We’ve got a lot to talk about today. Not only are we cruising on through #monthofchocolate with another rich treat, but we’re also partying over the 3-year anniversary of this blog! There’s no better way to celebrate life’s big stuff than with cake, so today I’ve got a milk chocolate chip cake to throw your way. You’re going to love it.

Three Years!

To be honest, I’m not sure I expected this blog to last 3 years. When Wood & Spoon blog went live in February of 2016, I knew it was the right thing for that season of my life, but I had no idea what the future looked like. I was so covered up in fear and timidity that I forgot to have foresight for the coming years. In retrospect, not having a specific vision kinda forced me to dive into things I normally would not have. I tried some different things, experimented with new writing, baking, and photography styles, and put myself out there for jobs and opportunities that came my way because every open door seemed like it could be the right fit. The first 3 years of this site was made up of a ton of learning and mistrial, and I’m extremely thankful for that.

As uncertain as the past was, the future is even more so. I’ve reached a point where I don’t really want to walk through every single door that opens up for me. I’d like to be able to pick and choose opportunities based on what suits my family and lifestyle as it stands each day, and I want to reach for a few really great opportunities as opposed to every tiny okay one.

Part of what I’ve learned in the past 3 years is that it’s okay to say no to some of the good things that come our way, particularly when you’re holding out for something great. Self-doubt kept me from fully embracing some of the goals and dreams that I had for some time, but 3 years of hoofing it on this site has given me a snapshot of what I’m capable of and the value that my time and energy has.

As For the Future…

This all goes to say that I have no idea what this next year will look like. You can certainly count on more recipes, more incoherent baking banter, and more cute babies, but my hope is that you’ll see a lot of new stuff too.

I recently had a woman ask me how my website was doing, and I told her that I was enjoying it but that it was a work in progress. Her response was, “We’re all a work in progress. Surely you can be excited that you haven’t accomplished all you’re going to in your lifetime! You story isn’t over yet.” This comment made me smile all over, because I know she’s right. Every sentence and chapter of our story is significant and holds a million things that we can treasure and thrive in. It’s a gift to be a work in progress, and I’m happy to be one here.

Milk Chocolate Chip Cake

This milk chocolate chip cake is easily a new favorite of mine. My favorite cake on this site has long been the white chocolate cake that I shared here moons ago. Now, this milk chocolate chip cake has a sneaky lead, and once I tell you all about it, I think you’ll agree. The cake in this dessert is fluffy, egg white-based layers speckled with chocolate chips. The beaten egg whites in the batter keep the layers delicate and soft, while the mini chocolate chips add flavor and texture.

Although the cake is fab, the filling is equally delicious. I used some ganache know-how to whip up a milk chocolate ganache. It stays soft and truffle-like at room temperature and adds some serious richness to this cake. This recipe yields just enough ganache to appropriately fill the cake, but even so, I couldn’t help sneaking a few nibbles.

The star of this cake, without question, is the frosting. This is a whipped milk chocolate frosting, and it is the BOMB. It may have been the pregnancy hormones talking, but this frosting tasted seriously similar to a Wendy’s Frosty. I’m in no way disappointed. It’s creamy, mild in flavor, and perfectly sweetened, and while Frosties may have little appeal to you, I can promise that this buttercream will not disappoint. It’s awesome.

Sizing this Cake

I decided to arrange this cake into 6” stacks, but you can whip this up in another size. Keep in mind that your baking time will differ depending on the pan you prepare it in. Bake your layers until they have started to turn golden and a cake tester inserted comes out clean. Just take care to not overtake it as white cakes tend to dry out a bit faster than cakes with egg yolks in them.

Thank you for spending your time and ingredients on this site. The readers of these pages have made this such a rewarding experience. I have loved getting to connect with some of you all over the past few years. I look forward to loads more in year 4 and can’t wait to see where we are in February of 2020. In the meantime, give this milk chocolate chip cake a try and let me know what you think. Happy baking, friends!

If you like this milk chocolate chip cake you should check out:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Chocolate Caramel Crumble Cake

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Biscuits

Milk Chocolate Chip Cake

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

This milk chocolate chip cake is a fluffy white cake with mini chocolate chips, a milk chocolate ganache filling, and a whipped milk chocolate frosting. Creamy, decadent, and seriously delicious!

• Author: Kate Wood
• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 120
• Yield: 1 Cake
• Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

• ¾ cup egg whites (I use ones directly from the carton), at room temp
• 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1–1/2 cups (300 gm) sugar
• 3 cups plus one tablespoon (400 gm) cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240 gm) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the ganache:

• 4 ounces chopped milk chocolate
• 2 ounces heavy cream
• pinch of salt

For the frosting:

• 6 ounces milk chocolate, gently melted
• 1–1/2 cups (345 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups (460 gm) powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk

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Instructions

To prepare the cake layers:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prep your pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. You can bake this recipe in three 6” pans or two 8 or 9” pans.
2. In the clean bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside in another bowl while you continue prepping the cake.
3. In the same stand mixer bowl you whipped the egg whites in, cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Combine 3 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt and add half of this mixture to the butter mixture. Stir on low to almost combine and then add half of the milk and the vanilla. Stir to combine and then add the remaining half of the dry ingredients followed by the remaining half of the milk. Once almost combined add the mini chocolate chips and fold in. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the egg whites being careful not to overwork the batter. Divide equally among your pans and bake in the oven- about 28 minutes for three 6” pans of 25 minutes for two 8” pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, but be careful to not overbake! The tops will be golden and set when the cakes are done. Set aside to cool completely before assembling the cake.

To prepare the ganache:

1. Place the milk chocolate in a small mixing bowl and gently heat the cream in the microwave or on the stove until just barely bubbling. Pour the cream over the chocolate and cover the bowl with plastic wrap for about 3 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap after 3 minutes and use a whisk to combine until smooth. Set aside to cool while you make your frosting.

To prepare the frosting:

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for two minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar, beating on medium for another minute and a half. Add the salt, vanilla, and cream and beat to combine for 30 seconds. Fold in the melted (but not hot!) chocolate quickly until incorporated. If your chocolate was too hot and the mixture seems too thin and loose, you can place it in the fridge to firm up a bit or add a smidge of powdered sugar.

To assemble the cake:

1. Use a serrated knife to cut the domes off the tops of the cake. Tops of the cake should be flat prior to assembling. Place a bit of frosting on you plate or cake board that you wish to frost your cake on and set your first layer on top. Use an offset spatula to spread a hefty dollop of frosting on top of the first layer. Fill a piping bag or a quart sized plastic bag with some of the frosting and pipe a circle border/dam around the perimeter of the frosting cake top. Make sure it is about ½” tall so that your ganache will stay inside the dam. Spread just enough ganache inside the dam, but not too much so that the ganache overflows the top of the dam. Place the next layer on top and repeat this process until your cake layers have been used up. Use the remaining frosting to frost your cake as desired. Cake is should be stored covered tightly with plastic wrap and is best eaten within 2 days of making.

Notes

1. You can use fresh egg whites here if you’d like!
2. If you opt to bake 6” cake layers, take care to not overbake the cake. If you’re worried about the cake being dry, simply cut the domes off the tops of the cakes and use a basting brush to “paint” milk on top of the flat cake. The milk won’t change the flavor of the cake but will help it to moisten up again.