Chocolate chip cookie cake + classics, destroyed or revamped

One of my all time favorite songs is New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle”; my reaction to Frente!’s version for the song was sort of like “Stop! Stop! You’re ruining a classic!” – as much as I hate to admit it I can be pretty conservative sometimes. If you’re going to revamp with a classic, do it right, ok? Go ask Fine Young Cannibals for advice or something. :)

Unlike Frente!, Flo Braker has taken a classic to a whole new – and wonderful – level: chocolate chip cookies in cake form. Delicious, easy and very fast to put together and it yields a lot: great for sharing.

Chocolate chip cookie cake
from the beautiful and delicious Baking for All Occasions

2 cups + 2 tablespoons (300g) all purpose flour
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (131g) packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (115g) pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 32x22cm (13x9in)* baking pan, line it with foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides; butter the foil as well.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugars, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and, using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Add the butter and continue to mix on low just until small, moist crumbs form – they will look similar to streusel – about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until the mixture begins to form a cohesive dough. Increase the speed to medium just as you add the chocolate chips and nuts and beat just until they are incorporated into the dough, 20-30 seconds.
Spoon dollops of the thick dough onto the prepared pan, then spread with a rubber spatula. Place a large piece of plastic wrap over the dough and, using your hands, distribute it evenly onto the pan.
Bake until the cake is golden brown and feels more solid than soft when pressed in the center, 37-40 minutes – be careful not to overbake; it will firm as it cools.
Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack.
Very gently, using the foil overhangs as an aid, loosen up the cake from the sides of the pan. Invert it onto the wire rack, peel off the foil, then invert in again onto a cutting board. Cut into slices or squares to serve.

*I made the exact recipe above using a 20x30cm (8x12in) baking pan

Makes 18 to 42 servings, depending on the size – I got 32 sticks