Introduction

This Sugar Cookie Cake combines the best of two classic treats: soft vanilla cake layers with pockets of festive sugar cookie dough inside. Topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with colorful jimmies, it’s a delightful holiday dessert that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.

A tall cake with three light yellow sponge layers and two thick creamy frosting layers inside, both filled with red, green, and white sprinkles mixed in. The outside is covered with smooth white frosting that has a slightly ribbed texture on the side. The top layer is decorated with small round cookie dough balls and red, green, and white round sprinkles scattered around them. The cake is sitting on a wooden board with a white marbled texture background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Dough:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup Christmas sprinkles (jimmies)

Vanilla Cake:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tbsp oil (canola or vegetable)
1 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 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 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the sugar cookie dough. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread the flour on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes, then let it cool completely. Add salt to the flour. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then add vanilla and milk and mix on medium speed until combined. Add the dry ingredients and sprinkles, mixing on low speed until just combined.
Step 2: Form the cookie dough discs. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a small cookie scoop to portion the dough and flatten each into a disc. Place 15 discs on the sheet and freeze while preparing the cake batter. Reserve two 1/2 cups of dough for the filling and roll the rest into small balls for decoration; freeze these on parchment-lined plates.
Step 3: Make the vanilla cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with baking spray, line with parchment circles, and spray again. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4: Using a mixer, beat butter, oil, and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then add vanilla, eggs, and sour cream; mix on medium speed until combined. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing on low speed just until combined. Use a spatula to finish mixing gently.
Step 5: Divide the batter evenly into the three cake pans. Place 5 frozen cookie dough discs on top of the batter in each pan. Bake for 26-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cakes sit in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Prepare the cream cheese frosting. Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter on high speed for 2 minutes, then add cream cheese and beat for 1 minute, scraping the bowl halfway through. Add half the powdered sugar and mix on low speed, then add the rest. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt, mix on low until combined, then beat on high until creamy.
Step 7: Assemble the cake. Level the cake layers by cutting off the domes with a serrated knife. Place the first layer on a serving plate, spread 3/4 cup frosting over it, and pipe a border of frosting around the edge. Spread 1/2 cup cookie dough inside the border using small discs. Repeat with the second layer. Place the last cake layer upside down.
Step 8: Apply a crumb coat by frosting the entire cake lightly. Freeze for 15 minutes. Then frost the rest of the cake evenly. Decorate the top with the frozen cookie dough balls and extra sprinkles as desired.

Tips & Variations

Spoon and level your flour or use a kitchen scale to avoid a dry cake caused by compacted flour.
For high-altitude baking, add 2 extra tablespoons of flour to the cake batter only; no change for the cookie dough.
Make sure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature before baking for better texture.
Try freezing the cookie dough discs in layers between parchment paper for easy storage and use.
For a fun twist, add chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the cookie dough.

Storage

Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture. Leftover unfrosted cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat cake slices gently in the microwave if needed.

How to Serve

The image shows a tall, two-layer yellow cake with white cream frosting inside and outside. Each layer of the cake has spots of red and green sprinkles mixed into the cream, adding colorful texture. The outside frosting is smooth with small ridges running vertically around the cake. On top, there are many small white balls decorated with red and green sprinkles, placed all over the surface. The cake is set on a wooden board with a white marbled background behind it. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?

Yes, you can bake the batter and cookie dough into cupcakes. Place one or two cookie dough discs into each cupcake liner filled halfway with batter, then bake as usual, adjusting baking time to about 18-22 minutes.

Can this recipe be made as a bundt cake?

While the recipe is designed for layered cakes, you can try baking it in a 12-cup bundt pan. Layer the batter and cookie dough discs in sections, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Keep an eye on baking time as it may vary.