Can't decide whether to have cake or cookies? Well, have both! These bars marry a dense, fudgy chocolate cake and a chewy chocolate chip cookie layer to create the best of both worlds!
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour
Ingredients
For the cookie base:
12-15homemade or store bought chocolate chip cookies;enough to make 2 and 1/2 cups crumbs (they're better if they're a few days old!)
For the cake layer:
1cupplain flour
1/2cupgood quality cocoa powder
2tspbaking powder
1stick (113g) unsalted butter,at room temp
1cuplight brown sugar
2eggs
1tspvanilla extract
3/4cupmilk,I used skim
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease and line an 8x8 square baking tin.
Place the cookies into a mini food chopper and blitz until you have crumbs.
Tip the cookie crumbs into the greased tin and smooth until level with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes until ever so slightly browned on the edges and puffy.
Leave to cool whilst you make the cake layer. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together in a small bowl, leave to one side.
Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 mins on med-high speed.
Add in the eggs and vanilla, scraping the sides when necessary, then mix until well incorporated, 1-2 mins on med-high speed.
Add in the flour mix and mix on low until just incorporated, then add in the milk and mix until well incorporated and smooth.
Pour the batter on top of the cooled cookie base and smooth with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Place in the oven for 25-30 mins, then turn the oven down to 160C/325F and bake for a further 10-15 mins. In the final 10-15 minutes keep checking to make sure the cake doesn't burn. If the edges are getting a bit brown, cover them with foil. Cake is done when an inserted skewer in the centre comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin completely, before removing and slicing into 9-12 bars.
Cake bars will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3 days.