Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Cake

Behold!  Another deliciously sinful dessert baked courtesy of my husband and photography courtesy of me (I had to redo the photo shoot as I was not satisfied with his initial photos...).

Every time we go grocery shopping and he passes the bakery section he drools over the cookie cakes.  He swore to make one at home.  The only problem was that as a family of two (okay..maybe 2.5 right now with Baby Boy on the way!), we really don't need a giant cookie to eat by ourselves.  So, when the opportunity finally arose when we had our Restaurant Copy-Cats themed Dinner Club he jumped on it with this IMPROVED cookie cake.

Why is it improved, you ask?  Just take a deeper look into this picture...

It starts with not just a regular chocolate chip cookie but rather one in which the cookie dough is infused with peanut butter (of course!).  The use of a springform pan results in a thick cookie that is crunchy on the outside and soft and even a bit gooey on the inside.  But it doesn't stop there.  It's enveloped in a layer of fluffy peanut butter frosting and then finished with peanut butter cups held in place by a rich dark chocolate ganache.  Excessive?  Probably.  Delicious?  Yes.

Chris was in a hurry and so he skipped the chilling step of the ganache before piping.  This resulted in a sloppier than desired execution of the peanut butter cup decorations which ended up sliding towards the dip in the center of the cake.  He deemed it "not good enough to serve for dinner club" and considered keeping it hidden away in the refrigerator.  I'm pretty sure had he done that our guests would have revolted.

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!

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Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup (220g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

For the Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/4 cups (150g) powdered sugar (plus up to 1/4 cup more, if needed)

For the Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 6 oz. (170g) dark chocolate (50% cocoa), roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

For Topping:

• 12 Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter.
2. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer beat together the butter, both sugars, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat untilcombined. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients the wet ones and mix on low until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer to the prepared springform pan.
4. Bake for about 24-26 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool at room temperature.
5. Make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Using a mixer, beat together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar to the bowl and mix in by starting on low and then increasing the mixer speed to high as it gradually becomes incorporated. If needed, add up to another 1/4 cup powdered sugar to bring the frosting to a spreadable consistency. Frost the tops and sides of the cooled cookie cake.
6. Make the Dark Chocolate Ganache: In a small saucepan over low heat melt the dark chocolate. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the whipping cream.  Put the ganache in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill so that it will be easier to pipe onto the cake.  Transfer ganache to an icing bag fitted with a wide frosting tip (or just use a plastic bag with one corner cut off). Pipe 12 evenly spaced dots of chocolate frosting around the edge of the frosted cake.  Top each dot of ganache with one mini peanut butter cup. 
7. Serve cake immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Source: Barely modified from Inquiring Chef