Chocolate Chip Cookie Mini Cake

Yield: 1 4" cake, two rounds
Temperature: 325℉ and 350℉

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 4 tbsp. salted butter, softened
• 1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 egg yolk (save the white)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

For the cake:

• 6 tbsp. salted butter, softened
• 1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp vanilla (Add another 1/2 tsp. if using gluten free flour)
• 1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. cake flour (or regular flour, or gluten free flour)
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 1/4 c. whole milk
• chopped cookie pieces

For the frosting:

• 3 tbsp. salted butter, softened
• 3 oz. cream cheese
• 1 1/2 c. - 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-3 tsp. milk (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325℉ and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla. Sift in the baking soda and flour and mix to combine.
3. Split the dough into balls, 2-3 tsp. in size. You'll want cookies that are 1-2 inches in diameter. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking tray and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of each cookie are a light golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. While the cookies are in the oven, make the cake.
5. Line two 4" cake pans with parchment paper and set aside. Once the cookies are out of the oven, up the temperature to 350℉.
6. In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until light an fluffy. Beat in the egg whites one at a time and then mix in the vanilla.
7. Without stirring, sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda (still do not stir). Add in the sour cream and milk and then stir until just combined.
8. Take all but three of the cookies and chop them up into chunks. Save the three cookies for the top of the cake. Add half of the chopped cookies and fold them into the cake batter. 
9. Split the batter between the two prepared 4" cake pans. If you forgot to put the oven at 350℉, you should do that now. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center of the cake clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Once the cake is completely cool, make the frosting. In a small mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until the frosting reaches your desired sweetness. Mix in the vanilla. If you'd like, add in 1-3 tsp. of milk.
11. To assemble the cake, start by leveling off each round. After each round is level, gently slice each round horizontally in half. You should have four layers in total.
12. Take one layer of cake and place it on the plate or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top of the layer. Place a second layer of cake on top of the first one and spread with a thin layer of frosting. Repeat the step with the third layer of cake and then top with a fourth layer. Spread frosting smoothly around the sides and top of the cake.
13. Just behind the middle of the top of the cake, insert one of the remaining cookies so that it stands up vertically. Set the two remaining cookies in front of the first cookie so that the edges overlap. Take the remaining crushed cookies and press them around the base of the cake. Sprinkle some of the cookie chunks on the top of the cake. Eat whenever.