Apparently someone pinned something from an old post, and now other people are re-pinning. Or something. I don't know. Can someone explain Pinterest to me real quick, because I am lost?
I had actually been procrastinating on this post because technically this is one big blog violation. This recipe was forwarded to me by a friend. She probably found it on Pinterest or something. Who knows. But in any event, I know it did not come from Southern Living. Also, I'm not blogging anything from this month's issue, mostly because I was uninspired.
But speaking of inspiration...
The title of this dish. That's all I've got to say. Lengthy. Visually overwhelming. Collection of all things delicious in one single line of text. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownie Cake.
BAM.
If that title doesn't inspire you to go bake, or eat baked goods, or BOTH, then I encourage you to go crunch on a carrot stick or something.
So here goes...
Step 1: Bake three pans of brownies. The original recipe (in full below) calls for 8" round pans, but I used 9" fluted pans, because that's what we had. Also, you can go with a scratch-made brownie if you want, but I just used two boxed mixes to make three 9" pans, and it was the perfect thickness.
Step 2: Remove brownies once cooled and line pans with plastic wrap. Then fill with peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough and chill. (Note that this "raw" cookie dough recipe is egg-less, so it is safe to eat. Also note that I eat raw dough anyway, but I know I'm not supposed to...)
Step 3: Once chilled, use plastic wrap to lift dough out of pan. It should hold its shape nicely. If you're having trouble, chill longer or use scissors to cut away at the edges of the aluminum pan.
Step 4: Make chocolate ganache and begin layering. Brownie, ganache, cookie dough, ganache, repeat, repeat...
Step 5: Top with more ganache. It should be glossy enough to look like this when you pour/smooth it toward the edges, but thick enough that it just barely drips down the edges and "hangs" there. Top with peanut butter buttercream frosting for decoration. I didn't have my decorator bag and tips with me, so I just used a Ziploc bag and snipped the corner. Garnish with mini chocolate chips and return to fridge for as long as you can stand it. Or just devour!
Cheers to great friends who came to my rescue and helped me eat this thing. Would've been a shame to have to do it all by myself...
Love y'all!
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake
(from: Life Love and Sugar)
Brownies
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup cocoa (I use Hershey's Special Dark)
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Cookie Dough
1 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3-4 tbsp milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Ganache
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
Peanut Butter Frosting
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp water or milk
mini chocolate chips, for topping, if desired
Instructions
1. Line the bottoms of three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
2. Mix together the oil, sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
4. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
5. Slowly add to the egg mixture until well combined.
6. Pour the batter evenly into the three pans and spread evenly.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
8. Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to cool on wire rack.
9. While brownies cool, make cookie dough.
To make the cookie dough:
1. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
7. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla extract.
8. With the mixer on low speed, add flour.
9. Add milk to preferred thickness.
10. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick. Set aside.
To assemble cake:
Once the brownies are cool, it's time to put the layers together. You can pile the cookie dough onto the brownies, stack the layers and leave messy layers, or use the method I used for having clean edges/sides of the cake.
1. Place half of chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
2. Microwave half of the heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
3. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
4. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
5. Using one of the same 8 inch cake pans that you baked the brownies in, put parchment paper or saran wrap in the bottom and up the sides of the pan. You will use it to lift the layers out of the pan.
6. Place the first brownie into the bottom of the pan.
7. Add about 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the brownie and spread into a thin layer. This will help the cookie dough stick to the brownie.
8. Put half of the cookie into the pan and spread evenly on top of the brownie.
9. Remove the first two layers from the cake pan and place on it's serving dish.
10. Repeat steps 5-8 with the second brownie and remaining cookie dough. Then remove from pan.
11. Put another 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer from the first section of cake and spread thinly.
12. Place the second section of cake onto the first.
13. Put another 3 tbsp of chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer on top (the fourth layer) and spread thinly.
14. Top with remaining brownie.
To finish off cake:
1. Place remaining chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
2. Microwave remaining heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
3. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
4. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
5. Allow to sit for a few minutes until it just starts to thicken, then pour over the top of the cake.
6. Place cake in refrigerator and make the peanut butter icing.
7. To make the icing, beat the shortening and butter together until smooth.
8. Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth.
9. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
10. Add water or milk.
11. Remove cake from fridge, and pipe icing onto the top edge of the cake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, if desired.
