Layers of red velvet cookies make up the cake layers in this pretty cookie cake. The cookies have the perfect cookie texture and a bright red hue.
Each “cake” layer is held together by a decadent white chocolate coconut buttercream that is to die for. This cake is visually stunning and tastes spectacular!
When the holidays roll around we spend a lot of time thinking about cookies. Everyone loves Christmas cookies (especially Santa) but there is something to be said for baking and serving a special occasion, show-stopping dessert.
This red velvet cookie cake (based on my chocolate chip cookie cake) is a great way to have your cookies and your cake all in one dessert.
The cake layers are made up of chewy cookies that hold up to the white chocolate buttercream.
The trick to baking these cookie layers is to make sure you don’t over mix your batter and that you don’t over bake your cookies!
What Is Needed To Make This Red Velvet Cookie Cake
Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, baking soda, salt
Cocoa Powder – Natural cocoa powder is best for any red velvet dessert. The natural acidity works with the baking powder to create a tender cookie and it also helps you achieve the perfect red velvet hue.
Butter – Always make sure you use softened butter. I prefer to use unsalted butter in my baking.
Brown Sugar – I prefer to use light brown sugar.
Eggs -For this recipe, you will need whole eggs and egg yolks. The extra yolks add moisture which helps your cookies stay nice and moist.
Vinegar – The vinegar adds a little acidity which helps balance out the sweetness of the cookies.
Food Coloring– You will use a whole 1 oz bottle of red food coloring. I used the liquid variety. If you prefer, you can use gel food coloring for a more vibrant coloring.
Shortening – I like using a combination of butter and shortening for my buttercream. I like how the shortening cuts the rich taste of the butter and it helps stabilize the buttercream.
White Chocolate – Use a good, quality chocolate baking bar. I prefer Ghirardelli.
Coconut Extract
Powdered Sugar
Shredded Coconut
Parchment Paper – This will be used to line your baking sheets. Using parchment makes short work of releasing your cookies from the pans. Don’t skip this step!
4 9 inch Cake Pans
How To Make Red Velvet Cookie Cake
To start this recipe, beat your softened butter until creamy.
As I mentioned, I like to use the unsalted butter for most of my baked goods so that I can keep my sodium in check, however, I sometimes like to use salted butter for my frostings so that the sodium can balance out the sweetness.
I cream butter and sugars together with my paddle attachments (I used both brown sugar and granulated sugar for this recipe) until creamy then slowly beat in 2 whole eggs. Egg yolks, vinegar, and vanilla follow close behind.
I blend in all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients (much like any cookie base) and fold in my cocoa powder.
Blend in your food coloring. If you are using the bottled variety, your red will be a deeper color, closer to burgundy. If you are seeking a bright, cherry red color, then you may want to use a gel coloring.
To line your cake pans, place cake pans on a sheet of parchment paper and trace the pan with a pencil. Remove the pan and cut out the circle,
Spray each pan with non-stick spray. Place the parchment circles in the bottom of each pan, and spray the paper.
Divide the batter between each pan.
The cookie layers will take about 20-25 minutes. If your oven is like mine, it has uneven hot spots. You may want to rotate the pans halfway during the bake time.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pans but on a baking rack for 10 minutes before removing them from the pans to cool completely.
How To Frost This Red Velvet Cookie Cake
I chose to make a white chocolate coconut buttercream, although you can easlily omit one or both of those flavors.
To start, melt your white chocolate until smooth and creamy. Allow it to cool while you cream together the butter and the shortening.
Slowly add the white chocolate to the butter mixture. Slowly blend in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
Blend in coconut extract and add milk, cream or even water if your buttercream has not reached a spreadable consistency.
Place on the cookie layer on your serving plate. Top with about a cup of frosting. Repeat the remaining cookie layers.
Top the cake with the remaining frosting and sprinkle shredded coconut on top.
Can You Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake?
Yes, you can. To freeze your cookie layers, allowing each layer to cool completely then wrap each one in plastic wrap. When needed, allow each layer to thaw completely before frosting.
How Do I Store Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake?
I would keep this cake covered as the cookie layers can dry out easily. As with most cakes, this recipe is best when consumed the same day. However, that isn’t always possible.
Be sure to keep this cake covered as the cookies can dry out. The cake can be left on the counter or refrigerated, although keep in mind that the frosting is made with dairy which may stay fresh longer if refrigerated. The cookies will naturally become a little harder when refrigerated.
Cookie Cake Tips:
- Make sure your cocoa powder is an alkaline or Dutch-process cocoa powder as it has the best acidity for this recipe.
- Adding more liquid food coloring will only deepen the red. If you want that bright color use a gel-based food coloring.
- Add chocolate chips to the batter if desired.
- Do not over mix the matter; the cookies will be too dense.
- Take care not to over bake the cookies.
- You can omit the coconut from the buttercream if desired.
- The cake should be stored covered.
This red velvet cake looks impressive, is easy and festive! Here are few more red velvet treats:
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Muffins
Red Velvet Cookie Cake
Layers of red velvet cookies make up the cake layers in this pretty cookie cake. The cookies have the perfect cookie texture and a bright red hue.
Each “cake” layer is held together by a decadent white chocolate coconut buttercream that is to die for. This cake is visually stunning and tastes spectacular!
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ cups softened butter, unsalted
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 (1 oz) bottle red food coloring
- For the buttercream:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup shortening
- 8 oz melted white chocolate
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup shredded coconut + more for garnish
- milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray 4 8-inch baking pans with non-stick spray.
- Line each baking pan with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper; set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the eggs until combined, followed by the egg yolks.
- Mix in the vinegar and the vanilla.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients just until combined (do not over mix the dough).
- Beat in the food coloring.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans, pressing the dough to fit using floured or wet fingers.
- Bake the layers for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown (rotate the pans halfway to ensure even baking). Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10-12 minutes before turning them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- While layers cool, prepare the frosting
- Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth and creamy; cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and shortening together until very creamy. Blend in the melted chocolate.
- Beat in powdered sugar, one cup at a time until incorporated adding milk or heavy cream as needed to achieve a spreadable consistency. Fold in 1 cup shredded coconut.
- Beat in the extracts.
- To assemble, place one cake layer top side up on a cake stand or serving plate. Arrange two remaining cake layers side by side and divide frosting between the three layers, leaving enough frosting to pipe on the top layer. Carefully stack cake layers.
- Place the remaining frosting on the top layer and garnish with remaining shredded coconut.
Becky Hardin says
These are our all time favorite Christmas cookie! So good and so easy to make.