Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF degrees and prepare four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
2. In a small mixing bowl combine the mini chocolate chips and all-purpose flour and set them aside.
3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer and with the flat beater attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and give it a quick mix together for approximately 1 minute.
5. In small pieces, slowly add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until it looks like coarse sand.
6. Slowly pour in approximately half of the liquid mixture and mix on medium for 2 minutes.
7. Pour the remaining liquid mixture in and mix on medium for another 2 minutes. Scrap the sides of the bowl when necessary.
8. Add in the mini chocolate chip and flour mixture and mix until just combined with a spatula.
9. Divide the cake batter into the four prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 17-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
10. Allow the cake layers to cool for 10 minutes and then invert them on a cooling rack to fully cool.

Chocolate Chip Buttercream

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on high speed with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, approximately 10 minutes.

2. Add the icing sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and mix on low until combined.

3. Turn the mixer up to high and let mix for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary.

4. Remove two cups of buttercream and set aside. This will be used in the final decor for the swirls. *
5. Add in the mini chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

Chocolate Ganache Drip

1. In a microwave-safe bowl heat the chocolate chips and milk in 30-second intervals until fully melted and smooth. Stir between each interval.

2. Depending on the kind of milk, the drip may require a touch more milk to thin or a bit more chocolate chips to thicken. **

Cake Assembly

1. Place one leveled layer of chocolate chip cookie cake on a cake board, plate, and/or cake turntable. Top with approximately 1 ½ cups of chocolate chip buttercream.

2. Repeat with the remaining layers and apply a thin coat of chocolate chip buttercream all over the cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3. Cover the cake with a final layer of chocolate chip buttercream and smooth the sides using the Wilton Cake Smoother. Refrigerate while the chocolate ganache drip is prepared.

4. On a well-chilled cake, with a spoon or a piping bag, drip the warm chocolate ganache over the edges of the chilled cake and put it back in the refrigerator to set.

5. Decorate as you please. I topped the cake with mini chocolate chip cookies and cookie crumbs and piped some simple Wilton 1M buttercream swirls between each cookie (using that buttercream that was set aside before the chocolate chips were added in.) Enjoy!