I remember the first time I saw this killer cake was in 2004. Another blog I read at the time, Martha Stewart had a recipe for this. It was like my kitchen exploded in history class. Reminds me of that awkward moment when you realize you're not 12 years old anymore and this seems to be kind of silly… but I'll admit, every kid didn't want to run through the curtains and play house and then bake some cookies afterwards. I think that sentiment is why these recipes are timeless — because even though we've moved on from our childhood, we still have those precious memories that bring us back to when it was all so perfect. Maybe one day we'll have a child who will come across this recipe and discover some absolute wonder of their own. And that is why I feel compelled to share in my family's tradition for making Milk & Cookies Cake with anyone who is interested so that they can pass this treat on to their children & grandchildren, alike. So here goes — enjoy!
No, it’s not a joke title. It’s a dessert recipe – simple, quick, fun and delicious: Milk & Cookies Cake.
ingredients
Cookie Milk Soak:
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 4-6 chocolate chip cookies, enough to be completely submerged in milk
cake:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup room temperature biscuit milk (or milk or regular milk)
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips dipped in 1 tablespoon flour
Vanilla Buttercream:
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups room temperature unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- 2 ounces good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 ounces heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cookie Milk Soak:
Place the milk and biscuits in a medium sized bowl. Stir well and soak for 20-25 minutes. Strain into a small bowl using a fine mesh sieve. Gently squeeze the milk out of the cereal with a wooden spoon. Separate a cup of the biscuit milk from the cake. Save the rest to leave on the cake layers.
cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit. Grease and grease three 6-inch cake pans and spread the parchment paper on them.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Sit aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium high until pale and fluffy (3 minutes).
- Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and biscuit milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of the milk). Full integration after each addition.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and mix until combined. Don't get overly confused.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cookies on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream:
- Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat until combined.
- Place bowl over a double boiler on the stovetop and whisk constantly until mixture is no longer grainy (about 3 minutes).
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and beat on medium-high until meringue is stiff and cooled (bowl no longer warm to the touch (about 5-10 minutes)).
- Switch to the paddle attachment. Slowly add the butter cubes and mix until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and beat until smooth. **
- Ganache:
- Place the chopped chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir until smooth. Microwave for 20 seconds, stirring. Microwave at 10-second intervals, stirring in between, until ganache is smooth and silky. Set aside to cool and thicken slightly before using on cake.
Assembly:
- Trim the tops of the cake tiers if necessary or poke holes with a bamboo skewer. Sprinkle or brush each cake layer with about 2 tablespoons of the biscuit milk.
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Put about 2/3 cup of the buttercream on top. Repeat with the remaining layers and cover the crumbs on the outside, leaving the sides of the cake exposed. Use a bench scraper to smooth the sides and top of the cake. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Using a small spoon, apply the ganache close to the edges like so to make the drips. Pour some ganache on top of the cake and brush it with an offset spatula.
Notes
* Make sure that there is no trace of egg yolk in your whites and that the bowl of the mixer and whisk are completely free of grease or the meringue will not solidify. ** Buttercream may look curdled at some point. Keep mixing until completely smooth.
*** Recipe revised: August 8, 2019 *** - Check out the cake recipe to add brown sugar and milk biscuits for more Milk & Cookies flavor.
*** Recipe Updated: Feb 5, 2017 *** - A few of you mentioned that you found the cake dry and dense, so I've updated it to a lighter and more fluffy version that we hope everyone will find delicious!