January 5, 2022
Chocolate Chip Cookie Drip Cake
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details!*
A delicious four-layer chocolate cookie cake with chocolate and chocolate chip sponges, buttercream frosting, chocolate drip and more!
Chocolate chip cookie drip cake!
It’s the first recipe of 2022, and I thought I would start the year with an absolute bang and make something utterly delicious and indulgent… this beautiful chocolate chip cookie drip cake!!
I wanted to post a cake to start off the new year that I know you will all absolutely adore and will want to make for all of your celebrations this year. I did go maybe a little OTT on what’s involved in this cake, but like I said… starting the year off strong here.
Cookie cake sponges
This cake is designed to fit the theme of chocolate chip cookies, but as it is a cake as well, I merged a few recipes and ideas to create this wonder. For the sponges, I followed the idea of my chocolate drip cake, but cookie-ified two of the layers. I thought alternating chocolate sponges and chocolate chip sponges was so fun!
I made the full mix of cake and split the mixture into two. The bowls of mix weighed roughly 1000g each, and to one I added 200g of chocolate chips, and to the other, I added cocoa powder – you can of course make them all chocolate chip, or all chocolate! It’s up to you. Simply double the chocolate chip quantity, or double the cocoa powder for the full mix.
Tins
I used these cake tins to bake this cake as when I am baking layers I tend to cut each cake into two layers – but you can split the cakes into four tins if you prefer. I have had these tins for years so I just like to stick what I find easiest!
If your oven can’t fit four cake tins at once though, it’s best to make each flavour sponge separately as cake mix should be baked immediately and not left to sit. The last thing you want is to have half a cake not as great as the other half – it would be rather upsetting!
6″ cake
I understand this is a very large cake, so if you wanted to make a 6” version, I would use a 300g mix instead of a 500g mix. This means you would use 300g unsalted butter, 300g sugar, 300g flour, and 5-6 medium eggs mixed together. You could then use 125g chocolate chips in the chocolate chip sponge, and 45g cocoa powder in the chocolate one.
Baking time is about 35-45 minutes at the same temp. I do love these 6” tins when making a smaller one too. For the decor, just use ⅔ of the decoration ingredients and follow the same steps! As always though, I love my 8” cakes and just freeze slices of leftover cake wrapped in clingfilm in a container so there is no waste.
Crumb coat
I use a small angled spatula to help spread the buttercream onto my sponges, and then to start doing the crumb coat – a crumb coat uses a small amount of buttercream to fill in any gaps in between your sponges, and create a smooth surface to then decorate on. It’s worth chilling the cake after the crumb coat to essentially ‘set’ it.
Using unsalted block butter for the buttercream is so important as you want the buttercream to stay relatively firm – using a baking spread or margarine is too soft, and will result in a bit of a sloppy looking cake! Make sure the unsalted butter is at room temp, and you’re good to go.
Buttercream
I coloured my buttercream slightly golden with an autumn leaf colour as I wanted it to be a bit more cookie coloured, but this is entirely optional. I just used some vanilla extract to flavour it, but you can use other flavours or you can even make it chocolate flavoured by replacing 75g of the icing sugar with cocoa powder!
I use another small angled spatula to cover in more buttercream – you want to pack the buttercream on, as when you use your large metal scraper to smooth around the cake, you will take buttercream off naturally – this leaves a smooth result! You can also, when very near the end, run your metal scraper under hot water and do a final smooth of the cake for a beautiful finish.
Ganache
After the buttercream I tend to chill my cake again whilst making the ganache – I use the same ganache as always from my mini egg drip cake as it uses a mix of milk chocolate and dark chocolate, and creates the perfect drip!
I tend to use a small piping bag to do the drip for my cakes as I find it far easier. I pour the ganache in, and cut a small amount off the end – and drip! You aim the end of the piping bag on the edge of the cake and let it fall down the cake. The more that comes out of the piping bag, the longer the drip!
I then fill in the top of the cake with more ganache as it fills in the gaps, and creates even more delicious chocolate for every slice – this also acts as a nice glue for the cookies later on. You can use just a milk chocolate ganache (use 300g milk chocolate) or just dark chocolate (use 135g dark chocolate)
Cookies
For this cake I then press in some cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake – I used shop-bought cookies as I wanted them to be quite crunchy and easier to press in. It’s a bit of a messy job, so be prepared – but I find it easiest to have a handful of crumbs and use the palm of my hand to press into the sides of the cake! I then just lightly take off the excess that has fallen onto my serving plate.
If you wanted to make your oven cookies for the decoration, I’d recommend my NYC Cookies – but you can also use shop-bought bakery cookies! I used whole ones, propped up by leftover buttercream, and ones I chopped in half. I used my 2d closed star piping tip to decorate randomly, with more cookie crumbs and I am obsessed with the finish.
Tips!
Once the cakes are baked and have cooled fully, I tend to cut them into their layers now as the cake is nice and easy to cut. I do tend to bake my sponges ahead of time, so if you are like me, you can freeze each layer wrapped well in clingfilm, and then a layer of foil. Sponges freeze really well! If you have frozen your sponges, you can decorate the sponges from frozen – but if you haven’t, no worries – you can just follow the steps in the same way.
It’s useful when making a cake like this to use a turntable because it makes the process of smoothing the outsides infinitely easier. I recommend this one at the moment as I use it all of the time! If you have any questions about the recipe then leave them below! I hope you love it. Also, have an amazing 2022! Jane x
Chocolate Chip Cookie Drip Cake!
Ingredients
Cake
- 500 g unsalted butter
- 500 g light brown soft sugar
- 9 medium eggs
- 500 g self raising flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 75 g cocoa powder
- 200 g chocolate chips
Buttercream
- 500 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 1000 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 g cookies (crushed)
Ganache
- 75 g dark chocolate
- 75 g milk chocolate
- 150 ml double cream
Decoration
- spare buttercream
- sprinkles/cookie crumbs
- 4-5 larger cookies
Instructions
For the cakes
- Preheat your oven to 170ºC/150ºC Fan, and line two 8"/20cm cake tins with baking parchment.
- In a stand mixer, or a large bowl, beat together the unsalted butter and light brown soft sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, self raising flour and vanilla extract and beat again until combined well.
- Split the mixture into two bowls - they will weigh roughly 1000g each. Add the chocolate chips to one and stir, and add the cocoa powder to the other and stir.
- Add each mixture to a prepared tin.
- Bake the cakes in the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until baked through - check with a skewer to make sure they're done!
- Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 30 minutes, and then take out and leave to cool fully on a wire rack!
For the Buttercream
- Beat the unsalted butter on its own for minute or two, to soften it and loosen it.
- Add in the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat well until smooth and fluffy. I also coloured my buttercream golden using 1/2tsp of amber food colouring but this is optional.
For the Decoration
- Once cooled, split each cake into two layers each.
- Put the first cake onto a cake board of plate. Add a little buttercream and spread. Repeat with the second and third sponges. Add the final sponge on top. I did chocolate first, then chocolate chip and repeated.
- Using a small amount of buttercream, spread and smooth around the cake sides and top for a crumb coat and add to the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Once set, add more buttercream onto the tops and sides of the cake, and smooth around covering the cake completely in buttercream.
- I add the buttercream on using a small angled spatula, and smoothed around the edge with the large metal scraper! You need to make sure there is more buttercream on the sides of the cake than you need, as some will be removed as you smooth it over.
- Once finished, press the cookie crumbs into the base of the cake using the palm of your hand - this process is a little messy, but worth it!
- Put the cake in the fridge again for at least 30 minutes.
Ganache
- Add the dark chocolate, milk chocolate and double cream to a bowl, and microwave until smooth.
- Using a small piping bag or a teaspoon, drip the ganache down the sides of the cake. The more you push over the edge, the further the drip will fall.
- Set the cake in the fridge again for 30 minutes!
Decoration
- Finish the cake off by piping on any leftover buttercream, and adding some whole cookies, and half cookies like I have, and then also some extra cookie crumbs!
Notes
- This cake lasts for 3-4 days at room temperature!
- For this Cake I used (affiliate links):
- I used two of these 8" Cake Tins
- These piping bags for the buttercream
- These piping bags for the drip
- This cake turntable to make decoration easier
- I used this piping tip for the buttercream!
- I used this cocoa powder
- I used this dark chocolate
- I used this milk chocolate
- I used this autumn leaf colour for the buttercream,
- See notes on the post about how to make a smaller 6" version of this cake!
ENJOY!
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J x
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Hi, so I’m going to be baking the chocolate chip cake then the chocolate cake, in all of your other bakes you use less flour so the cocoa powder and flour equal say 250, can I do it with cake say do 195 flour and 55 cocoa? Would this work
Hi , I was just wondering where I went wrong tye chocolate chip caje turned out beautifully but the chocolate one rose to much in the middle and cracked… is there anything I can do to prevent this as my leveling skills are not the best
This may be due to mixing, but trying lowering the temp and baking for longer, or mixing the chocolate cake on a lower speed and fold things together x
Cake looks so delicious! Must try for everyone.
Hi!
Absolutely love all of janes recipes!
I am wondering if you have any advice-
My cake hasn’t come out of the oven very tall and I am not sure why? I have followed the recipe, but my cakes are not very tall.
Thankyou for your help!
My chocolate chips didn’t distribute very well on the sponge they all came out round the edge of the cake. Was there something I did wrong?
Hiya! They may have unfortunately just sunk in the cake – try coating them in flour or freezing them first! Hope this helps! x
I’m making this cake for my sons birthday, I’ve baked the chocolate on tonight and halved the ingredients. I’ve found my cake rose with a hat on so I had to cut that bit off and now my cake isn’t going to be tall enough 🥺. Also the edges have burnt and the middle is squishy. Where did I go wrong? Any advice xxx
Hiya! This sounds like your oven is far too hot! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane
I’m planning on making these sponges in advance and freezing them. Do I need to fully defrost them before decorating with the buttercream?
Thanks!
Hiya! No – you can decorate still frozen! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane,
I only got room in my oven for two tins, the amount of ingredients is this for two bakes (choc chip and chocolate) or is it for all 4 slices it’s just cutting the two in half to make 4? Thankyou!
Also with the ganache are you waiting for it to cool before putting it on the cake or are you putting it on as soon as it comes out of the microwave?
I think your baking skills are amazing!!!
Hiya! This is for 2 cakes to then each be cut in half! As for the ganache – I let it sit for a minute and then put it on! Hope this helps! x
I’m planning on making this on Friday in advance for the birthday on Sunday (as we’re Say a wedding all day on Saturday). Would the cookies still stick on the top of I left them until Sunday? Just trying to avoid them going stale if done in advance.
Yes, this should be absolutely fine! Enjoy! x
Hi Jane,
I just wondered what type of cookies you bought/made for the decoration and crumbs as I am planning to make this for my brother’s birthday this weekend? Xx
Hiya! I just bought the milk chocolate cookies from the supermarket bakery – or you could try baking my chewy chocolate chip cookies! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane
My mixer broke so never got around to making this but I want to make it this weekend. .
So to do the cakes separately 2 then the other 2 I need to half the recipe and do 5 medium eggs oer batch then 250g instead off 500g.
I’ve just baked this but my choc chips have all sunk to the bottom of the cake when cooked. What have I done wrong? Thanks
Hiya I’m going to make the cakes in advance and freeze them, before decorating them. How early can I make them? How long does cake survive in the freezer for. Thanks
Hiya! The cakes will last for up to 3 months in the freezer! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane, I’ve use loads of your recipes and absolutely love them all! Whenever I bake larger cakes like this the middle never cooks and I don’t know why? Is my oven too hot?? Thanks
Hiya!It may be worth getting an oven thermometer just to double check. You can also try baking on lower for longer! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane,
How would i makes this recipe eggless? I want to make it for my nephews birthday
Hiya! The best I can do is to recommend looking at my vegan chocolate cake recipe, and then decorating with cookies! (the chocolate chips will sink in the vegan cake though!) Hope this helps! x
I’m making this cake now for my sons birthday and so far so good , I’m sorry if this is a daft question but do the 100 G crushed cookies get mixed into the butter cream mixture , many thanks x
Hiya! No – these are the crumbs around the bottom of the cake, pushed into the buttercream! Hope this helps! x
Hiya I made the sponges and the top was burning but the middle wasn’t cooked so I had to leave it longer I will cut the top off but worried the cake will be dry, is there anything I can do to avoid this? It happens to me a lot! X
Hiya! Your oven sounds far too hot, id recommend getting an oven thermometer! x
Hi Jane.. how would I do this if I wanted to bake 2 and then the other 2? So do the chocolate chips 2 layers cook and cool them and then the chocolate ones as I only have 3 tins…
Hiya! Mix the chocolate chip mix, bake and cool and then mix the chocolate mix to bake – I wouldn’t recommend leaving cake mixture sitting! Hope this helps! x
Hi jane does that mean half the ingredients above if I were to do 2 and then bake the other 2
So use half ingredients make 2 cakes.. then make the other half fresh and bake the other 2. It says 9 eggs though so what’s the best way to work it put please
Yes this is correct! Use 10 medium eggs instead. Hope this helps! x
Am planning to make this cake for my sons birthday but your cakes are very tall, can you recommend a cake box to store them in please?
Hiya! For this, I would buy a standard cake box with extenders – because of the height of the cookies! Hope this helps! x
Loved making this, for my mums birthday & had so many compliments. Thank you Jane 🤩
I baked this and the chocolate sponge cooked perfectly, the chocolate chip sponge was in the oven for over an hour and just did not cook, not too sure what went wrong? xx
Hey Jane! This looks epic!! On my list next to try, but I’m hoping you can help with something before I try another sponge cake – for love nor money can I make a sponge cake without curdling the batter when I add the eggs. I always carry on and the cake turns out lovely, but would really like to know how to avoid this! I am a relatively accomplished baker, but I still seem to have issues with this! I’ve tried block butter Vs Stork, keeping eggs at room temp, beating them lightly first before adding – but it still happens! Any suggestions would be really appreciated 🙂
P.s, obsessed with your book that my fiance got me for Christmas!
Hiya! Do you add them in separately or do you add them in alongside the flour as Jane recommends? x
Hey! I usually add them one by one , mixing in between, so I don’t overmix with the flour and ruin the texture. I sometimes add a tablespoon of flour which can help with the curdling, but this doesn’t always work! Will try adding all the eggs and flour at the same time and see how I go 🙂
Hiya! We recommend adding in the eggs and flour at the same time, this is the method Jane always uses! x
Hi, if I wanted to bake this gluten free…would I just switch the flour? And obviously the biscuits!
Hiya! Yes this should be fine! Just double check all of the other ingredients you use too! Enjoy! x
Hello what is the best way to create the drip x
Hiya! For tips on creating a drip – take a look at my Rainbow Cake recipe! Hope this helps! x
ohh wow jane this is amazing
I mean like all ur cakes r but still…
I made this one today for a late 14th birthday as I was away on my bday it was so fun to make I have been using ur recipes for years and also have ur book ur like my idol Ahaha
tysm for sharing all ur recipes as it really helps cuz I would love to do something like u in the future . tyyyyy 😊 xx
Ahhhh this is so amazing! So glad you love my recipes, thank you so much! Happy baking, if there’s anything else I can help with please let me know! xx
Hi Jane,
Just wondering how you keep the biscuits from becoming stale? I made the biscoff cake and noticed the biscuits decorated went stale. How do you prevent this?
FYI your recipes are incredible! My baking has improved so much and its thanks to you! Thanks
Hiya! Unfortunately this is unpreventable. As soon as the biscuit is out of the packet there is no going back – perhaps add them to the bake as serving depending on the bake? Hope this helps! x
Could I use stork instead of butter for the sponges
Yes absolutely you can! Enjoy! x
I have always used springform tins and they are a pain for a smooth finish. I have bought some tins similar to the ones you use, How do you prep your tins so the cakes come out of them and don’t stick. I feel like I’ve probably missed this tip in your earlier posts! Thanks
Hi! This looks amazing! How would I amend the recipe if I wanted to make it 6 inch? X
Hi there,
Firstly, this cake looks amazing!
Can I ask, how do you get the swirl/ripple effect on the top with the ganache?
Thank you!
Hiya! Use a small angled spatula, and turn the cake on a turntable as you go from the inside out, so it creates the swirl! Enjoy! x
Hi Jane, Could you please give me the temperature and times if using 4 tins. Thankyou x
Hiya! Id say bake at 160 Fan, for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy! x
This is insane! Look forward to making this! Only question when doing the smaller size you say to use 5-6 med eggs what would it be?
Hiya! It depends on the weight of your eggs – weigh them in the shells and match them to your other ingredients! Hope this helps! x
Hi, if baking the cake in 4 tins, how long would you bake them for and at what temperature? many thanks.
Hiya! I would bake them for about 30 mins at 160 fan. Hope this helps! x
Hi!
When you freeze the sponges and decorate from frozen, how long will it take before the cake is fully defrosted and can be eaten/served?
Thanks x
Hiya! I’d say roughly 3 hours and it will be fine! Enjoy! x
Oh my god that looks insane 🤤😋 I HAVE to make this 😍 so much for being good after Christmas 🙈😅 xx