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Sugar Cookie Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 97 reviews

This Sugar Cookie Cake combines the rich, buttery flavors of classic sugar cookies with a moist vanilla cake layered and decorated with homemade cream cheese frosting and festive sprinkles. The recipe features a delightful mix of textures and flavors, blending cookie dough baked inside each cake layer and decorative cookie dough accents on top, perfect for holiday celebrations or any special occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Sugar Cookie Dough

  • 2 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1 1/4 cups White granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 2/3 cup Christmas sprinkles (jimmies)

Vanilla Cake

  • 3 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 3 TBSP Oil (canola or vegetable oil)
  • 1 1/2 cups White granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 4 Large eggs (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup Sour cream (room temperature)
  • 1 cup Buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 cups Unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 6 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 5 cups Powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare Sugar Cookie Dough: Preheat the oven to 300℉. Spread the 2 3/4 cups of flour on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes until slightly toasted. Cool completely. In a mixing bowl, add the toasted flour and salt. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, add vanilla and milk, and mix on medium speed until combined. Add the dry ingredients and sprinkles, mixing on low speed until just combined.
  2. Shape and Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a small scoop to scoop the dough and flatten into discs. Place 15 discs on the sheet and freeze. Set aside 2 half-cup portions for the filling and roll remaining dough into small balls on parchment; freeze until ready.
  3. Prepare Vanilla Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 350℉ and prepare three 8-inch cake pans by spraying with nonstick spray and lining with parchment paper circles. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Scrape bowl; add vanilla, eggs, and sour cream, mixing on medium speed until combined. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing on low speed until just combined; finish mixing with a spatula.
  4. Assemble and Bake Cake with Cookie Dough Discs: Divide the cake batter evenly among the pans. Evenly place 5 frozen sugar cookie dough discs on top of batter in each pan. Bake for 26-32 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  5. Cool Cakes: Let the cakes sit in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
  6. Make Cream Cheese Frosting: Sift powdered sugar into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add cream cheese; beat on high speed for 1 minute, scraping bowl halfway and again at the end. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar in two parts, mixing on low speed between additions. Add vanilla and salt; mix on low speed until incorporated, then beat on high speed until creamy.
  7. Assemble the Cake: Level cake layers by cutting off domes with a serrated knife. Place first cake layer bottom side down. Spread 3/4 cup of frosting evenly and pipe a border around the edge. Add 1/2 cup of cookie dough in small discs across the frosting. Repeat for second cake layer. Place last cake layer with bottom facing up. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the whole cake and freeze for 15 minutes.
  8. Decorate Cake: Frost the cake fully with remaining frosting. Top with frozen sugar cookie dough balls and sprinkle extra Christmas sprinkles for a festive look.

Notes

  • Ensure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature for best mixing results.
  • Freezing the cookie dough discs before baking prevents them from melting into the cake batter.
  • You can prepare the cookie dough and freeze up to several days in advance for convenience.
  • Use parchment paper to easily remove cookie discs and cake layers from pans.
  • For extra flavor, consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the cookie dough.
  • Store decorated cake in the refrigerator; let it come to room temperature before serving for best texture.

Keywords: sugar cookie cake, vanilla cake, cream cheese frosting, holiday cake, layered cake with cookie dough, festive cake

Find it online: https://kitchenbynora.com/sugar-cookie-cake-recipe/