Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough
- 2 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups 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 cups 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
- Prepare Sugar Cookie Dough: Preheat the oven to 300℉. Spread the flour on a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes, then cool completely. Add salt to the flour. In a mixer, beat butter and sugar on high for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla and milk, mixing on medium speed until combined. Incorporate the dry ingredients and sprinkles on low until just combined. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, scoop dough into small discs, flatten by hand, place 15 discs on sheet, and freeze while preparing cake batter. Set aside two half-cups of dough for filling, and roll remaining dough into small balls for decoration; freeze these as well.
- Prepare Vanilla Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, line bottoms with parchment paper, spray again. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In mixer, beat butter, oil, and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla, eggs, and sour cream, mixing on medium until combined. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold gently with spatula. Divide batter evenly into the pans and place 5 frozen cookie dough discs per layer. Bake 26-32 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Let cakes rest in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
- Make Cream Cheese Frosting: Sift powdered sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter on high for 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, beat on high for 1 minute, scraping bowl halfway through. Gradually add powdered sugar in two parts on low speed, then add vanilla and salt, mixing on low then increasing to high speed until creamy.
- Assemble the Cake: Trim domes off cake layers with serrated knife. Place first layer bottom side down, spread 3/4 cup frosting. Pipe a border around edges, then spread 1/2 cup reserved cookie dough shaped into small discs inside the border. Repeat with second layer. Place last layer upside down on top. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting, freeze for 15 minutes. Finish by frosting entire cake evenly. Decorate with frozen cookie dough balls and extra sprinkles on top.
Notes
- Use spooned and leveled flour or a kitchen scale to prevent compacted flour, which can dry out the cake.
- Make sure all dairy ingredients are at room temperature for best mixing results.
- Freezing the cookie dough before baking helps maintain its shape when baked inside the cake layers.
- Allow cake layers to cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- For extra festive flair, use seasonal sprinkles or colored sugar matching your event.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
