Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
For the topping (optional):
- Whipped cream
- 11 strawberries, hulled
Directions:
Be sure an adult is nearby to help.
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with butter. Sprinkle some flour in the pan and shake and tilt the pan to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Turn the pan upside down and tap out the extra flour.
Make the dough
In a small bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes, Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until blended.
Turn off the mixer and add the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended. Using the wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips.
Fill the pan and bake the cake
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with the rubber spatula. Put the pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it, about 30 minutes.
Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Run a table knife around the edge to loosen the cake.
Decorate the cake
Place a plate upside down on top of the cake. Turn the cake and the plate right side up and lift off the pan.
Using a large spoon, mound the whipped cream on top of the cake and spread evenly. Place 10 strawberries around the rim and 1 in the center. Serves 10.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kids Baking, by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Oxmoor House, 2003).