This easy to make frosted sugar cookie cake is a favorite amongst children and adults alike. A melt-in-your-mouth cake recipe for every occasion including Valentine’s Day, birthdays and holidays.
Every time I make this frosted sugar cookie cake, someone asks for the recipe. It’s thick, melt-in-your-mouth decadent texture combined with the best buttercream frosting is irresistible. I dare you to try to eat just.one.square.
In fact, I can’t make this frosted sugar cookie cake to bring somewhere without making one for home as well. The girls (and Chris) cheer with joy, and I can’t help but indulge on a few bites as well.
Originally published February 2019, updated with additional tips January 2021.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Easy Recipe
- No decorating skills required
- Crowd pleaser
- Quick and easy
- Beautiful, without the effort!
You just need some pantry basics to make this amazing cake recipe!
Frosted Sugar Cookie Cake Ingredients
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, your choice.
- Vegetable Oil – In combination with butter, it gives this cake a melt in your mouth texture you just can’t resist.
- Sugar – White granulated sugara.
- Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar, it makes this cake melt-in-your-mouth. Don’t have any? No problem! Simply put granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse until light and fluffy.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds a hint of flavor.
- Flour – All purpose, no need to sift.
- Salt – Brings out all the other flavors in baking
- Cream of Tartar
- Baking Soda – The leavening agent.
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand.
How To Make A Frosted Sugar Cookie Cake
It’s so quick and easy to make this celebration cake!
- Prep – Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease baking dish.
- Combine Wet Ingredients and Sugars – Combine butter, oil, sugars and vanilla until smooth. Blend in eggs.
- Add Dry Ingredients – Add flour, salt, cream of tarter and baking soda until blended in.
- Bake – Press dough into a greased pan. Bake 20 minutes*.
- Make Frosting – Combine butter, powdered sugar and milk until smooth.
- Frost Cake – Spread over cooled sugar cookie cake.
Pans to Bake In
You can make this cake in just about any baking dish – a couple pretty pie dishes, a sheet pan, pizza pan, tart pan, brownie pan or even Pyrex. J
ust reduce baking time for thinner cakes and remember my secret to a really great cookie cake – always under bake. Under baking gives it that melt-in-your-mouth chewy texture that makes it memorable.
I’ve received so many requests for this heart shaped tart dish, and I’m so thrilled to share that it’s finally available again. You can get this darling heart pie dish here though and half the recipe. Of course you can use any pizza, cake or casserole dish as well.
Cookie cakes are so delicious, kids and adults alike always enjoy them! I love them because they’re quick, easy, foolproof and look beautiful without any effort.
Decorating Ideas
Feel free to decorate this cake however you like! For me, a few sprinkles and a pretty dish make this cake beautiful in all it’s imperfections (I’ve never excelled at frosting) and candles ready for birthday celebrations. But you can easily adapt the cake with colored icing and whatever add ons fit your celebrations!
Tips
- Bake time will vary depending on the pan you use. Reduce baking time for thinner cookie cakes checking in at 15 minutes and increase for thicker cakes if you want them more done.
- Let the cake completely cool before adding the frosting to prevent it from melting off.
How to Store
- Room Temperature – Store covered or in an airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature.
- Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Freeze – Freeze without frosting wrapped with plastic wrap and in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and frost.
If you think this cake is fun, you’ll also love my easy Donut Cake! Or check out my incredible cookie butter cake for a dessert that is a surefire success at your next gathering!
Frosted Sugar Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 4½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 5 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream can substitute half and half, whole, 2% or skim
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease baking dish or pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugars and vanilla until smooth. Blend in eggs.
- Gradually add flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda until well incorporated.
- Press dough into a greased pan.
- Bake 20 minutes*. Allow to cool.
Frosting
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar and milk until smooth.
- Spread frosting over completely cooled cookie cake.
Notes
Substitutions and Variations
Butter – Omit salt in the recipe if using salted butter. Extract – Use your favorite! Almond extract also offers great flavor! Orange or lemon also taste amazing! Cream – Heavy cream creates a luxurious consistency, but you can use half and half or milk if needed. Sprinkles – You can add your favorite sprinkles to top the frosting and in the cookie base to mix this cake up for birthdays, holidays and more!Tips
Baking time will vary depending on the pan you use. Reduce baking time for thinner cookie cakes checking in at 15 minutes and increase for thicker cakes if you want them more done.How to Store
- At Room Temperature – Store covered or in an airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature.
- Refrigerate – Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Freeze – Freeze without frosting wrapped with plastic wrap and in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature and frost.
Hi, would I bake according to the recipe for a 10 in round cookie pan?
yes
Julie, I have my cake in the oven in a heart shaped Wilton pan. Do you remove your cookie cake from the pan before frosting? It went together easy following your directions. Thank you!!!
You can, but I often keep it in the dish for simplicity.
What size pan is used?
I used a tart dish, but you can use a cookie sheet or two pie dishes as well and just adjust bake time. Enjoy!
Just made this tonight for my daughter’s 3rd birthday. It was so delicious! My family loves cookies and this was perfect. Everyone loved it. Julie has the best recipes.
Thanks for sharing! So glad you enjoyed it. Hope you had a fun celebration!
going to try a couple of recipes today.
My 2 favorite things combined into one great recipe! Can’t wait to give this one a try!!
I heart frosted sugar cookies! These look so good.
This is so pretty and so perfect for a celebratory occasion!
My daughter doesn’t love traditional cake, so she would love this for her birthday, especially with all those sprinkles on top!
what size of pan did you use i will making this for a birthday thank you
What size of pan did you use for this recipe thank you
Love this sugar cookie recipe! The cookies were super soft and the frosting was AH-MAZ-ING!!!
I love celebrating with this sweet sugar cookie cake! You can never go wrong with sprinkles!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted for everything – you can use either though to your preference.
This looks & sounds amazing! I might have to make one for my daughter’s birthday in March?
Why wait? We make cake to celebrate Saturday’s ?. Hope you have a beautiful weekend!
I’m drooling!!!!! I think I’m gonna have to do this for Valentine’s Day!