and adds a little bit of moisture. I wanted it to be extra moist though, so I added a some sour cream to the batter as well.

You can use regular sized chocolate chips in this recipe, but I opted for mini chocolate chips instead! Either way, be sure to coat them in a few Tbsp of flour before folding them into your batter at the end. That will make it less likely for them to sink to the bottom of your cake layers in the baking process.

chocolate chip cake recipe

Vanilla buttercream is the milk to this chocolate chip cookie cake, and it provides a nice subtle flavor to wrap it all up in. Just like milk to a cookie, it’s a great complementary flavor that doesn’t try to steal the spotlight. Not too sweet, just right.

chocolate chip cookie cake by sugar and sparrow
milk and cookies cake

I used Wilton Tip 1M to pipe a buttercream rope border on top, then topped it with some homemade chocolate chip cookies to really go the extra mile! Here’s a quick video to show you the entire decorating process, from filling and frosting the cake layers to garnishing with cookies and chocolate ganache:

Like I said before, I’m all about the basic recipe on the back of the Hershey’s chocolate chip bag (although sometimes I get a little crazy and substitute the vanilla extract for almond extract – so tasty!), but if you’ve got a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and want to make them your cake toppers, my hat’s off to you. If you want to use store bought cookies like Chips Ahoy instead, you totally have my blessing. However you decorate it, you can be sure that this cake will satisfy all the cookies and milk loving people in your life!

milk and cookies cake

Milk & Cookie Cake

4.78 from 9 votes
A decadent chocolate chip cookie flavored cake topped with vanilla buttercream and extra chocolate chip cookies for good measure.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:30 mins
Cook Time:45 mins
Total Time:1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

  • 3 3/4 Cups (400g) cake flour, sifted before measuring
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/8 Cup (254g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 Cup (220g) granulated white sugar
  • 3/4 Cup (140g) packed brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cup (112g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Cups (355ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Cups (283g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, coated in 1.5 Tbsp flour

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
  • 3 Tbsp (45ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

For Garnish (optional)

  • chocolate chip cookies
  • chocolate ganache drip (see link below)

Instructions

Make The Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch or four 6-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with a cooking spray (Baker's Joy is my favorite) and a wax paper circle fitted to the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, you can grease and lightly flour the pans. 
  • Sift the cake flour and then measure by spooning and leveling it in your measuring cup. Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer (a handheld mixer works fine too!), cream the butter for on high for two minutes until it’s light and fluffy. Add in white and brown sugars and continue to mix on medium-high for another two minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and sour cream, turn the mixer to high, and mix for one minute, scraping down the bowl and paddle once more. 
  • With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the whole milk and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs to make sure there are no lumps, then fold in the flour-coated chocolate chips. Batter will be slightly thick, but pourable.
  • Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans (about 2/3 of the way full) and bake for 35-40 minutes. The cakes are done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling. Make sure they’re entirely room temperature before applying any frosting.

Make The Vanilla Buttercream

  • With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes. 
  • Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on medium-low for another two minutes until fully incorporated. 

Assembly

  • Fill and frost the cake layers with vanilla buttercream. Crumble the chocolate chip cookies (either homemade or store-bought) and garnish the cake by adding them to the bottom third of the frosted cake, pressing the crumbles in to the sides. 
  • If garnishing with a chocolate ganache drip, chill the cake for 30 minutes before dripping with ganache. Finish by piping a border on top with vanilla buttercream (I used Wilton Tip 1M) and placing whole chocolate chip cookies on top. 

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: the cake layers can be made ahead and stored (wrapped in plastic) at room temperature for up to one day. Alternatively, you can wrap the cake layers in plastic and store them in the freezer for up to two months. When you’re ready to use them, thaw them to room temperature before continuing with the frosting and decorating process.
The vanilla buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer on medium for one minute to bring it back to frosting consistency. 


By: Whitney · In: Cake, Featured, Recipes · Tagged: chocolate chip cake, chocolate chip cake recipe, chocolate chip cookie cake, chocolate ganache, chocolate ganache drip, chocolate ganache recipe, cookie cake, cookies and milk cake, hersheys chocolate chip cookies, milk and cookie cake, milk and cookies cake, vanilla buttercream, vanilla buttercream recipe, vanilla frosting

you’ll also love

raspberry chocolate cake recipeRaspberry Chocolate Cake Recipe
almond joy cake recipe by sugar and sparrowAlmond Joy Cake Recipe
chocolate ganache drip cake recipe sugar and sparrowTips For Perfect Chocolate Ganache Drip Cakes

Join the List

Stay up to date & receive the latest posts in your inbox.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Vicki says

    February 8, 2019 at 3:00 pm

    This cake looks amazing!!! Could I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour? Would love to make this for Valentine’s Day for the hubby 🙂

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 10, 2019 at 12:23 pm

      Hi Vicki! The reason I use cake flour for this recipe is because it’s what makes the cake super fluffy. You can use all purpose flour, but the cake will end up being more dense. There is a really easy way to convert all purpose flour to cake flour though: for every 1 cup of all purpose flour, remove 2 Tbsp, and replace with 2 Tbsp of corn starch. Repeat for however much cake flour you need. Sift the mixture 5-6 times (don’t skip that step), then measure out how much cake flour the recipe calls for. That should make your cake softer and fluffier than all purpose flour alone.

      Reply
  2. Hala says

    February 14, 2019 at 9:26 pm

    Should i use sour cream in this cake !!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 15, 2019 at 1:38 pm

      Hi Hala! The recipe calls for sour cream, just for added moisture. I would definitely use it as the recipe calls for it!

      Reply
  3. Colette says

    February 15, 2019 at 7:59 pm

    I’m thinking about making this tomorrow? Is it too sweet though with chocolate chips all throughout the cake?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 16, 2019 at 4:03 pm

      Hi Colette! I don’t think it’s too sweet, especially since the chocolate chips are semi-sweet. I think it tastes just like a chocolate chip cookie in cake form, but if you think chocolate chip cookies are too sweet you could always reduce the amount of chocolate chips or reduce the white sugar by 1/4 cup or so.

      Reply
  4. Tanya says

    February 17, 2019 at 2:59 pm

    Hi ! Do the buttercream crust ? Look si smoothie

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 17, 2019 at 5:45 pm

      Hi Tanya! The buttercream does crust after about 30 minutes 🙂

      Reply
  5. Ana Costa says

    February 26, 2019 at 5:38 am

    Hi Whitney! I would like to try this recipe but I have a question for you, How do I get the sour cream? I am at Portugal so sour cream is not very used in our tradicional recipes, Sometimes I use “Milk cream” wich is a tippically used at brazilian bakery. Could this be the same? or can I make sour cream at home?Thanks

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 26, 2019 at 11:42 am

      Hi Ana! Sour cream is a thick mixture similar to greek yogurt. You could totally substitute it for full fat greek yogurt, but I think milk cream is different than sour cream so I can’t recommend that as a substitute. If you don’t have full fat greek yogurt on hand, you could omit the sour cream, but the results may not be as moist. You could definitely give it a try though!

      Reply
  6. Robin Dorf says

    March 19, 2019 at 4:30 pm

    Hi there! Making this cake for my daughters 28th birthday. The 6 inch round look so tiny to me, lol. The picture of the cake looks more like 8 inch rounds. Also, do I use 6×2 or 6×3? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 20, 2019 at 9:12 am

      Hi Robin! What an awesome way to celebrate your daughter’s birthday! Yes – the 6 inch rounds look small but when you have three layers it makes a good sized cake (feeds about 15 people!). The cake pictured is three 6-inch layers and I used 6 x 2 pans.

      Reply
      • Michelle says

        March 2, 2023 at 7:26 am

        Hi Whitney, you mentioned in the recipe to use four 6-in or three 8-in. But above you say the cake pictured is three 6-in. Can you please clarify what works best with this recipe.

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          March 3, 2023 at 8:45 am

          Hi Michelle! It is three 6 inch layers pictured, but the recipe makes a lot more batter. I’ve been meaning to scale it down to fit three 6-inch pans or two 8-inch pans but for now the recipe portion makes enough batter for four 6-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. So in other words you can make it as-is and make three 6-inch layers, but you’ll have extra batter. Hope that makes sense!

          Reply
  7. Natalie says

    April 9, 2019 at 4:32 am

    Hello Whitney, I’m looking for an eggless cake recipe for my friend birthday and she loves cookies! Can I replace all egg with sour cream? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 9, 2019 at 8:49 am

      Hi Natalie! I’ve never made an eggless cake before and wouldn’t know what to substitute the eggs with. You can certainly try it and let me know how it goes, but since I’ve never tested it myself I can’t recommend substituting the eggs!

      Reply
  8. Janet Torch says

    April 29, 2019 at 6:33 am

    I made this cake for a shower yesterday and it came out perfectly. A big hit! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 29, 2019 at 8:46 am

      That’s so great to hear, Janet! So happy everyone loved the cake!!

      Reply
  9. Lisa says

    July 28, 2019 at 3:51 pm

    Hello! I am going to make this cake for son’s birthday, but I don’t have 6 inch cake pans! Can I use 2 8 inch pans instead? All the cake pan/math conversions everywhere are so confusing! Thanks. Lisa, Sydney, Australia

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 29, 2019 at 9:30 am

      Hi Lisa! You can totally use 8-inch cake pans for this recipe. You’ll have some cake batter left over (probably even enough for another 8 inch layer if they’re short layers). You can bake the cake according to the instructions, just check the cake layers at 40 minutes and see if they need more time.

      Reply
  10. Mandy says

    August 12, 2019 at 10:56 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for my father-in-law’s 86th Birthday. It came out great except I forgot to put the chocolate ganache on. I made my chocolate chip cookies using a recipe I found on Pinterest. Everyone loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 13, 2019 at 1:47 pm

      That’s so wonderful to hear, Mandy!! I’m so happy the cake was a hit!

      Reply
  11. Hannah says

    August 18, 2019 at 4:58 pm

    Have you ever tried this as a cupcake?? Looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 19, 2019 at 10:04 am

      Hi Hannah! I have never tried this recipe as cupcakes but a friend of mine has. They said it turned out amazing as cupcakes, so feel free to give it a try! Just be sure to fill the cupcake tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 17 min.

      Reply
      • Ninfa says

        October 11, 2019 at 6:39 am

        How many cupcakes per recipe? 12 or 24?

        I made the cake yesterday and am making cupcakes today for an event!!! The cake was sublime!!!!!!

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          October 14, 2019 at 9:36 am

          Hi Ninfa! This recipe will make a lot of cupcakes, probably around 35. I’ve heard this recipe is amazing as cupcakes!!

          Reply
  12. Kim says

    August 24, 2019 at 6:24 am

    The recipe says to add the whole milk mixture yet there’s no instructions on what’s in the mixture. Do you just mean to add 1.5 cups whole milk?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 24, 2019 at 8:39 am

      Thanks for catching that, Kim! It was just a typo and I fixed it. I meant to add the 1.5 cups of whole milk in that part of the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  13. Meghan says

    August 31, 2019 at 1:20 pm

    4 stars
    This cake was very moist, tasted just like chocolate chip cookie flavor, and held up nicely. The only reason for a 4 star is that the frosting that went with it was too sweet for my taste. (Others may like the amount of sweetness though!) I would try it again, but use a less sweet frosting. Other than that, for me, it was delicious!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 3, 2019 at 3:50 pm

      Hi Meghan! So happy you loved the cake part of the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  14. Debbie says

    September 30, 2019 at 11:20 am

    This looks really delicious since my husband and I are not exchanging anniversary gifts even though it’s our 20th because we are saving for Italy in April. I think he might like this cake for our Anniversary.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 1, 2019 at 9:14 am

      Happy 20th wedding anniversary, Debbie! You should totally make this cake to celebrate!

      Reply
  15. Becky M says

    October 4, 2019 at 8:49 pm

    I am in the process of making this cake for my daughter’s birthday, and I think you have the pan size listed incorrectly. Do you mean three NINE-inch pans? I happen to have six-inch pans like the recipe says, but I had WAY too much batter for three of them. I ended up needing 4 of the six-inch pans, plus a small loaf pan to fit all the batter.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      October 6, 2019 at 8:23 pm

      Hi Becky! I always use three 6-inch pans (filled 2/3 full) but this recipe does make some extra batter.

      Reply
      • Shanthi says

        October 15, 2019 at 8:46 pm

        So three 8” pans will be ok for this recipe? No need to adjust amounts?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          October 16, 2019 at 11:26 am

          Hi Shanthi! That’s correct. I always use 6″ pans and have batter left over, it ends up being enough for three 8″ pans.

          Reply
  16. Tyne says

    November 2, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! I made cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday and everyone raved about how they really tasted like milk and cookies. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 4, 2019 at 8:39 am

      I’m so thrilled to hear that, Tyne! Glad the recipe was a hit and worked well in a cupcake variation!

      Reply
  17. Michele Adelaar says

    November 25, 2019 at 9:57 pm

    Is it really 1 tbsp of baking powder?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 25, 2019 at 11:03 pm

      Hi Michele! 1 Tbsp of baking powder is correct.

      Reply
  18. Roxana says

    December 28, 2019 at 4:56 am

    Hi
    Is it possible to make this cake with the buttercream 1 day ahead?
    I want To make it for my sons birthday tomorow but i want to finish it today but im not sure if its a good idea or how to store it.
    Thank yoi

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 2, 2020 at 7:46 pm

      Hi Roxana! You can totally make the cake and buttercream ahead and frost it a day ahead as well. Just store it in the refrigerator overnight and then continue with the decorating process the next day.

      Reply
  19. Denise says

    January 21, 2020 at 6:48 pm

    I made this for my daughter-n- laws 28th birthday. Everyone loved it. However, I used the mini chocolate chips and they still settled to the bottom of the cake. Also, my cake didn’t rise like yours. I followed the recipe exactly. Can you tell me why?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 22, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      Hi Denise. So sorry that your chocolate chips sank! I learned a trick for this recently – if you coat the chocolate chips in a few Tbsp of flour before adding them to the batter it helps prevent them from sinking while baking. Give that a try next time.

      As far as the cake not rising properly, it could mean a few different things went wrong: 1) check to see that your baking powder is fresh. It expires every 6 months, and if it’s expired it will cause the cake to dip in the center because it won’t have enough leavening agent. 2) make sure your ingredients are room temp. If they are colder than room temp, it will mess with the chemistry of the cake and could cause dipping. 3) Make sure you only mix for the exact amount of time specified in the recipe. Overmixing leads to the cake dipping in the center. 4) Check your oven temperature internally. Sometimes the display will read one temp while the oven is actually a different temp.

      Most of the time the culprit is either overmixing the batter or expired baking powder. I hope it’s an easy fix for you because this recipe should be failproof!

      Reply
  20. Alicia says

    April 14, 2020 at 1:26 pm

    I am in Canada and can’t find whole milk. Is there something I can use as a replacement? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 14, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      Hi Alicia! I’ve never tried cake recipes with anything other than whole milk, but after doing some research it appears that any dairy milk should substitute just fine (2%, 1%, etc). If you can’t find dairy milk, I also hear that soy milk is a good alternative to whole milk. Let me know what you end up trying – now I’m curious!

      Reply
  21. Suzanne says

    May 7, 2020 at 11:43 pm

    Hello, how do you get the cookies to stick to the bottom layer of the cake?
    Thank-you
    Suzanne

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 10, 2020 at 3:43 pm

      Hi Suzanne! I crumbled the cookies and, while the frosting was still slightly wet, pressed them onto the side of the cake with the palm of my hand.

      Reply
  22. Karlie says

    May 12, 2020 at 12:34 pm

    This cake looks amazing and I’d really like to try making it for to celebrate my brother’s graduation (or what would have been), but I only have 9″ pans. Any tips on how that will alter # of pans and bake time?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 12, 2020 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Karlie! This cake recipe makes quite a lot of batter as-is. It should be enough for three short 9 inch layers or more than enough for two tall 9 inch layers. If you want a taller 9 inch cake, you can 1.5x the recipe to ensure you have enough

      Reply
  23. Marina says

    May 18, 2020 at 11:04 am

    Hi! Looks so yummy! Can I substitute the granulated white sugar for stevia?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 18, 2020 at 2:14 pm

      Hi Marina! I have never substituted Stevia before, but I think there are instructions on the Stevia packaging for how to substitute (I don’t think it’s a straight amount for substituting in a baking recipe). If you try it let me know!

      Reply
  24. Abby says

    May 19, 2020 at 9:25 pm

    If you 1.5x the recipe for 9” pans do you have to alter the buttercream too or does it make enough? I’m making it for family coming in town for birthdays

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 20, 2020 at 10:19 pm

      Hi Abby! It depends on how many layers you’re making. For 3-4 layers I would do 1.25x the buttercream recipe (you’d have a lot left over with 1.5x). Just multiply all the ingredients by 1.25 and you’ll have the perfect amount!

      Reply
  25. Nan says

    June 5, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    Hi, can the cake be stored outside for 2 days before I frost it? I got the wrong date

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      June 5, 2020 at 5:19 pm

      Hi Nan! You can store the cake layers by wrapping them in saran wrap and keeping them at room temp for two days before frosting. Any longer than that and I would recommend storing them in the freezer, then thawing the layers before frosting.

      Reply
  26. Sarah says

    July 1, 2020 at 8:41 pm

    What kind of Cake Flour do you use?
    Or like any cake box flour and then follow this instructions or what is recommend to buy for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 1, 2020 at 9:06 pm

      Hi Sarah! You can use any brand of cake flour, but the ones I use personally are Swan’s Down and Softasilk.

      Reply
  27. Samantha says

    July 23, 2020 at 4:09 am

    I cannot wait to make this cake this weekend! I saw that you usually do 3 6” layers. I do the same as well. And I love how tall your layers are! Is that how they turn out by filling the pan 2/3 full? Or could I fill them a bit more to give them that height?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 23, 2020 at 9:36 am

      Hi Samantha! I always fill my cake pans about 2/3 of the way full, any more than that and they’ll overflow in the baking process. So yes, 2/3 full and you’ll have nice tall layers (they rise a bit in the oven)! So excited for you to make this cake!

      Reply
  28. Ashley says

    August 1, 2020 at 6:41 am

    I am making this cake this week and wanted to make two cakes, one three layer and one two layer. I’m seeing comments about there possibly being left over batter. My question is, if I’m using 6-inch pans, should I 1.5x the recipe to get 5 total layers or will the original recipe be enough?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 1, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      Hi Ashley! This recipe makes enough batter for four 6-inch layers that are about 2 inches tall when baked. It’s possible to divide this recipe as-is into 5 6-inch pans, but the layers will be closer to one inch tall. If you want to keep the height in your baked cake layers, I would recommend 1.5x the recipe. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        August 2, 2020 at 6:44 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
  29. Paula says

    August 4, 2020 at 3:02 pm

    5 stars
    Just made today!!! Like a few other people who posted, I like tall layers and I usually bake in 6″ round pans. I used all the batter and made 4 equal 6″ layers that baked to just around 1 3/4″ tall each. I was afraid to try to use only 3 pans so 4 was the better decision. I will have an extra layer and make my cake using 3 as Whitney did. Hope mine turns out as gorgeous!

    Reply
  30. Paula says

    August 4, 2020 at 3:40 pm

    Hi Whitney. Love the cake, the only issue I had was that all of the mini chips sunk to the bottom! ugh….I tossed them in flour and folded them in…any thoughts?? :-/

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 4, 2020 at 7:45 pm

      Oh no! That’s the only way I really know how to try and prevent them from sinking – coat them in flour and fold them in. You could try chopping them smaller next time so they don’t weigh so much but other than that I don’t have any additional advice for sinking mini chips.

      Reply
      • Paula says

        August 4, 2020 at 10:50 pm

        Well..it’s still a great tasting cake!! Could I have used too many chips? I measured 1 1/2 cups of mini chips. That was nearly the entire bag. Maybe that was why? I wonder if chilling the mini chips and tossing in flour will make the flour stick better and then not letting them sink? Who knows!

        Reply
  31. Pauline Jen Garcia- Ciar says

    August 9, 2020 at 6:34 am

    5 stars
    Hello! I tried you cake two times, but sad to say tje chocolate chips sank in the bottom. I follow your recipe correctly. Can i prevent this to happen again? Btw your cake is delicious my family really loves your cake, that’s why i want to remake it again and again. ❤️ your no.1

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 10, 2020 at 8:55 am

      Hi Pauline! Sorry to hear the chocolate chips sank. My only advice is to coat them in more flour next time, as this helps keep them suspended. You could also try chopping them even smaller so that they weigh less.

      Reply
  32. Jesselyn says

    November 1, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    Hi! Quick question. I have class and need to make and assemble ahead of time. After making the cake, frosting it and topping with ganache and everything, will it be okay to store it in the fridge for one night/day until we eat it, or should it be stored at room temp? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 2, 2020 at 6:45 am

      Hi Jesselyn! You can certainly store the decorated cake in the refrigerator one day ahead. That is my preferred method of storing a cake before serving. Just make sure to bring it to room temp by the time you serve the cake because it tastes much better at room temp!

      Reply
  33. Jessica says

    February 11, 2021 at 7:58 am

    5 stars
    What an over the top incredible cake! I’ve this twice for birthday celebrations!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      February 11, 2021 at 9:23 am

      Hooray, Jessica! I’m so happy to hear that you love this recipe as much as I do!

      Reply
  34. Ara says

    March 2, 2021 at 3:46 pm

    Hi, can I use apple sauce instead of sour cream? Or will that change the consistency and taste too much?
    Also what’s the conversion ratio for kosher salt and table salt? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 2, 2021 at 4:31 pm

      Hi Ara! I’ve never tried subbing in applesauce for the sour cream, so I can’t say for sure what the results will be. You are welcome to try it! And you can use an equal amount of table salt (or any salt) for the kosher salt.

      Reply
      • Ara says

        March 4, 2021 at 2:12 pm

        Hi, just finished baking this, used 3-6” and the left over batter for some cupcake. It’s still cooling right now but omg this cake is soooo good! Not to sweet and so light. It’s kinda dangerous because we might it all the cupcakes before frosting it lol. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          March 5, 2021 at 10:33 am

          Yay, Ara! I’m so happy to hear that! Enjoy!

          Reply
  35. Kathy says

    March 5, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    This looks like another awesome cake. Is it 3 or 4 6” inch layers? Will be making this for my son’s 29th bday next month. THANK YOU!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 7, 2021 at 8:54 am

      Yay, Kathy! Excited for you to make this cake! The cake pictured is three 6-inch layers but the recipe yields enough batter for a fourth layer.

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        March 7, 2021 at 1:20 pm

        Thank you. After you do the ganache drip and cover top with the ganache do you refrigerate before piping on the buttercream?

        Reply
        • Whitney says

          March 7, 2021 at 9:37 pm

          I do refrigerate the cake after the ganache drip for 5-10 minutes just so that it sets before adding the piping to the top.

          Reply
          • Kathy says

            March 8, 2021 at 10:20 am

            Thank you… making it tomorrow;really excited

  36. Kathy says

    March 8, 2021 at 10:59 am

    If you were to recommend a food scale which one?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 10, 2021 at 8:56 am

      This is the one I use: https://amzn.to/3vdKcxy Excited for you to make this cake!

      Reply
  37. Kathy says

    March 9, 2021 at 4:11 pm

    I made this today… it made 4 6” layers…delicious… thank you for your delicious recipes and tutorials.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      March 10, 2021 at 9:02 am

      Yay, Kathy! So happy to hear that the recipe is a hit!

      Reply
  38. Kathy says

    April 17, 2021 at 7:56 am

    To crumb coat, fill and frost with piping is this recipe for the buttercream or should I increase the amount? I’ve made it before but can’t remember.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 20, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      This recipe makes enough to fill, crumb coat, frost, and pipe the three layer 6-inch cake pictured. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  39. DeeDee says

    May 4, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    4 stars
    Just putting this out there in case anyone else tries the same thing. I used 3 – 6″ pans that are 3″ high, baking them a lot longer. It was a total fail. Although the pans were only filled 2/3rds full, the cakes all sunk in the middle and crumbled around the edges when removed from the pan. My son asked me why I was making giant chocolate chip cookies, lol. What did I do wrong? I used cake flour but didn’t notice that it was SELF RISING cake flour. Dumb rookie move on my part as too much leavening agent will cause your cake to sink. It tasted great, albeit a little saltier because of the salt content already in the flour. Time to start over again, lol.

    Reply
  40. Maria says

    May 12, 2021 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    Made this cake yesterday. Hoping you can help me troubleshoot a couple things. When adding the eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar, The mixture curdled. Ingredients were out at room temp for a little over an hour so not sure why that happened. Maybe everything was still too cold? Also most recipes call for alternating adding dry ingredients with the milk. Just wondering if there was a specific reason it is done differently in this recipe. And i did coat the mini chips in flour but sadly they still sank to the bottom and the layers came out slightly dense/ crumbly. I baked in three 8 inch pans for about 25 minutes. Even with my minor mess ups the cake was still delicious and everyone at my work devoured it. I will definitely be making this again. Hoping to perfect it next time. Thank u!!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 14, 2021 at 3:09 pm

      Hi Maria! I’m so sorry to hear that the cake turned out slightly dense/crumbly. Did you make any substitutions or leave out any ingredients? If not, then it sounds like the cake may have been slightly overmixed (that would make it dense). I wonder if this happened when you saw that the batter looked curdled after adding the eggs. It’s actually totally normal for the batter to look curdled at that point in the recipe and doesn’t really start to look like cake batter until the very end. And about alternating the wet/dry ingredients, I found that it made no difference in the outcome of the cake, which is why I just tend to add the dry all at once and add the wet all at once right after. Hope that helps for next time! And happy to hear that the cake was still a hit!

      Reply
      • Maria says

        May 16, 2021 at 4:04 pm

        Thanks so much for answering my questions! I didnt make any substitutions. The only thing i did differently was alternated the milk and dry gently stirring with a spatula. Im going to try it again using your exact instructions. Cant wait to try more of your cake recipes

        Reply
  41. shabana mohammed says

    July 15, 2021 at 6:32 am

    hiiii so this cake tasted soooo good…. one thing though… my choc chips all sank to the bottom … i did dust them with flour… they were regular sized chips… i also tapped tge pan a little to get out bubbles before i baked… could this be why?… also my cake flour came pre sifted so i measured it out then sifted again and measured from the sifted set and it was way less than what i measured initially, i saw u said the batter wud be somehwat thick but not sure mine was as thick but they baked lovely.. could this be another reason the chips sank?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      July 17, 2021 at 10:23 pm

      Hi Shabana! The regular chips were probably too heavy for the batter, which is why I specify using mini chocolate chips. I don’t think any of those other things would cause the chips to sink. Next time give the mini chocolate chips a try!

      Reply
  42. Dakshy says

    August 2, 2021 at 10:39 pm

    Hi! Really wanna try this recipe! Can it be halved? I’m planning to make a 6″ cake. Its only for a small group of people. Do let me know. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      August 4, 2021 at 10:07 am

      Hi Dakshy! You can certainly halve this recipe and it’ll make two 6 inch layers. Enjoy!

      Reply
  43. Mikah says

    September 6, 2021 at 9:49 am

    5 stars
    Hi Whitney, I was wondering if I should adjust the cooking time for dark colored pans, as things tend to cook faster in them.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 7, 2021 at 7:21 am

      Hi Mikah! I’ve never baked these cakes in a dark pan before, so I’m not sure how to adjust the time.

      Reply
  44. Chasia says

    November 24, 2021 at 10:38 am

    I have a question, is the batter supposed to be smooth? I’m making it now and i still just put it in the oven just to see, but the batter was almost a little curdled??? Maybe my kitchen is too cold? Is this normal lol help

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 24, 2021 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Chasia! The batter will look a little curdled after adding the sour cream and vanilla, but when you add the dry ingredients and milk at the end it should look smooth and no longer curdled. Let me know how they baked! It sounds like the milk might have been too cold if the batter looked curdled at the end.

      Reply
  45. Andria says

    November 28, 2021 at 7:02 pm

    Can I use 2 9 inch cake pans

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      November 30, 2021 at 11:17 am

      Hi Andria! You can, just be sure to fill them no more than 2/3 full. Enjoy!

      Reply
  46. Stacey H says

    January 7, 2022 at 9:35 am

    Hi Whitney! I’m currently trying your recipe but I’m getting tripped up with the flour measurement. I’m weighing my flour and only 3C reaches 400g. I’m using the all purpose flour with the corn starch method you mentioned. Is that making the difference?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 8, 2022 at 10:12 pm

      Hi Stacey! Cake flour weighs much less than all purpose, so the cake flour substitute (which is essentially ap flour) will weigh more. Go ahead and disregard the cake flour weight in this recipe and go with the cups measurement when using the cake flour substitute. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  47. Amy says

    January 16, 2022 at 11:43 am

    Hi Whitney! I just made this cake and followed the directions exactly. All my chocolate sank to the bottom and the wax paper was STUCK to my cake. Did you mean parchment paper? I’m hoping it tastes great when we serve it for my daughter’s birthday party today.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      January 16, 2022 at 8:53 pm

      Oh no, Amy! I’m so sorry to hear that the chocolate sank. I use Reynold’s brand wax paper to line my cake pans (it says you can do so on the box) and have never had a problem with it sticking. You could absolutely use parchment paper as an alternative next time. I hope it’s still a hit for your daughter’s birthday!

      Reply
  48. kathy says

    April 29, 2022 at 4:01 am

    I’m making this cake(has been a hit before) for a combination 30th birthday cake for my son and a Mother’s Day celebration… this time I’m doing your Nutella ganache drip, which is INSANE… you make me look talented with your tutorials…THANK YOU.

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      April 29, 2022 at 8:29 pm

      Yay, Kathy! So so happy you’ve been getting so creative with my recipes! You make me want to mix and match more of them 🙂

      Reply
  49. kathy says

    May 5, 2022 at 7:49 pm

    I’m making this with 3 8” layers…should I increase the buttercream for crumb coat, frosting and piping?

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      May 10, 2022 at 9:24 am

      I would make 1.25x the frosting recipe to make sure you have enough for filling, frosting, and decorating. Enjoy!

      Reply
  50. Amber says

    September 4, 2022 at 5:47 am

    Hello! This looks delicious- I would like to make this for my sons birthday- can I make in a 9×13 pan?! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 4, 2022 at 8:57 pm

      Hi Amber! I’m so excited for you to make this! It can be made in a 9 x 13 pan and here’s how to convert the recipe into a sheet cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/sheet-cake-recipes/

      Reply
  51. Cassandra says

    September 20, 2022 at 4:52 pm

    Hi, I plan on making this cake for a birthday party. Can I substitute the sour cream for buttermilk? I saw online it can be but I was wondering if I could get your opinion on it beforehand. I can’t wait to try this, it looks super delicious

    Reply
    • Whitney says

      September 21, 2022 at 10:58 am

      Hi Cassandra! The best sub for the sour cream in this recipe is plain yogurt. I have never tried subbing it with buttermilk so it would be an experiment if you decide to do that! Let me know how it goes if you do try it

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Recipe | DC Photography says:
    August 5, 2020 at 5:20 am

    […] followed the recipe over at Sugar and Sparrow to a “t” and am happy to report it turned out perfectly! She mentions this in the […]

    Reply
  2. 50 Food Pairings that Were Meant to Be - Hualienrainbow says:
    December 14, 2020 at 9:38 pm

    […] Milk and cookies is not just a Santa Claus thing. Not everyone enjoys their cookies dipped into a glass of cold milk, but they still taste good together, one after the other. Try this indulgent, upgraded take on the combo, where both foods come together in a delectable milk & cookies cake. Get the recipe here. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Next Post >

SugarBearHair Vitamins Cake Collaboration

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

Helping you whip up pretty desserts with confidence and creativity. And hopefully sharing a few laughs with you along the way!

Learn More

Connect

let’s bake!

Get my very best recipes, baking tips, and decorating tutorials sent to your inbox

Featured Posts

banana split cupcakes recipe

Banana Split Cupcakes Recipe

unicorn cake tutorial

Unicorn Party Cake Tutorial

chocolate peanut butter cake recipe by sugar and sparrow

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Recipe

Search

Archives

Follow Along

@sugarandsparrowco

(Ad) Buttercream Embroidery Cake Tutorial🧵🌸🎂 to celebrate March being National Craft Month, I decided to try out some new buttercream piping techniques and make the embroidery cake of my dreams! It ended up being so fun + easy with the perfect cake decorating supplies from @joann_stores 🙌🏼 Here’s how to make this happy little Spring-inspired cake:⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Frost your cake with a smooth buttercream finish and chill for at least 20 minutes.⁣
2️⃣ Use floral cookie cutters to imprint the buttercream.⁣
3️⃣ Outline the shapes using Wilton tip 2 or 3, then fill in the shapes with lines of buttercream piping. For some of the flowers, start at the edge of the shape and pipe a series of lines that connect in the center. For others, experiment with ways to fill in the shape with parallel lines, dots, or other embroidery-inspired piping. ⁣
4️⃣ Freehand some tiny dotted flowers and floral accents using those same piping techniques wherever your heart desires!⁣
⁣
The full tutorial + video for this pretty floral embroidery cake is linked in my bio! It’s the perfect way to welcome Spring 🌸⁣
⁣
#handmadewithjoann #joannpartner #embroidery #embroiderycake #baking #floralcake #cakeideas #buttercreamcake #bake #cakesofinstagram #cake #buttercream #cakelover #cakeart #nationalcraftmonth
Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birt Yellow Cake + Chocolate Frosting (aka Classic Birthday Cake) 🙌🏼 🥳 this one is extra nostalgic for me because it’s what my mama made for all my birthdays growing up 💛 this recipe rivals the box mix: super moist and fluffy layers of classic yellow cake (naturally colored with egg yolks) + silky smooth chocolate buttercream. Top with rainbow sprinkles for extra fun! 🎉⁣
⁣
Find this recipe linked in my bio + on page 147 of my book, Anyone Can Cake ✨⁣
⁣
#birthdaycake #yellowcake #chocolatefrosting #chocolatebuttercream #sprinkles #layercake #cakelover #cakesofinstagram #cake #bake #bakingfun #bakedfromscratch #anyonecancake #cakeideas #cakedecorating
Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick Ombré Rainbow Sheet Cake 🌈🥳 for St. Patrick’s Day or any day, because rainbow cakes are year round if you ask me 🫶🏽⁣
⁣
🎨 colors: custom mixed with @wiltoncakes color right food coloring system ⁣
🌈 piping tips: @wiltoncakes 1M for the rosettes, 104 for the ruffles, 32 for the swirls and stars⁣
⁣
#ombrecake #rainbowcake #sheetcake #cakedecorating #rainbow #stpatricksday #buttercreampiping #pipingskills #bakingfun #satisfyingfood #bake #cakeideas #cakelovers
I wish you could see that the inside of this cake I wish you could see that the inside of this cake had crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs sprinkled between each layer 😍 best Easter candy of all (name a better one, I dare you!) 🙌🏽 ⁣
⁣
#ombrecake #cadburyeggs #cakedecorating #chocolate #ganache #dripcake #eastercake #cakeideas #cakelover #bakingfun #cake
This Mint Chocolate Chip Cake is just so dreamy 😍🫠 if you’re a fan of the ice cream (or just mint chocolate in general) it’s a must try: layers of ultra-moist mint chocolate cake, mint buttercream studded with chocolate chunks, and decadent chocolate ganache 🙌🏽 find the recipe in my book, Anyone Can Cake AND there’s a version of this recipe that incorporates @girlscouts Thin Mint cookies at sugarandsparrow.com 💚 ⁣
⁣
#mintchocolate #chocolatecake #cakedecorating #chocolate #ganache #dripcake #mintchocolatechip #cakeideas #anyonecancake #bakedfromscratch #baking #cake #cakesofinstagram

Footer

On the Blog

  • Cake Basics
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials

Info

  • About
  • Privacy Policy & Disclosure

stay in the know

Copyright © 2023 · Theme by Sugar & Sparrow