From My Kitchen: Birthday Surprises

{Hydrangeas courtesy of husband}

Birthdays around here are celebrated by getting to have all of your favorite foods for the day.

Gabe's birthday had to be postponed this year since it was the same day as my grandpa's funeral:(  So this weekend I got to baking. Wanted to share one of my favorite desserts with you. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, unsalted, softened
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Icing (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Using a hand mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed, about 1 minute.

Add the egg, blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add the dry ingredients and combine on low speed until just a few dry streaks remain.

Add the chocolate chips and hand mix with spatula.

Scrape the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch round cake pan.

Press the batter into a smooth and even layer in the pan. Bake until lightly golden and puffy around the edges (insert knife at center to make sure the middle is done), approx. 20 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.

Cool before turning the cake out of the pan and onto a large plate.

I used a cake deco kit to add icing drops on the top for that birthday cake look and feel. 

Slice and eat that bad boy!

Hope you enjoy!

(recipe adapted from this original recipe)

*Kind of ironic I am posting this on the first day of Lent, as Gabe and I are giving up sweets! Sigh...