Chocolate Chip Cookie Bundt Cake with Creamy Milk Glaze

Batter: 

• 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups (330 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (12 grams) vanilla bean paste
• 2⅔ cups (333 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda
• ⅔ cup (160 grams) crème fraîche, room temperature
• ¼ cup (60 grams) whole milk, room temperature
• 8 ounces (226 grams) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bars, chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about 1⅓ cups)

“Cookie Dough” Filling:

• ⅓ cup (76 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup (110 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon (6 grams) vanilla bean paste
• ½ cup (48 grams) superfine blanched almond flour
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ounces (57 grams) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar, finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)

Creamy Milk Glaze:

• 1¾ cups (210 grams) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) whole milk
• 1½ tablespoons (22.5 grams) crème fraîche
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

 Batter:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed just until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla bean paste.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl, whisk together crème fraîche and milk. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with crème fraîche mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Fold in chocolate.
4. Spray a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Firmly tap pan on a towel-lined counter several times to settle batter and release any air bubbles.
5. Bake for 50 minutes. Rotate pan and loosely cover with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 12 to 18 minutes more. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert pan onto a wire rack; tap rack with pan on counter a few times to help loosen cake. Remove pan, and let cake cool completely on a wire rack.

“Cookie Dough” Filling:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla bean paste.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture all at once; beat at low speed just until combined. Fold in chocolate. Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Creamy Milk Glaze: 

1. In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients until smooth and well combined. Use immediately.

Steps for assembly:

1. On a cutting board, place cooled cake upside down. Using a small knife, cut a 1½-inch-wide trench in bottom of cake, leaving a ¾-inch border around all edges. Using a small spoon, remove top layer (¼ to ½ inch thick) from trench, reserving removed cake pieces; set aside. Repeat until you have a 1¼- to 1½-inch-deep trench, keeping large pieces intact.
2. Spoon “Cookie Dough” Filling into trench, smoothing into an even layer; cover with reserved top layer, trimming pieces to fit and using extra cake pieces to patch any holes, if necessary. Place a serving plate on cake, and turn so cake is right side up.
3. Using a large spoon, drizzle and spread Creamy Milk Glaze on top of cake; garnish with cookies, if desired.

For endless Bundt recipe inspiration, check out bakefromscratch.com.