This vegan Cookie Dough Cake recipe is composed of brown sugar chocolate chip cake layers that are stuffed with cookie dough and slathered with vanilla frosting. This cake is decadent, delicious, and perfect for any celebration. And no one will ever guess that this recipe is completely dairy-free and vegan!
This is my ultimate dessert recipe. It's no secret that I love chocolate chip cookies. I have so many recipes to prove it! Between my Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Cookie Cake, and Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, I think the recipes speak for themselves.
And this Cookie Dough Cake recipe tops them all. The cake layers are packed with brown sugar and chocolate chips, then they are filled with a layer of pure cookie dough! If you love to eat cookie dough from a spoon, this recipe is for you. So, let's make it.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe uses just 10 simple ingredients.
- And if you are a beginner, don't worry! This recipe has clear, step-by-step instructions.
- This Cookie Dough Cake is completely vegan and dairy-free.
- The cake layers are soft and moist, and filled with chocolate chips and brown sugar flavor.
- And most importantly, it is absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Non-Dairy Butter: I recommend Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks. They taste great and are easy to find.
Mini Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips go into the cake layer and the cookie dough. And I like to use them on top of the finished cake! I think regular chocolate chips are too big, so if you can't find mini chips, use finely chopped chocolate.
Non-Dairy Milk: I used oat milk, but almond milk or soy milk also works!
Choose Your Buttercream
I frosted my cake with my Vegan Vanilla Frosting.
But, if you are a chocolate lover, it would also be great with Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or even Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. To make the cake layers, combine brown sugar, non-dairy milk, melted non-dairy butter, white vinegar, and vanilla extract.
Step 2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to form the cake batter.
Step 3. Then, portion the batter into prepared cake pans and top with chocolate chips and use a butter knife to swirl them into the batter.
Step 4. Bake the Cookie Dough Cake layers in a 350*F oven for 28-31 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool completely before proceeding,.
Step 5. While the cake cools, make the cookie dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. First, cream the non-dairy butter and brown sugar together until well combined.
Then, add non-dairy milk and vanilla extract and mix well.
Next, add heat-treated flour and mini chocolate chips and mix to form the dough.
Keep the cookie dough at room temperature until you're ready to use it.
Step 6. Next, make the vegan vanilla frosting by creaming non-dairy butter until completely smooth.
Then, add powdered sugar and mix on low until combined.
Now, add vanilla extract and non-dairy milk and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Step 7. Place a cake layer upside down onto a cake board or cake stand.
Scatter dollops of the cookie dough on the top of the cake, then spread the cookie dough out. Top with the remaining cake layer, upside down again.
Step 8. Frost the outside of the cake with the vanilla frosting, using an offset spatula.
From here, decorate the cake however you like! I like to press mini chocolate chips into the sides of the cake and top with chunks of cookie dough.
Recipe FAQs
Cover the cake and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes! This recipe should make 18-24 cupcakes. Bake them until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Then, once they are cool, either hollow out the center to stuff them with cookie dough, or just add the big cookie dough chunks on top of the frosting.
Flour can carry bacteria that can make you sick. Heat-treating it will kill that bacteria. See this article about heat-treating flour by Beyond Frosting for more!
Expert Tips and Tricks
Scoop the cookie dough in small, tablespoon-sized scoops around the cake. This makes it easier to spread out.
Make sure your cake layers are completely cool before stacking the cake. If they are even a little bit warm, the frosting will melt!
Don't forget to heat treat your flour while baking the cake layers!
Looking for More Vegan Chocolate Dessert Recipes?
If you tried this Vegan Cookie Dough Cake recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Cookie Dough Cake (Vegan!)
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Stand Mixer Fitted with the Paddle Attachment
- 2 8 Inch Round Cake Pans
- 1 Cake Stand
- 1 Offset Spatula or spoon or butter knife for frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ⅔ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ Cups Light Brown Sugar, tightly packed
- 1 ½ Cups Non-Dairy Milk I used oat milk
- 10 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon White Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 6 tablespoon Mini Chocolate Chips, divided
For the Cookie Dough
- 4 tablespoon Vegan Butter
- ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar, tightly packed
- 3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Heat Treated All-Purpose Flour See note!
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
For the Vanilla Frosting
- 1 Cup Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
To Decorate the Cake
- 1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Bake the Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment circles to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well.2 ⅔ Cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt, ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, non-dairy milk, melted non-dairy butter, vinegar, and vanilla. Whisk to combine, then add the dry ingredients and whisk to form the batter.1 ½ Cups Light Brown Sugar, tightly packed, 1 ½ Cups Non-Dairy Milk, 10 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract, 1 tablespoon White Vinegar
- Divide the batter equally between the prepared cake pans. Sprinkle the top of each cake with three tablespoons of mini chocolate chips and use a butter knife to swirl them into the cake batter.6 tablespoon Mini Chocolate Chips, divided
- Bake the cakes in a 350* oven for 28-31 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. (This is a great time to heat treat the flour for your cookie dough!- See note!)
- Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 30 minutes, then turn them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow them to continue cooling until they are completely cool.
Make the Cookie Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the non-dairy butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the non-dairy milk and vanilla and mix well.4 tablespoon Vegan Butter, ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar, tightly packed, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
- Add the heat-treated flour and salt and mix to form the dough. Then, add chocolate chips and mix to distribute. Set aside at room temperature until the cake is ready to decorate. If you put it into the refrigerator it will be too hard to spread!1 Cup Heat Treated All-Purpose Flour, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt, ½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the vegan butter until no lumps remain. Then, add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Finally, add the non-dairy milk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.1 Cup Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature, 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
Build the Cake
- Reserve ¼ cup of cookie dough for decorating.
- Place one layer of cake upside down on a cake stand or cake board. Then dollop the cookie dough across the cake. Use an offset spatula or a butter knife to spread the cookie dough out, then top with the remaining cake layer, upside down again.
- Frost the outside of the cake with vanilla frosting using the same offset spatula or butter knife. From here, you can decorate however you like, but I like to press chocolate chips into the side and top the cake with chunks of cookie dough!1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Kim Schineller says
Where did u find the vegan chocolate chips?
Megan Calipari says
I used these mini chocolate chips by enjoy life: https://enjoylifefoods.com/products/semi-sweet-chocolate-mini-chips-1
But, you should check the store brand where ever you shop! All of my local grocery stores have vegan store brand chocolate chips.
Jenna says
Can you make this recipe into cupcakes instead?
Megan Calipari says
Yes! You will probably have some leftover cookie dough, but this recipe should work well as cupcakes.