Chocolate Therapy Cake

Today I’m joining a talented group of ladies to help celebrate the fantastic flavors of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream! This theme week is the brain child of Kristan and Shelly (they have the best ideas!) and they asked Peabody, Julie and I to pick out our favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavors and recreate them in a dessert.

Years ago I had Chocolate Therapy ice cream at the Ben and Jerry’s inside the Opryland hotel. It’s a mixture of chocolate ice cream swirled with chocolate pudding and it’s studded with chocolate cookies. Love at first bite. Even though I’m a Karamel Sutra girl through and through, I ultimately decided on this flavor because I can no longer find it in my area (boo-hoo!). I really hoped to capture this trifecta of chocolate in a dessert – but which one? I mused on brownies,trifles and mini tarts but none seemed just right. My motto has always been, “when in doubt bake a cake.” So that’s what I did!

I started with my favorite chocolate cake as a base, then added two cups of chopped fudge-dipped cookies to the batter. Boy, does this ever give the cake an amazing texture! In the baked cake, the cookies are soft, and the chocolate coating becomes melty and creates little pockets of fudge in the layers. I spent a good bit of time perfecting the chocolate pudding buttercream, too. It’s so decadent and it does a good job keeping the cake moist.

I really wanted to give this recipe a name that would explain the components. Chocolate pudding cookie cake? Triple chocolate fudge-dipped cookie pudding cake?  I tried everything, but there’s just no better way to say it than “Chocolate Therapy” because that’s what it feels like when you eat it.

My friends have been busy this week creating all kinds of Ben and Jerry’s-inspired desserts! Be sure to check them out!

What a Cluster Bars
Cherry Garcia Cake
Phish Food Pie
Karamel Sutra Cupcakes
Everything But The…Cake
Everything But The…(kitchen sink) Brownies

Chocolate Therapy Cake

[click for printable version]

Source: Sprinkle Bakes original; flavors inspired by Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy ice cream

Yield: 12-14 servings, one 9-inch triple layer cake

Prep: 1 hour, total time 2 hours 30 minutes

It’s
especially important to line the pans with circles of parchment because the
fudge coating on the cookies will melt as it bakes. This creates pockets of
chocolate in the cake, and those near the bottom of the pan could stick if left
unlined.

Cake Layers

3 ounces
fine-quality semisweet chocolate 

1 1/2 cups hot
brewed coffee or hot water

2 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups
unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

2 teaspoons baking
soda

3/4 teaspoon
baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons
salt

3 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable
oil

1 1/2 cups full
fat sour cream

3/4 teaspoon
vanilla

2 cups (about 6 oz.) chocolate-dipped cookies such as Keebler Fudge Stripe,
roughly chopped

Chocolate pudding buttercream

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup hot (almost boiling) water

4 oz. semisweet chocolate

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably dark), sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

3/4 cup chocolate sprinkles

14 chocolate-dipped cookies such as Keebler Fudge Stripe

  1. Preheat oven to
    300°F.  Grease three 9-inch round pans with shortening. Line bottoms with rounds of parchment
    paper and grease paper.
  2. Finely chop
    chocolate combine it in a bowl with hot coffee or hot water. Let mixture
    stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
  3. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large
    bowl. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened
    slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes
    with a hand-held mixer). Add oil, sour cream, vanilla, and melted
    chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add flour mixture and
    beat on medium speed until just combined. Fold in chopped cookie pieces with a
    rubber spatula. Divide batter between 3- 9” pans and bake in middle of oven
    until cake springs back when pressed in the center, approximately 40-50 minutes.
  4. Cool layers in pans for 15 minutes on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert
    layers onto wire racks. Carefully remove parchment paper and cool layers completely.
    Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at
    room temperature.
  5. For the frosting, whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate and hot water, let stand a moment, then whisk until chocolate is melted. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk constantly until mixture boils. 
  6. Let cook until thickened to a pudding-like consistency. Remove pan from heat and transfer pudding to a metal bowl. Place metal bowl in a larger bowl filled 1/3 full with ice water. Beat pudding on high speed with a hand mixer until cooled. 
  7. Beat in butter,  cocoa and confectioners’ sugar. Add in salt and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until fluffy.
  8. To assemble, place a cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter; cover top evenly with about 1/3 cup of frosting. Stack on another cake layer and top with another 1/3 cup frosting. Stack last layer on top. Transfer about 1/3 cup of frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip; set aside. Coat entire cake with the remaining icing. Set the frosted cake (still on the cake stand) in a clean, dry, empty kitchen sink and toss sprinkles onto the sides of the cake. Brush away excess sprinkles around the bottom of the cake with a dry pastry brush. Using the reserved piping bag of frosting, pipe small stars around the top edge of the cake. Place whole cookies standing upright into the top edge of the cake between piped stars. Sprinkle top with additional chocolate sprinkles, if desired.
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Natalie
Natalie
10 years ago

Gorgeous cake!

Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
10 years ago

Oh man, this is madness, but a good madness! : )

Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
10 years ago

Just what the doctor ordered! A splendid cake.

Cheers,

Rosa

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
10 years ago

This looks like a dream! What a fun project to be a part of 🙂

Lauren at Keep It Sweet
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
10 years ago

The next time I have a chocolate craving (um, always) I need this cake.

Leah | So, How's It Taste?
Leah | So, How's It Taste?
10 years ago

Oh Chocolate Therapy is one of my favorite B&J flavors! I love this cake! How did I not know you're a fellow TN girl and a big Elephant Sanctuary supporter?!

Tieghan
Tieghan
10 years ago

Holy crap I want a slice!! That looks amazing!

Monica
Monica
10 years ago

Oh, oh, oh…I LOVE Chocolate Therapy and Kleeber cookies and chocolate cake in general! This is so calling my name and I am salivating at your description of the cake texture with the cookies in it! This cake reminds me of Brooklyn Blackout cake but only better! It's so creative and beautiful with the sprinkles and cookies on top! Well done!

Cookbook Queen
Cookbook Queen
10 years ago

This cake is beyond. BEYOND!! So fabulous and the frosting looks unreal. Love it!!

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

I am in dark chocolate heaven right now. I need to use up my dark chocolate before it goes off, so this cake is perfect for this.

Miss Messy
Miss Messy
10 years ago

Looks absolutely stunning! Wow oh wow!

Jenn @ Once Upon a Tier
Jenn @ Once Upon a Tier
10 years ago

Oh, this is just what I needed, Heather! Chocolate therapy…the cake looks amazing. Wonderful job as always.

Heather @ Snookie's Cakes
Heather @ Snookie's Cakes
10 years ago

That looks amazing!

Creative Raisins
Creative Raisins
10 years ago

Oh my gosh tha looks so stinkin good.

Lisa

Creative Raisins

Erika
Erika
10 years ago

I'm dying.. That cake is everything a cake should be.

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

Wow…Ben & Jerry's in cake form?! Sounds seriously amazing.

Erin
Erin
10 years ago

Definitely not the ice cream/cake for me, but I know a lot of people that would lose their minds over this cake. it certainly looks impressive!

Tracy {Pale Yellow}
Tracy {Pale Yellow}
10 years ago

This looks amazing! I need some chocolate therapy ASAP.

[eeny]
[eeny]
10 years ago

mmmmhh yummmm. chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. this just has to be THE perfect cake.

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

I love this week!!

Natalie@ http://www.secretsofahappygirl.blogspot.co.uk

Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen
10 years ago

The pudding chocolate frosting sound amazing. The cake part doesn't sound to shabby either. It's probably one of those cakes I tell everyone else that it's horrible and they wont like it- so I can sit in the corner and eat it all!! LOL

Linda Vandermeer McCubbin
Linda Vandermeer McCubbin
10 years ago

Yum, I don't mind indulging in a bit of Chocolate Therapy myself 🙂 I'm a bit of a Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz type of girl myself.

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

This looks so delicious. Like really! I want to dig into the cake and then swim in a pool of the frosting. And I love the fudge stripe cookies! That chocolate coating on the bottoms of those cookies are one of the best things ever! I will be saving this recipe and making it sometime in the near future 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

Oh my! You are killing me! I need a piece of this cake right now! 😀

bitsybet
bitsybet
10 years ago

When I saw this the first thing that came to my mind was OMG! After reading the ingredients, it was another OMG! This is on my list to try. I have a family full of chocoholics, and they will go nuts for this.

Peabody (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Peabody (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
10 years ago

It's so LOVELY and amazing looking! If only you lived closer to me I would wear you down to make my wedding cake (I just want a small one)! 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

love it mmmmmmm I need to make it

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

love it

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

You completely outdid yourself with this cake! It looks absolutely amazing. And as a chocolate lover, I really appreciate all of the lengths you went to — cookies in the cake batter? With melted fudgy pockets? Beyond brilliant!!

My family owns a Ben & Jerry's ice cream cookbook, and we always use one of their standard vanilla recipes for the 4th of July. I'm not sure if the book includes the recipe for Chocolate Therapy, but I'll have to check!

Kristie
Kristie
10 years ago

Your cake looks devine!! I am a chocoholic and this is right up my alley.

Asmita
Asmita
10 years ago

Beautiful! So decadent.

the baking cup - carolina
the baking cup - carolina
10 years ago

I love the addition of sour cream and cookies for extra moisture. It looks so decadent!

Jen @ Jens Favorite Cookies
Jen @ Jens Favorite Cookies
10 years ago

Drool…. I'm SO glad this is the flavor you chose to run with. I might need this cake in my life this week!

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

What kind of cocoa powder did you use for this?

Laurel y Menta
Laurel y Menta
10 years ago

Ohh precioso, con unas fotografías muy bonitas, gracias

besos

Paos
Paos
10 years ago

Amazing!
It´s always nice to create something and more with excellent products 😉 yummi!!

Congrats!
Paola

http://papcakes.blogspot.com/

Angelika Szostak
Angelika Szostak
10 years ago

I love it;)

nessa
nessa
10 years ago

You're killing me with all that chocolate!

Pipelette
Pipelette
10 years ago

Oh my god! I had the Chocolate Therapy flavour once but then couldn't find it in any of the shops near me again. I'm in the UK so I think some flavours aren't as widely available here. Will definately be making this cake, the only problem will be finding a suitable substitute for the cookies – I think I will have to do a lot of sampling to find the right kind…oh well!

I love the blog (and the book) thanks for all the wonderful recipes 🙂

Brenda @ SweetSimpleStuff
Brenda @ SweetSimpleStuff
10 years ago

I believe that I need a therapy session 😉 This is my kind of cake!

El Cajón de las Especias
El Cajón de las Especias
10 years ago

Chocolate therapy is sometimes really necessary … hehe

We love the look of the cake. Congrats!

'Spicy' Greetings

ashley - baker by nature
ashley - baker by nature
10 years ago

I need to book a chocolate therapy session ASAP.

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

This cake may be less about providing therapy as putting me into therapy when I am not eating it. I'd like to eat my screen now, tyvm! I can't wait to try this.

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

If this is therapy … I need lots of it

Erin @ Brownie Bites
Erin @ Brownie Bites
10 years ago

Totally gorgeous as always, Heather! By the way, thank you so much for the Panache mention a while back.. I totally thought I'd commented to thank you but I guess I just made that up in my head. 🙂

Sue
Sue
10 years ago

Chocolate Therapy? Perfect name!

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

Does this need to be refrigerated after it is iced?

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

I've never heard of the ice cream flavor (I know, right?!) but this cake looked to good not to try. I'm bringing it in to work today for one of my co-worker's birthdays. It looks scrumptious! Although, I couldn't stand my cookies up like that and still fit it in any kind of cake carrier. This is a tall sucker! Where did you get that beautiful cake stand?

JulieD
JulieD
10 years ago

It's so beautiful, Heather!! Loved participating in this week with you guys! 🙂

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

These are amazing, I have yet to frost them and I can't stop eating them! Thanks so much for sharing!