cookie butter layer cake
A fall treat that isn’t pumpkin or apple?! Say no more!
Actually, this cake was made specifically for mom’s birthday last month. My sis had flown in for the weekend and we gathered at mom’s little dining nook for afternoon coffee and slices of this delicious pile of awesome. She loved it, my sister loved it, and I loved it most because of the delight mom got from it’s presentation.
Brown sugar cake warmed with cinnamon and swirled with heaps of cookie butter frosting: that’s what characterizes our Cookie Butter Layer cake. It’s tender, flavorful, and extremely simple, with swirls of cookie butter as adornment. Just enough to pretty up the package but not enough to overwhelm all ya’ll decorating-challenged folks like me.
Honestly? If you’re anti-pie on Thanksgiving, I definitely support you bookmarking it for the holiday!
Bisc-on, Bisc-off
Mr. Miyagi would be proud.
To start, we’ll mix up our layers as we always do. Cream butter, brown sugar, and regular sugar until soft and fluffy, then whip in three eggs, vanilla, and Greek yogurt. A little curdle in the batter is normal.
Mix in your flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, stream in the buttermilk. The batter should be nice and thick and some lumpiness is a-ok. If it’s perfectly smooth, you’ve overmixed. Way to go. Fail.
Grease two 9-inch cake pans and divide the batter among them. For extra anti-stickage, cut out two round pieces of parchment and set on the bottom of each pan.
Bake the layers for 30-35 minutes until an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Cook in the pans ten minutes, then flip onto a wire rack, peeling off the parchment if you used it. Cool completely. I like to prep the cake layers the day before – or a couple days before – I plan to frost it so the crumb has lots of time to rest. Rest is important.
Lookie, a Cookie!
Once you’re ready to frost, make that beautiful buttercream.
My frosting here is just my traditional vanilla buttercream with an added blob of cookie butter. Whip up some softened butter with cookie butter and vanilla until incorporated, then add 4 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup of heavy cream. Once everything is mingling nicely in the bowl, crank up the speed and whip it up until smooth and silky.
I typically add another cup of powdered and another tablespoon or two of heavy cream just to ensure I have enough buttercream, and with the right texture.
Throw down a layer of cake onto a cake stand or a flat plate. Spread with some of the buttercream until a nice layer ensues, then add the second layer and frost all the way around the cake until thickly coated and glorious.
To finish, dab and swirl some extra cookie butter for a delightful pop of flavor and texture. If you’re good at piping shit, use any extra buttercream to make some swirls and designs. I suck, so I don’t do that.
Everyone will love this spectacular tower of sugar-laden artistry. And if they don’t? Well, flick them off check out the list of autumnal treats I linked below for more seasonal sensations that’ll surely hit at your gatherings.
Cheers, pals! We’re almost to Friday!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Cozy cake szn:
Salted Caramel Apple Cider Layer Cake
cookie butter layer cake
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
cookie butter buttercream
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1/2 cup cookie butter, plus more for swirling
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9 inch cake pans with butter or oil.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Whip in the vanilla, lemon juice, and Greek yogurt. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, slowly stream in the buttermilk. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake 30-35 minutes until the center is set and an inserted toothpick emerges with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to release the layers and flip onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
- When the cakes are cooled, make the frosting. In a bowl, whip the butter, vanilla, and cookie butter on low speed until combined. Add in 4 cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup cream and mix to combine, then increase the speed to medium high and whip until very light and fluffy. If needed, pour in more sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is soft and spreadable.
- Place a cake stand atop a very large piece of parchment paper. Set one cake layer on the stand. Frost the top generously, then add the second layer. Frost all the way around the cake until completely covered. Swirl with additional cookie butter, as desired.
