Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Dough Brownie Cake

Line the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

For the brownies:
Mix together oil, sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs and mix until well combined.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to egg mixture until well combined.

Pour the batter evenly into the pans and spread evenly. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to cool on wire rack.

While brownies cool, make cookie dough.

For the cookie dough:
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. Mix in vanilla extract. With mixer on low speed, add entire box of dry cake mix, plus 1 1/2 cups from a second box
of cake mix. Mix until combined.

Add 1 cup flour and mix until combined. Add milk and up to an additional 1/3 cup flour until preferred cookie dough consistency. Stir in sprinkles and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick. Set aside.

For the chocolate ganache:
Place half of chocolate chips in a metal bowl. Microwave half of the heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap for 5–7 minutes.

Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth. You will use this batch of ganache first, then repeat the process to make the second batch of ganache with the remaining ingredients later.

To assemble the cake:
Once brownies are cool, it’s time to put the layers together. You can pile the cookie dough onto
the brownies, stack the layers and leave messy layers, or use the method I used for having clean
edges/sides of the cake.

Using one of the same 8-inch cake pans that you baked the brownies in, put parchment paper or plastic wrap in the bottom and up the sides of the pan. You will use it to lift the layers out of the pan.

Place the first brownie into the bottom of the pan. Add about 3 tablespoons chocolate ganache on top of the brownie and spread in a thin layer. This will help the cookie dough stick to the brownie.

Put half of the cookie dough into the pan and spread evenly on top of the brownie. Remove the first two layers from the cake pan and place on a serving dish.

Repeat steps with the second brownie and remaining cookie dough. Then remove from pan.

Put another 3 tablespoons chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer from the first section of cake and spread thinly. Place the second section of cake onto the first. Put another 3 tablespoons of chocolate ganache on top of the cookie dough layer on top (the fourth layer) and spread thinly.

Top with remaining brownie. Press sprinkles into sides of cookie dough, if desired.

At this time, prepare the second batch of chocolate ganache. Allow to sit for a few minutes until it just starts to thicken, then pour over the top of the cake.

Place cake in refrigerator and make the chocolate icing.

For the icing:
Beat shortening and butter together until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and cocoa and mix until smooth. Add water or milk and mix until smooth.

Remove cake from fridge, and pipe icing onto the top edge of the cake. Top with sprinkles.