Serves 12 (approximately)
Total Time 2 Hours
Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour (substitute all-purpose flour)
- 3 / 4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 / 4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 / 4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 / 2 cup milk, room temperature
- 1 / 2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- Edible Monster Cookie Dough Filling
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 / 4 cup quick oats
- 1 / 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 / 4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 / 4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 / 2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 / 4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 / 4 cup milk
- 1 / 4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 / 4 cup mini M&M candies
- Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup unsalted butter (soft, but slightly cooler than room temperature)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 / 2 cup heavy cream (substitute with milk)
- Chocolate Ganache
- 3 / 4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream (substitute milk)
- For Decorating (optional)
- mini chocolate chips
- mini M&M candies
- candy googly eyes
Preparation
Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trace and cut out parchment paper to line the bottoms of two 8 – inch cake pans. Set aside.
In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream your butter for 2 minutes until light in color and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and mix for approximately 3-4 minutes or until creamy. Add in eggs, one at a time, incorporating after each addition. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Whisk together your milk and sour cream. It is easiest to use a liquid measuring cup for this.
Starting with your dry ingredient mixture, begin alternating additions of dry ingredients and the milk mixture to the large mixing bowl. You should begin by adding 1/3 of your dry ingredient mixture and follow by adding 1/2 of your milk mixture. Repeat these additions, mixing after each until just incorporated. Avoid over mixing as this will result in a more dry finished cake.
Divide the cake batter equally between each of your cake pans. Place in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes (a dark cake pan will requirer the shorter cook time while a lighter colored cake pan will require the longer cook time) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the cake pans and place on a wire rack to let cool completely.
Edible Monster Cookie Dough Filling
Spread the flour on a baking sheet in an even layer and place in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. This ensures that the raw flour will be safe to consume. Let cool completely before using. If the flour is not cooled, the chocolate chips will melt when added.
In a stand mixer or medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light in color and creamy. Add in vanilla extract and mix again.
In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, quick oats and salt (Note: Do not used rolled oats here as they will result in off-texture. Omit oats entirely if you do not have quick oats). Add to your creamed butter/sugar mixture. Mix to combine.
Pour in milk and combine. Fold in mini chocolate chips and M&M candies.
Line a third 8 – inch cake pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper. It should be thick, but as evenly as possible, spread 2 cups of the filling into a layer across the entire pan. Reserve some of the cookie dough for decorating the top of the cake if desired. Place this in the refrigerator to chill while you wait for the cake layers to cool and while you begin working on the buttercream.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat butter for approximately 2 minutes or until smooth, light and fluffy. Add in the peanut butter and mix for an additional minute. Gradually begin adding in the powdered sugar and continue mixing. Stream in half of your heavy cream (or milk). If the buttercream appears to thick to spread, add in the remaining half of the heavy cream (or milk).
Chocolate Ganache
Add your chocolate chips to a small bowl. Heat your heavy cream on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot and steaming (not boiling). Pour the heavy cream over the top of the chocolate chips in the bowl. Let this sit for 3-4 minutes, then starting from the center of the bowl, begin stirring the mixture. The chocolate chips should melt and form a smooth chocolate ganache. Set this aside for assembly.
Cake Assembly
Level your cakes with a serrated knife to create flat, even layers that will be easy to stack.
To a cake stand or large plate, spread a thin layer of buttercream frosting.
Place one of the cake layers onto the stand. Spread a thin layer (approximately 1/4″ thick) of buttercream frosting. Remove your monster cookie dough filling layer from the refrigerator and place on top. Spread another thin layer of buttercream frosting.
Place your other cake layer on top, flipping this cake layer upside down so that the top of your cake has a flat bottom. Press down gently.
Cover the entire cake with a layer of buttercream frosting. Smooth out the sides as much as possible. This will be your crumb coat. Chill the cake for 10-15 minutes before using the remaining buttercream to completely cover and frost the cake.
Spread an even layer of chocolate ganache over the top of the cake. Use a spoon or squeeze bottle filled with chocolate ganache to create drips down the side of the cake.
Add any remaining buttercream to a pastry bag and pipe designs around the top of the cake. Roll the reserved monster cookie dough into balls and add around the top. Use mini chocolate chips and M&M candies to create a ring around the top as well. It is easiest to reference the photo here.
This cake should serve approximately twelve people and is best enjoyed the day it is made! Store in an airtight container if leftovers remain.
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