If you’re looking for a showstopper dessert that’s both fun and comforting, this Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is your new best friend. Whether it’s a birthday, holiday, or just a sweet afternoon treat, this cake combines the buttery charm of sugar cookie dough with fluffy vanilla layers, all wrapped in luscious cream cheese frosting. It’s the kind of treat that brings smiles and feels like a warm hug with every bite.
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Why You’ll Love This Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
I love how this recipe balances all my favorite flavors and textures into one beautifully layered cake. It’s not just a dessert; it’s an experience – from the soft crunch of sugar cookie dough to the delicate crumb of vanilla cake, finished with creamy, tangy frosting.
- Texture you want: Tender vanilla layers meet slightly crisp and colorful sugar cookie dough pieces every time.
- Flavor that pops: The pure vanilla and cream cheese create classic, nostalgic warmth with a modern twist.
- Everyday ingredients: Nothing fancy—just pantry staples you probably already have.
- Works for any night: Special occasions or a cozy night in, this cake fits perfectly.
Ingredient Spotlight
Getting the key ingredients right will elevate your Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe from good to unforgettable. Using quality butter, proper leavening agents, and fresh dairy really makes a difference. Plus, a few smart substitutions can keep things flexible.
- Unsalted butter: Choose it at room temperature for smooth mixing and better flavor control.
- Pure vanilla extract: The real deal adds that deep aromatic warmth you want in both cake and dough.
- Buttermilk: Use fresh or slightly soured milk to add moisture and tender crumb to the vanilla layers.
Seasonality & Sourcing
Most of the ingredients for this Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe are pantry staples, so you can make it year-round. For best results, pick butter and dairy from your local creamery for freshness. Around the holidays, I love adding festive sprinkles to the sugar cookie dough—those little pops of color make any occasion feel even more special without extra effort or cost.
Step-by-Step: How to Make It
Step 1 — Prep & Preheat
Start by preheating your oven—first to 300℉ for toasting the flour for the sugar cookie dough, then later to 350℉ for baking the cake layers. Toasting the flour is a little trick that adds a toasty depth and avoids a raw flour taste, so don’t skip this step. Spread the flour evenly on a baking sheet, watch the clock carefully for about 8 minutes, and make sure it cools fully before mixing. A common mistake is adding warm flour to the dough, which can mess with texture and cause spreading, so patience here pays off.
Step 2 — Cook & Build Flavor
Once the dough is ready, scoop and flatten your discs, then freeze them while you work on the cake batter. This freezedough method helps maintain texture so the cookie bits stay slightly crisp baked inside the soft cake. Preparing the three cake pans is key: greasing, lining with parchment circles, and spraying again ensures easy release and smooth edges. Mix the butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy before adding eggs, sour cream, and dry ingredients. Divide the batter evenly, then nestle five frozen cookie dough discs in each layer—this little surprise inside is what makes the cake magical! Bake for 26 to 32 minutes, using a toothpick test for doneness. If it’s underdone, give it a few more minutes; if overdone, your cake might be a bit dry, so watch closely.
Step 3 — Finish & Rest
After baking, let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes before moving them to a rack. Full cooling is essential before frosting, or the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide off. When assembling, spread a layer of frosting, pipe a border to keep the cookie dough filling contained, then add the frozen cookie dough discs you prepared for the filling. Layer and repeat carefully for clean edges and even layers. After crumb-coating, freeze briefly to lock in crumbs, then apply a smooth final frosting layer. Finish with dough balls and sprinkles for a festive touch. Let your cake rest in the fridge for a bit to let flavors meld beautifully before serving.
Troubleshooting Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
If your cake feels dry, it usually means it was baked a little too long—try shaving a minute or two off the baking time next time. If it turns out bland, don’t hesitate to boost the vanilla extract slightly or add a tiny pinch of salt to the frosting for balance. Too soggy? Make sure the cookie dough discs are well frozen before baking so they don’t release too much moisture. Lastly, if your frosting gets runny, chilling the cream cheese and butter thoroughly before whipping helps maintain structure.
Pro Tips
From my experience, it pays to prepare the cookie dough discs ahead and freeze them to keep their shape inside the cake. Also, don’t rush cooling stages—cream cheese frosting is fickle, and rushing causes it to separate or melt. Using a rubber spatula to fold wet and dry ingredients maintains air and light crumb, which makes a big difference.
- Heat control: Toast flour at a low temp first, then increase for the cake to ensure texture and flavor.
- Timing window: Bake cake layers until just done—don’t rely solely on time but also on toothpick tests.
- Make-ahead move: Fully assemble the cake a day ahead; flavors deepen and frosting firms beautifully overnight.
- Avoid this pitfall: Don’t add warm ingredients to your batter or dough—keep them room temperature or chilled as indicated.
Variations & Substitutions
You can easily customize this Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe to suit your tastes or dietary needs. Swap out jimmies sprinkles for nuts or chocolate chips in the dough for texture changes, or switch the vanilla cake to almond or lemon by changing extracts. For dairy-free versions, use vegan butter and cream cheese alternatives with nut or oat milk. Gluten-free? Substitute the flour blend accordingly, just check the consistency—it might need tweaking with extra moisture or binding agents.
Great Debates
One popular debate when making this Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is whether to use oil or all butter in the cake. Butter adds richness and flavor, while oil keeps the cake moister and tender. I personally use a combination (butter plus some oil) because it delivers both richness and moist texture, but you can stick to one based on your preference. Another discussion is about how much vanilla extract to use—some people go heavy, others light; I say don’t be shy with the vanilla for that nostalgic aroma that truly makes the cake sing.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
This cake keeps wonderfully well. You can store it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days—just make sure it’s wrapped tightly or in an airtight container to lock in moisture. For freezing, it’s best to freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic and foil, then thaw overnight in the fridge. The texture stays surprisingly fresh, and the frosting keeps its creaminess. If freezing the whole assembled cake, freeze uncovered on a tray first until firm, then wrap tightly to avoid sogginess.
Yield & Conversions
This Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe yields one 3-layer 8-inch cake, comfortably serving 12 to 16 people. To double, simply double all ingredients and use two sets of pans or bake in batches. For smaller gatherings, halve the recipe but be mindful that some steps like layering cookie dough discs may be easier with the full recipe. Metric conversions are straightforward: 1 cup flour equals about 120 grams, butter 227 grams per cup, and sugar roughly 200 grams per cup—measure carefully for best results!
Serving Ideas & Pairings
To keep things simple yet elegant, I love serving this cake with a side of fresh berries or a light berry compote that cuts through the richness. A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream also pairs beautifully. For something a little different, a drizzle of caramel or a sprinkle of toasted nuts adds delightful texture contrast. You’ll enjoy how these easy sides elevate your Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe without stealing the spotlight.
FAQs
While this recipe is designed for homemade sugar cookie dough to control texture and flavor, you can use store-bought dough in a pinch. Just make sure to freeze the dough discs well before layering them in the cake to keep their shape and avoid excess spreading.
Store the assembled cake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze portions wrapped tightly; thaw them in the fridge overnight before serving.
Use room temperature butter and cream cheese and sift the powdered sugar before mixing. Beat on high speed for a few minutes until creamy and smooth, scraping the bowl often to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
Absolutely! Adding gel or liquid food coloring can make your frosting vibrant and festive. Just add it a little at a time while mixing until you reach your desired hue.
Notes, Tools & Special Equipment
Make sure to have three 8-inch cake pans ready and lined for best baking results. A serrated knife works best for leveling your cake layers without tearing. Use a stand mixer or handheld mixer for the creamiest frosting and batters. A freezer is essential for chilling the cookie dough discs, which help maintain texture inside the cake layers. Lastly, investing in a good offset spatula makes frosting easier and gives a professional finish.
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Sugar Cookie Cake with Vanilla Layers and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This festive Sugar Cookie Cake combines the best of sugar cookies and vanilla cake layered with luscious cream cheese frosting and decorated with colorful Christmas sprinkles, perfect for holiday celebrations or special occasions.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough
- 2 ¾ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup Milk
- ⅔ cup Christmas sprinkles, jimmies
Vanilla Cake
- 3 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoon Oil, canola or vegetable
- 1 ½ cups White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 4 Large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ 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 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare Sugar Cookie Dough: Preheat oven to 300℉. Spread the flour on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes, then let it cool completely. Add salt to the flour mixture. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla and milk, mixing on medium speed until combined. Add dry ingredients and sprinkles, mixing on low speed just until combined. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and scoop dough into 15 small discs, flattening by hand. Freeze these while you prepare the cake batter. Reserve two ½ cups of dough for the filling and roll the remaining dough into small balls for decoration; freeze until ready to use.
- Prepare Vanilla Cake: Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line bottoms with parchment paper circles. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixer, beat butter, oil, and sugar on high for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla, eggs, and sour cream; mix on medium speed until combined. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk; mix on low speed until just combined, then fold with a spatula. Divide batter evenly among the three pans and place 5 frozen cookie dough discs in each. Bake for 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cakes sit 10 minutes in pans before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting: Sift powdered sugar into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter on high speed for 2 minutes, scrape the bowl, then add cream cheese and beat on high for 1 minute, scraping halfway. Add half the powdered sugar and mix on low, then add the rest and continue mixing. Add vanilla and salt; mix on low until combined, then on high until creamy.
- Assemble the Cake: Level the tops of the cakes by cutting off domes. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate, spread ¾ cup frosting, pipe a border around the edge, then spread the reserved ½ cup cookie dough discs on top. Repeat with the second layer. Place the last layer upside down on top. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake and freeze for 15 minutes. Finish with a final thick layer of frosting. Decorate the top with cookie dough balls and extra sprinkles.
Notes
- Make sure all room temperature ingredients are properly softened to ensure smooth batter and frosting.
- Freezing cookie dough discs helps them maintain shape and texture during cake baking.
- You can substitute canola oil with vegetable oil or another neutral oil.
- To prevent sticking, always grease pans and line with parchment paper.
- Store the cake refrigerated and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
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