I’ve been lusting after this cake for quite a while, in fact. I do love Oreo cookies and chocolate cake, and the frosting is just there to hold it all together. 😉 So when my brother and sister-in-law came into town for a much overdue visit, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity for a decadent, almost over-the-top cake. It’s not every day that Jack gets to meet his Uncle Kyle and Aunt Ashley, you know! We also got to share it with one of my uncles and two of my cousins who were passing through on their way to visit colleges. Fun!
This cake is everything that I thought it was going to be. Moist, chocolaty, full of flavor, and bursting with Oreo goodness.
Jessica made hers into four layers and I’m a chicken and didn’t do that. Besides, it’s no secret that I’ll always take the cake over frosting, so more cake and less frosting is the way to go around here. I cannot resist a fluffy chocolate cake. I just cannot.
While I’m not a huge frosting fan, this one is definitely delicious! It’s light and airy and while the method is a little different, it was worth the little bit of extra time it took to prepare. When you are making the frosting, be sure to really whisk the flour mixture to avoid lumps. Nobody wants to bite into a lump of partially cooked flour in their frosting! (I may or may not have had to pull out a few lumps when icing the cake.)
I cannot wait to make this again. Truly.
Cookies and Creme Oreo Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake: 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1⅓ cups canola oil
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups freshly brewed, extra-strong hot coffee
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For the frosting: Scant ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ~1 cup confectioners’ sugar (optional)
- 25 Oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs
- 6 whole Oreo cookies, for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8 or 9-inch cake pans, layer with parchment rounds, butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, place flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix on low speed to combine.
3. Keeping the mixer on low, add oil and buttermilk. Then add in eggs one at a time. Add hot coffee in a thin stream, pouring down the side of the bowl. Add vanilla and mix until the batter is smooth.
4. Pour into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack until ready to remove from pans.
Frosting:
1. While the cakes are baking, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens (It should be about the consistency of mashed potatoes.) Whisk continuously so clumps don’t form, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Set the milk mixture aside and allow it to cool completely.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat on high for 3-5 minutes. If it looks separated, keep beating.
4. When the cakes are completely cool, lay one cake on a cake plate and apply ⅓ – ½ cup frosting to the top of the cake. Sprinkle about ½ cup of Oreo crumbs over the frosting. Top with the second cake. (If frosting is not stable enough to apply to cake, beat in 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar.) Frost top and sides of the cake, reserving ½ cup frosting. Apply Oreo crumbs to the outside of the cake.
5. Using reserved ½ cup of frosting, create 6 swirls on the top of the cake, place a cookie in each swirl.
