Ultimate Oreo Cake
This Oreo cake is an absolute showstopper! We start with my favorite triple-layer chocolate cake recipe, fill it with a cream cheese frosting that has crushed Oreos mixed in, cover the cake in a chocolate fudge frosting, top it with a white chocolate glaze, and garnish it with piped chocolate frosting, and more Oreo cookies. If there is an Oreo lover in your life, you owe them this cake!
Years ago, my cousin was celebrating a birthday and when I texted her to see if there was anything, in particular, she might want for dinner and dessert, she replied with “pasta, cheese, potatoes, and Oreos”. She loves baked ziti, so that was an easy decision (pasta and cheese, check!), as was my grandma’s roasted potatoes (potatoes, check!).
That left me with Oreos… I had a glimmer of inspiration and given that I hadn’t made a big, tall layer cake in quite some time, I went full-steam ahead.
The cake layers
My absolute favorite three-layer chocolate cake is the base for this Oreo cake – it is incredibly moist, slightly fluffy, rich in flavor, and bakes up into beautiful layers each and every time. I have just a couple of tips about the cake ingredients:
- Coffee – You often see coffee or espresso powder in chocolate recipes because it really enhances the chocolate flavor without imparting any coffee flavor. If you don’t like coffee, have no worries that you’ll be able to taste it. You can substitute decaf if you’re concerned about caffeine, and if you cannot consume coffee for any reason, then you can substitute hot water.
- Buttermilk – Another ingredient powerhouse! If you are stuck and unable to find it, you can use this substitution: Add 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a 2-cup measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1½ cups. Stir together, then use as directed in the recipe.
Leveling the Cakes
One of the things I love most about this cake recipe is that the layers bake up wonderfully flat eat and every time, meaning that I don’t need to go through the trouble of leveling them. If you find that yours have domed a little, you can use a leveling tool or a large serrated knife to level the cake layers before assembling the cake.
The cookies and cream filling
The cookies and cream filling is a simple cream cheese frosting loaded with crushed Double Stuf Oreo cookies. It’s basically one of the most delicious concoctions I’ve tasted… and I tasted quite a bit of it before using it in the cake!
I love using the Double Stuf Oreos for the filling because they have extra cream in the filling, but regular Oreos will work equally well.
To crush them up, I put them in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and smash with a wooden rolling pin.
The frosting
I wanted to cover the cake in a frosting that was more fudge-like than fluffy or buttery, and definitely succeeded on that front.
To make the frosting, we use melted unsweetened chocolate, powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla, and give a good whirl in the food processor to get it nice and smooth.
You can use a mixer (stand or hand) in place of the food processor. Beat the butter first on medium-high speed, then reduce the speed to low and add the powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a couple of minutes until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat to incorporate, then add the milk gradually, continuing to beat and scraping the sides of the bowl until everything is incorporated and completely smooth.
The glaze
The inside of the cake layers was chocolate-white-chocolate and I wanted the outside of the cake to replicate that, as well.
I used the white chocolate glaze from my coconut bundt cake, minus the coconut flavors. It turned out perfectly – it was nice and thick and just crept over the top of the cake.
Tips for decorating the cake
To get the glaze to drip over the sides of the cake, pour the glaze directly onto the center of the cake. It should creep slowly towards the sides and drip over on its own. If the glaze is thicker, then you may need to coax it along with an offset spatula.
I set aside a small bowl of the chocolate frosting to decorate the top of the cake; I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to pipe rosettes around the top, but you can decorate it however you’d like!
Storage and freezing instructions
You can keep this cake at room temperature if serving the same day, however, leftovers should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
If you would like to freeze the cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. You can also freeze individual slices by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and placing them in a ziploc bag. Freeze either way for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator overnight (best if you freeze the whole cake), or on the counter for 30 minutes (best if you freeze individual slices).
More favorite Oreo desserts
If you make this cake and love it, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much! ❤️️
Ultimate Oreo Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups (308 g) + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (595 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (89 g) + 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (360 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (360 ml) strong black coffee, hot
- ¾ cup (149 g) vegetable oil
- 4½ teaspoons (4.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For the Cookies and Cream Filling:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar
- 12 Double Stuf Oreos, crushed or finely chopped
For the Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
- 6 ounces (170 g) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
- 4½ cups (510 g) powdered sugar
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons whole milk or half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the White Chocolate Glaze:
- 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 6 ounces (170 g) white chocolate, melted and still warm
To Garnish:
- Additional Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (or large mixing bowl if you're using a hand mixer), sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).
- Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- Make the Cookies and Cream Filling: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar, mixing until completely incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the crushed cookies.
- Make the Chocolate Fudge Frosting: Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Make the White Chocolate Glaze: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until incorporated and smooth. Slowly stir in the white chocolate with a rubber spatula. The glaze should be thick yet pourable; if the glaze appears too thick, thin it out with addition milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one of the cake layers on a serving platter and spread with half of the cookies and cream filling. Top with another cake layer and spread with the remaining cookies and cream filling. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost the entire cake with the chocolate fudge frosting. Pour the white chocolate glaze onto the center of the top of the cake and allow to spread and drip over the sides. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or until it is completely set. Using the chocolate fudge frosting, pipe swirls on top of the cake and garnish with additional Oreo cookies. The cake can be kept at room temperature if being served the same day. If you are making the cake ahead of time (or have leftovers), store it in the refrigerator but allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
Notes
- Pans - I use these 8-inch round pans. You can substitute 9-inch cake pans, but will need to reduce the baking time. Rotate the pans after 15 minutes, then start checking for doneness after 10 additional minutes.
- Buttermilk - I highly recommend it for this recipe, but if you are unable to get it, use this substitution: Add 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a 2-cup measuring cup, then add enough milk to make 1½ cups. Stir together, then use as directed in the recipe.
- Coffee - If you are concerned about the caffeine in the coffee, you can substitute decaf coffee. If you cannot consume coffee, substitute hot water.
- Frosting - I make the chocolate fudge frosting in a food processor; see the post above for instructions on using a mixer.
- Piping Tip - I use a Wilton 1M piping tip for decorating the top of the cake.
- Storage - If the cake will be kept out for longer than one day, it should be refrigerated, covered for up to 1 week. Allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Freezing - Freeze the entire cake by wrapping in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Freeze individual slices by wrapping in plastic wrap and placing in a ziploc bag. Thaw on the counter for 30 minutes.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[Photography by Dee of One Sarcastic Baker]
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