Vegan Beet Velvet Ganache Cookie Cake

These huge chocolate chunk cookies are stacked between luscious beet velvet cacao buttercream, smothered in dark chocolate ganache, and topped with candied shredded beets. It's literally the ultimate way to eat a cookie! 

Can you tell these cake layers are actually giant Chocolypse vegan cookies?? hehe! You better take cover!

So glad I used Chocolypse All-in-One cookie mixes to cut the prep time because it took 4 test sessions to perfect this recipe. It's not easy baking cookie dough in cake pans! Since the cookies continue to bake in there, you gotta take those babies out of the pans as soon as possible. 

So worth the extra step though. The texture & flavor is a slice of chocolate heaven!

 Happy Baking!

Ingredients

Makes one 6-inch 3-layered Cookie Cake

Cookie Cake
1- Chocolypse! Salted Choco-Cyclone Cookie Mix (V)
3 TABLESPOONS- Filtered water

Beet Velvet Cacao Buttercream
1 CUP (2 sticks)- Plant butter (I used Trader Joe's Vegan Buttery Spread) 
1 1/2 CUPS - Powdered Sugar (All organic brands are vegan)
1/2 CUP- Cacao or Cocoa Powder
2 TABLESPOONS- Beet Juice
1 TABLESPOON- Plant milk
2 TEASPOONS- Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Ganache
4 OZ- Dark or Semi-sweet Chocolate (chopped)
1/4 CUP- Filtered Water

Candied shredded beets and chopped chocolate as garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Place 2 sticks of plant butter on the counter to soften. Take out the two pouches from the Chocolypse! cookie mix packaging (save the Sea Salt "Sprinkles" for another delicious use) and find the one labeled #1 (Almond butter mix). If contents feel hard, run under hot water for about a minute or until contents feel smooth.
2. Empty this pouch into a mixing bowl. You will need to get as much as possible out, so a flexible spatula or butter knife will work well here. Don't worry, the extra work will be worth it in the end!
3. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water and whisk until slightly thickened. About 30 seconds.
4. Stir in Pouch #2 (flour mix) with a flexible spatula or mixing spoon until there are no white flour streaks visible. I know it's fun, but try not to over mix! :)
5. Evenly distribute dough in three 6-inch non-stick cake pans. (A digital scale is handy here, each should weigh about 5.6oz.) Press dough so it covers the bottom of the pans entirely and place on the oven's center rack. 
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cookies are golden, but still soft in the center.
7. Let cookies cool in pan for 1 minute. Slide a butter knife around the edges of the cookie and turn over on cooling rack. Cool completely before assembling the cake.
8. For the buttercream: place softened butter in mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the butter until fluffy. Add the rest of the buttercream ingredients and continue to beat in mixer until evenly incorporated, about 5 minutes. (You'll need to scrape down the sides of the mixer and whisk attachment a couple times.) Set aside.
9. To assemble the cake, place 1 cookie on a rack or cake stand. Drop about 1/3 of the buttercream on top and smooth over the top of the cookie. Place second cookie on top of the buttercream and drop another 1/3 of the buttercream on top. Smooth buttercream evenly on top. Repeat one more time with the remainder of the ingredients. Smooth out the buttercream seeping out from in between the layers with a butter knife or spoon to create a "naked cake" look.
10. You'll need to make the ganache right after the cake is assembled, for it hardens quickly and will need to be poured immediately over the cake.
11. For the ganache: place the 4oz of chocolate in heat proof small bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over the chocolate and cover bowl. After 1 minute, whisk the chocolate until thick and throughly melted. 
12. Pour ganache over the top of the cake. With a spoon, push some over the edges to make the "drips".
13. Garnish with candied beets, chopped chocolate, or leave untouched for a minimalist chocolatey look.
14. Enjoy!