Cookies & Cream Cookie Cake

Chocolate chip cookie meets Oreo cookie in this fun dessert that scores bonus points for presentation, making it the perfect treat for birthday celebrations!

Cookies & Cream Cookie Cake
Yield: 8" springform pan

Ingredients
Cookie Cake:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup crushed gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies (about 12 cookies)
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Icing:

• 6 Tbsp butter, softened
• 6 Tbsp shortening
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup crushed gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies (about 9 cookies)
• 4 tsp almond milk
• additional Oreos for topping, cut in quarters

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease sides and bottom of 8 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
4. Add flour and baking soda and mix until combined.
5. Stir in crushed cookies and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
6. Press dough evenly into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 16 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
8. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. After two (or more) hours, remove sides of pan and place back on cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
9. For icing: Beat butter and shortening until smooth. Slowly add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix until combined. Mix in vanilla and 1 tsp milk. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in crushed cookies. Add more milk to reach desired consistency. Ice edges of cake and press quartered Oreos into icing.

Recipe adapted from Life, Love and Sugar.

Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

My daughter has been talking about functional texts in school, and her teacher asked every student to bring an example from home to share with the class. She chose a cookbook and found this recipe inside. Since I want to support her budding interest in the kitchen, we spent the day baking together. Cake is definitely my love language!

Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Yield: 2 layer cake

Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:

• 1 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp instant coffee
• 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

• 1/2 cup Crisco (original flavor in blue tub)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 6-8 Tbsp milk (I use almond milk)
• sprinkles, for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, then grease parchment paper; set aside.
2. Whisk together boiling water, cocoa powder, and instant coffee in small bowl until smooth; set aside.
3. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 5 minutes.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla and beat until combined.
6. Add hot cocoa mixture and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
7. Add flour mixture and stir on lowest speed until combined. Finish by scraping bottom of bowl with spatula and folding all batter together.
8. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 20-22 minutes, or until cake feels firm and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs. Be careful as cakes overbake easily!
9. Remove from oven and run knife around edges between cake and pan. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out from pans, remove & discard parchment paper, and cool completely on wire racks. Cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
10. Once cakes are cooled, prepare frosting. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, cream together Crisco and butter until smooth. Add cocoa powder, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 3 Tbsp milk; mix until smooth.
11. Add remaining powdered sugar and milk; mix until smooth. Keep an eye on frosting consistency - add more powdered sugar if too thin or more milk if too thick.
12. To assemble cake, place one cake layer (dome side down) on platter and top with about 1 cup of frosting. Smooth frosting into an even layer. Place second cake layer on top (dome side up). Smooth remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.
13. Cake doesn't need to be made a day in advance, but do allow a few hours after assembly before serving for moisture and flavors to develop.
14. Serve at room temperature. Cake is best for 3-5 days.

Cake recipe adapted from "Creamy, Dreamy Chocolate Gateau" found on page 189 in The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz.

Frosting recipe adapted from Wilton.

Pistachio Sugar Cookie Bars

My husband's favorite pistachio dessert from childhood was full of dairy: butter in the crust, milk to prepare the pudding, whipped cream on top... you get the point! Since the two of us try to limit the amount of dairy we consume, I was super excited when I stumbled upon this recipe that would evoke similar feelings of nostalgia while still accommodating our current dietary needs. His final verdict? They are just like a Lofthouse cookie! (And our youngest daughter has asked me to make this for her birthday next fall.) I'd call that a resounding win!

Pistachio Sugar Cookie Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Cookie Bars:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp almond extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant pistachio pudding mix
• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Buttercream Frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup Crisco (original flavor in blue tub)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk, plus more if needed
• green sprinkles, for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in vanilla and almond extracts. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Stir in dry pudding mix. Add one cup of flour, baking soda, and salt; mix until combined. Add remaining one cup of flour and mix until just combined.
4. Press dough *very* evenly into prepared pan. (Bars will not spread when baking, so this step is important!)
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
6. Once bars have cooled completely, prepare buttercream frosting. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine butter, Crisco, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract; mix until creamy.
7. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat until smooth and creamy, adding milk to reach desired consistency.
8. Spread frosting over cooled sugar cookie bars and top with sprinkles.

Recipe adapted from Eat Cake For Dinner.

Chocolate Chip Cake with Buttercream Frosting

The combination of flavors in this dessert is reminiscent of everyone's favorite milk and cookies duo, only in cake form!

Chocolate Chip Cake with Buttercream Frosting
Yield: 2 layer cake

** Note: This recipe needs to be made one day in advance! **

Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cake:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Buttercream Frosting:

• 3/4 cup Crisco (original kind only!)
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tsp clear vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 4-6 Tbsp milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, then grease parchment paper; set aside.
2. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each. Add sour cream and pure vanilla extract, and mix until well combined.
4. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and milk. Mix just until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
6. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Allow cakes to cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out from pans, remove & discard parchment paper, and cool completely on wire racks. Cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
7. Once cakes are cooled, prepare frosting. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, cream together Crisco and butter. Add clear vanilla extract and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating on low speed until blended. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Then continue at high speed until smooth and creamy.
8. To assemble cake, place one cake layer (dome side down) on platter, spread with frosting (make sure layer is even!), place second cake layer (dome side up) on top of frosting, and spread additional frosting over top and sides of cake.
9. Cover and store at room temperature overnight before serving.

Recipe adapted from Life, Love and Sugar.

Snickerdoodle Cake

Three layers of vanilla cake are studded with crunchy cinnamon streusel and topped with creamy brown sugar cream cheese buttercream frosting. My 6 year old daughter has already decided that this will be the cake she requests for her birthday in October!

Snickerdoodle Cake
Yield: 3 layer cake

** Note: This recipe needs to be made one day in advance! **

Ingredients
Cake:

• 3 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs + 2 additional egg whites, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or substitute 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1.5 cups, stir & let stand 5 minutes)

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Frosting:

• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 oz block full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, then grease parchment paper.
2. Sift flour, corn starch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together; set aside.
3. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
4. Beat in 3 eggs, 2 egg whites, and vanilla on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. (Mixture will look curdled.) Scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
5. With mixer running on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients. With mixer still running on low speed, slowly pour in buttermilk; mix just until combined. You may need to stir by hand to ensure no lumps remain at bottom of bowl. Batter will be slightly thick. Pour batter evenly into cake pans; set aside while making streusel.
6. With a fork, mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together until combined. Pour melted butter on top and mix just until combined. Immediately crumble streusel over batter in cake pans; gently pat down with hands.
7. Bake 23-26 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans 15 minutes, then turn out from pans, remove & discard parchment paper, and cool completely on wire racks. Cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
8. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and cinnamon; beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop mixer and add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Turn mixer on low speed and beat for 30 seconds, then turn mixer up to medium-high speed and beat until completely smooth and creamy. (Scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed.)
9. To assemble cake, place one cake layer on platter, spread with 3/4 cup frosting, top with another cake layer, spread with 3/4 cup frosting, and end with final cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
10. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. (This cake ages well!)

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Chocolate Oreo Cake

My daughter requested a "Cookies & Cream" cake to celebrate her 6th birthday, and this recipe did not disappoint: three layers of moist chocolate cake covered in sweet buttercream frosting filled with (literally) an entire package of crumbled up gluten free "Oreo" cookies!

Chocolate Oreo Cake
Yield: 3-layer cake

Ingredients
Cake:

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 2 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 8-9 cups powdered sugar
• 10.5 oz package gluten free "Oreo" cookies (crumbled, about 3 cups)
• 1 tsp clear vanilla extract
• 4-6 Tbsp almond milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray again.
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt to large mixing bowl; whisk together. Add eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, coffee, and vanilla to dry ingredients; mix well.
3. Divide batter evenly between prepared cakes pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs.
4. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out of pans onto cooling rack and discard parchment. Cool completely.
5. Once cakes are cooled, prepare frosting.
6. In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat together butter and shortening until smooth. Slowly add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Add vanilla and cookie crumbs; mix until smooth. Add another 4-5 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add almond milk 1 Tbsp at a time until spreadable consistency is reached.
7. To assemble cake, place dollop of frosting in center of cake platter and place one cake layer on top, spread with 1 cup frosting, top with second cake layer, spread with 1 cup frosting, and end with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Note: Cake is best prepared one day in advance to allow cookie crumbs to soften.

Recipe adapted from Life, Love and Sugar.

Chocolate Cake {from Scratch}

Have a birthday coming up in your family? (My daughter's was yesterday.) Don't bother with a boxed cake mix this year... make it from scratch! This moist, tender cake is packed with rich, chocolate flavor and pairs perfectly with my homemade buttercream frosting. This will surely be a birthday to remember!

Chocolate Cake {from Scratch}
Yield: 2 cake rounds

Ingredients
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups coffee, cooled
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line bottom with parchment, and spray again.
3. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide evenly between cake pans.
4. Bake for 35 minutes, or until cakes are set and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans, discard parchment, and place cakes on wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

This recipe has become somewhat of a tradition at our house because my son is not a big fan of classic birthday cake (blasphemy, I know!). If it weren't for our uncanny resemblance to each other, I might question whether or not, in fact, he is actually related to me because cake is my favorite food! But he is the birthday boy this weekend, and I am happy to make whichever sweet treat is requested. :)

For decoration, I like to make my buttercream frosting (cut the recipe in half and make it on the stiff side) and pipe it around the edges with a star tip. Then top the cake with additional mini M&M's or sprinkles to make it even more colorful! I haven't frosted the cake above quite yet (my son's birthday is on Sunday), but here is the cake I made for him two years ago:

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Yield: 9" springform pan

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup + 2 Tbsp M&M’S Minis milk chocolate baking bits, divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9" springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, cream softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; stir until completely combined.
3. Pour in flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt; stir just until incorporated (don't overmix!).
4. Fold in 1 cup mini baking bits by hand until evenly distributed.
5. Press dough into prepared pan until even and level. Sprinkle reserved 2 Tbsp mini baking bits on top of cookie cake and press down lightly with hand. Bake 16-20 minutes, or until top/center just starts to golden slightly. Cookie cake may look underdone in middle, but it will set up as it cools and stay extra soft.
6. Allow cookie cake to cool completely in pan on wire rack before removing sides of pan. Frost and decorate, if desired, then enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Sprinkle Some Sugar.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

This caramel buttercream is a delicious blend of salty and sweet! With only three ingredients, the prep time is super short and the frosting comes together in a matter of minutes. It is the perfect topping for cupcakes and can be scaled up for decorating layer cakes or special celebration cakes, too!

Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp caramel sauce

Directions
1. Cut butter into cubes and beat with electric mixer on low speed until soft.
2. Beat in powdered sugar in small batches.
3. Once butter and sugar are fully incorporated, beat in caramel sauce until smooth.

Notes
• Use thick caramel sauce that comes in a jar (not thin syrup in a squeeze bottle).
• Recipe makes plenty of frosting for a dozen cupcakes (with some leftover).

Recipe adapted from Charlotte's Lively Kitchen.

Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting

The year my son started preschool was the beginning of the sugar cookie tradition at our house! Every winter, the kids got to spend an entire preschool day in the kitchen, baking and decorating cookies with their teachers and parent volunteers. They then got to share and eat these cookies with their friends and family after their Christmas program in December.

My older two children are 23 months apart (on the dot), so we spent four consecutive holidays making these sugar cookies. The following year, my youngest daughter was not yet old enough to start preschool (she's three years behind her older sister in school), so my kids requested that we continue the annual tradition at home. How could I say no to that?!

At preschool, the kids decorated the cookie cut-outs with sprinkles pressed into the dough before baking. I figured I could improve upon an already good thing with the addition of some buttercream frosting and then sprinkles after baking. :) Either way, these are the best sugar cookies I've ever eaten!

Sugar Cookies
Yield: about 4-5 dozen (depends on cookie cutter shapes/sizes)

Ingredients
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
3 tsp vanilla
5 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar

Directions
1. Make dough day before planning to bake: Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Blend in dry ingredients. Pat dough into large ball and place inside gallon size Ziploc bag; seal tightly. Chill in refrigerator overnight.
2. Take dough out of refrigerator shortly before rolling out to bake.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F (or 350°F if using convection oven).
4. Open bag and invert dough onto clean countertop. Gently knead dough with hands. Dough will be crumbly at first but will stick together more as it warms up. Roll dough in powdered sugar (not flour!) to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake 5-8 minutes.
6. Let cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
7. Once cool, decorate with buttercream frosting (see below) and holiday sprinkles!

Buttercream Frosting
Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients
1/2 cup Crisco (original kind only!)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 tsp clear vanilla extract*
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp milk (I use almond milk)

*Note: Do not use regular vanilla extract! Using clear vanilla extract keeps the frosting a bright white color.

Directions
1. Stiff Consistency: In large bowl, cream Crisco and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Thin (Spreading) Consistency: Beat in additional 2 Tbsp milk.

Recipe adapted from Wilton.

(In case you were wondering, this frosting works great for decorating cakes and cupcakes, too!)