Six decadent layers of Oreo cake, Oreo buttercream, and a dark chocolate ganache. Perfect for the cookies and cream lover in your life!
Hello Oreo lovers! Do I have your attention? Good, because this cake is for you. This Oreo Cake is actually an update of one of my older recipes (from 2016!). The photos were in dire need of a refresh, and I wanted to tweak the recipe a bit.
As you know, Ryan tends to be my go-to guy for ideas when I’m stuck on something to bake. Naturally, he gravitates to things that he already loves and asks me to turn them into cakes. Hence the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cake, the S’mores Cake, and the Turtles Cake, to name a few.
When he suggested an Oreo Cake my arm didn’t need much twisting. I am a HUGE fan of Oreos. Though, truthfully, I prefer Golden Oreos to the original. Something about that vanilla cookie flavour goes so well with the Oreo filling! I’ve had a Golden Oreo Cake on my radar for years (literally), so look for that to happen sometime soon (I hope!).
How to make this Oreo Cake
This cake is packed with Oreo cookie flavour in the best ways possible. I modified my favourite chocolate cake recipe, and made a couple key modifications to Oreo-ify it:
- I swapped out some of the all-purpose flour for Oreo cookie crumbs
- I swapped out some of the cocoa powder for black cocoa
The Oreo cookie crumbs are very easy to get in Canada. You can literally find them in almost any grocery store, right next to the graham cracker crumbs. I hear they aren’t as easy to find in the US (is that right?). Really though, any chocolate cookie crumbs will do.
If you can’t find chocolate cookie crumbs, you can just make your own by separating Oreo cookies from the filling and pulsing the cookie parts in a food processor. Be sure to separate them — do not attempt to pulse whole cookies and use those in the cake batter.
Black cocoa powder is one of my favourite things ever. It’s what gives Oreo cookies that deep rich color and flavour. Black cocoa powder is a super dark Dutch-process cocoa, which basically means it’s had even more acid stripped from it.
It’s not recommended to replace all of the cocoa in a recipe with black cocoa powder, due to it’s very low fat content — it can make baked goods dry. Substituting half or so should be more than enough to get the flavour and color to come through.
I used Oreo cookie crumbs again in the Swiss meringue buttercream frosting. This added both flavour and color in just the perfect way. For additional flavour and texture I added some chopped up Oreo cookies between each of the cake layers, and finished the whole thing off with a dark chocolate ganache drip for good measure. I’ve been back on the drip cake trend lately, and I think that’s a good thing.
I tried to darken the dark chocolate ganache by adding some black color gel to the cream before microwaving it all. This worked okay, but it made the ganache a bit dull. At least I assume that’s what it was.
The only other difference was that I used the ganache later the same day instead of leaving it overnight and nuking it a bit in the morning to thin it out. But I think it was the color gel. It’s not shiny, but I think this color looks better than a brownish ganache would have.
What is the difference between an Oreo Cake and a Cookies and Cream Cake?
Nothing, honestly. They are basically one and the same. Some people prefer to call them cookies and cream desserts, and some people Oreo. There are a ton of companies out there that produce cookies and cream desserts. There is some debate about which came first (kind of a chicken and egg thing happening).
I didn’t spend a ton of time researching it, but basically it seems that everyone is claiming to have created the sandwich cookies. It’s the Oreo brand that popularized them, so they’re the ones we know today.
This Oreo Cake has been a popular recipe here on Liv for Cake over the years. If you’re a cookies and cream fan or have one in your life, you will LOVE this cake!
Looking for more Cookie/Oreo desserts?
- Oreo Macarons
- Oreo Cheesecake Cookie Cups
- Oreo Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Cookie Butter Cake
- Milk & Cookies Cake
Tips for making this Oreo Cookies and Cream Cake
- The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
- You can do this as a 3 layer cake instead, but you will have some buttercream left over.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
- To enhance the chocolate flavour of the cake, use strong hot coffee instead of hot water.
- If you don’t have black cocoa powder, you can substitute more Dutch-process or regular cocoa powder. It will affect the color and flavour slightly.
- I added a couple drops of black color gel to the ganache to darken it. This is optional.
- The cake layers are easiest to frost when they are chilled, as they are a bit firmer and help the buttercream set quicker.
- Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my Flat Top Cakes post!
Oreo Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs sift first then measure to remove larger chunks
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 6 Tbsp black cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup hot water or hot coffee
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
Oreo Buttercream:
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
- 1 tsp clear vanilla extract optional
- 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs sifted
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- 3 oz good quality dark chocolate chopped
- 3 oz heavy cream
- 1-2 drops black color gel optional
Assembly:
- 10 Oreos chopped
- mini Oreos optional
Instructions
Oreo Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6" round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour coffee in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
- Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins.
- Cool 10minutes in the pans then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, cut each layer in half horizontally to get 6 layers.
Oreo Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
- Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and stir with a whisk until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whip on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Add vanilla and whip until smooth.** Remove about 1 cup of buttercream and set aside.
- Add Oreo cookie crumbs to the remainder of the buttercream and whip until smooth.
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- Add cream to a medium microwave safe bowl. Add 1-2 drops of black color gel and stir to combine (optional). Add chopped chocolate and microwave in 10second intervals, stirring in between, until completely smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool completely and thicken before using as a drip.
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving dish. Top with about 2/3 cup Oreo buttercream and sprinkle with chopped Oreos. Repeat with remaining layers. Do a think crumb coat all over the cake and chill for 20mins.
- Frost and smooth the outside of the cake with the remaining Oreo buttercream. Chill for 30mins until firm.
- Using a small spoon, place dollops of ganache around the top edges of the cooled cake, allowing some to drip down. Fill in the top of the cake with more ganache and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Allow to set for a few minutes.
- Fit a piping bag with a 1M piping tip. Fill with the white buttercream that was set aside. Pipe rosette dollops on top of the cake. Place a mini Oreo in the center of each dollop if desired.
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Notes
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.
Wednesday says
I am not a huge fan of Oreos nor am I a fan of chocolate cake. THIS cake, however, is the best thing I’ve ever had. I have made it twice now and I’ve eaten way too much of it both times.
The only thing that I did a little differently for the frosting the second time, was cook the egg whites and sugar for longer. The first time I made it it was grainy (it was still delicious) but it took closer to 10 minutes to get the sugar to dissolve at my second attempt.
Make this thing. Today.
I prefer it not totally room temperature but with a little chill. I live in AZ though so our room temp is probably warmer than it should be this time of year😋
Thanks for sharing this recipe!!!
Are there any other variations you recommend that are not a 6 layer cake? Maybe 2 8” or 9” rounds?
Thanks!
Wednesday
Olivia says
Hi Wednesday! Thank you for the amazing feedback. I am so happy you loved it! The recipe as-is will work as a two layer 8″ cake (or 4 layers if you cut each of those in half – if that makes sense).
Wednesday says
Brilliant, that makes perfect sense thank you!!! I need to work on my frosting skills since my cakes have been a little tilty🤦🏻♀️ 😂
I also want to bring it to friends’ houses and that is a tall cake to travel with!
Thanks so much!!!
Olivia says
Anytime! Do you trim the tops of your cakes so that they are level before stacking? That will help. Or you can use cake strips (which is what I do) to make sure they bake flat in the first place. Here’s some more info on that: https://livforcake.com/flat-top-cakes/
Melissa says
How far in advance can you make the buttercream and store in the fridge until ready to use?
Olivia says
Hi Melissa! You can make it a week in advance and refrigerate or freeze it for up to 3 months. Be sure to bring it completely to room temp and rewhip before use.
Claire says
Hi,
I am just wondering how deep should the 6″ tins be? 2″ or 3″m
Olivia says
Hi Claire! Either will work, mine are all 2″.
Jason says
I made a cupcake version with a few modifications, but the core of this recipe is wonderfully moist chocolate cake. A huge hit in my household. Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Jason! So glad to hear that, thanks for the awesome feedback! 🙂
Amanda says
Hi! Are the metric measurements accurate for this recipe? I don’t have measuring cups unfortunately.
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! The metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee their accuracy as I have not tested it myself. They *should* be correct though 🙂
Sharia gordon says
I would like to use just reg coco powder due to I can’t find the other.. how much of the regular coco powder would I use? Would it be a total of 12 Tbsp?
Olivia says
Hi Sharia! Yes, 12 Tbsp total or 3/4 cup of cocoa powder. Just note that the cake won’t have the same Oreo flavour, but it will still be delicious 🙂
Addy says
Is it normal that the middle of the cake cooks first??
Olivia says
Hi Addy! It’s usually the sides that set first. The cake might look a little funny in the middle as it’s cooking due to this. It should be fine though!
Stef says
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I made this for my Oreo loving husband and we both rate it a 10/10!!
Olivia says
Hi Stef! So happy you both loved it 🙂
Danielle says
This cake looks and sounds amazing! I’d love to make it for my partner’s birthday. Do you think it would work well with a Caramel drip instead of a dark chocolate ganache? My partner’s loves Oreos but he also loved caramel.
Olivia says
Hi Danielle! I don’t see why not – caramel goes with almost everything! I don’t think it would look as pretty (color wise) against the Oreo buttercream though, just keep that in mind. You could also/instead drizzle caramel between the layers on top of the frosting?
Kristen says
I made this cake this weekend for my husband’s 30th. It came out delicious and was easy to make. We could not find and black cocoa powder at the store so we used all regular Hershey’s cocoa powder and the cake still came out perfect. I will definitely make this again. I’m not a huge fan of frosting so next time I will cut the buttercream recipe in half and maybe do a semi-naked cake. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Olivia says
Hi Kristen! So happy you guys liked this one 🙂
Aimen says
Hi. Is this cake good for stacking?
Olivia says
Hi Aimen! The cake is more on the delicate side, but I have no problem stacking 3 full or 6 half layers. If you’re talking tiers, then it will work fine too as long as they are properly supported.
Jocelyn says
This cake is phenomenal! I’m excited to try out more of your recipes after having such success with this one. I was a bit nervous with how thin the batter was and how simple it was to mix, but it baked up beautifully. I don’t usually love chocolate cake, but I may or may not currently be eating a slice of this for breakfast before my DD wakes up. I can neither confirm nor deny! 😉
Olivia says
Hi Jocelyn! The batter is crazy thin, right?? I know. So happy you loved this one and I fully support eating cake for breakfast any day of the week 🙂 Can’t wait to see what you try next!
Melanie says
Hello,
I have tried many of your cookie cup recipes and LOVE. So with my sons birthday coming up I thought I would try one of your beautiful cakes! I was wondering about making the recipe smaller (potentially). We are having the grandparents over for his actual birthday and I was going to make this cake, it’s for 4 adults and two younger kids, and then I have to make a rather large cake for his friends party two days later. We are going to be on cake overload so I’m not sure I want a whole lot of leftovers with this cake. Do you have any tips for making recipe smaller?
Olivia says
Hi Melanie! If you want a smaller cake, I would recommend cutting the recipe in half (set the Servings to 6 instead of 12 and that will update the amounts) and baking it in either two 6″ pans (the cake layers will be thinner and the baking time shorter, but it would still be ok) or one 8″ pan for a single layer cake (baking time would be similar to the original recipe – about 30mins).
The cake does freeze really well though, so if you did decide to go with the full recipe you can freeze the extra slices (and maybe send some home with the grandparents??). I wrap mine in plastic wrap and then stick them in the freezer. It’s always nice to have a stash of cake for “emergencies” 😉 Let me know what you try!
Syv says
Hi! I was wondering how tall your 6 layered cake was. I want to put it in a cake box! Amazing cake!
Olivia says
Hi Syv! I didn’t measure it but I would say at least 8-10″ or so, especially with the rosettes and cookies on top.
Laurie Patton says
I have been looking for a cake for a young man, this jumped out at me. Everything looks great, how do you think this would taste with yellow cake?
Thanks for your advice.
Olivia says
Hi Laurie! I think it would be delicious. You could even try chopping up some Oreos and putting them right into the cake batter. That wouldn’t work so well for the chocolate cake as the batter is very thin, but should work fine with a vanilla cake.
Lauren Barnes says
Yum! All of the people that ate this that had tasted my baking before said this is the best cake I have ever made! You have introduced me to meringue buttercream and I am now totally a convert! Already one of our guests (visiting an anniversary party which I made the cake for) has asked for the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing this with us…
Olivia says
Hi Lauren! I am so happy you liked this cake and that you tried a meringue buttercream and loved that too — it’s my favourite. Thanks for the feedback!
Janelle says
I never do this but I had to come back and comment that this is the most delicious cake I’ve ever made, and maybe even the best I’ve ever tasted. The cake recipe itself is so decadent but somehow not overpowering. I had to make this dairy free for the birthday boy, so I subbed the buttermilk for a coconut/almond milk blend curdled with white vinegar. I also sadly didn’t make your yummy meringue frosting but used a dairy free alternative. I doubled the recipe and it was perfect for three 9 inch cake pans (I left the layers whole instead of splitting). Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Janelle! First of all, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, I really appreciate it! I am SO happy to hear that you loved it and thank you for all your tips!
Daisy says
Hi!
I am making this cake for a party but won’t have time to make it on the day of the event. Will it be okay to make the night before and leave it in the fridge and then assemble and frost the following day?
Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Daisy! Yes, that will be totally fine. You can just leave the cake and frosting on the counter though and just cover/wrap them. Be sure to rewhip the frosting before use. Alternatively you can finish the whole cake in advance and refrigerate it overnight.
Denisse says
How many cupcakes result from this recipe?
Olivia says
Hi Denisse! I haven’t made it into cupcakes myself, but I would guess 18-24 depending on the size.
Denisse says
Thank you!! I’m excited to try this recipe tomorrow but was intimidated about making a cake as I’m not a skilled baker and cupcakes are much easier for me 🙂
Yvonne Kehoe says
Hi! I would like to make this recipe in 3 9inch round pans. What would you suggest I slide the serving scale to? Thank you for all of your delicious recipes… I am really looking forward to making this one😋
Olivia says
Hi Yvonne! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I would try to double the recipe.
Yvonne says
Thanks so much for getting back! That’s what I was thinking. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Anna says
This cake is amazing!! It’s such a hit when I make it. Any tips on how to travel with it? It’s too tall for my cake carriers. I have made it using 8inch pans but there’s something about the smaller 6 layers that makes it irresistible.
Thanks,
Anna
Olivia says
Hi Anna! So glad you like it! For travelling, I have a collapsible cake carrier similar to this one: https://amzn.to/30WKKb0 that works well for taller cakes provided there aren’t any toppers or anything too high on the top. I haven’t tried it with this Oreo cake and the mini cookies could push it over the top, but there are measurements at that link that can give you an idea.
Tamina McMillan says
It was quite a challenge, but so worth the effort! The color of the cake is gorgeous!! The texture is lovely, very moist crumb. Swiss meringue buttercream is beautifully lighter and more delicious than its American cousin, but definitely more finicky. I personally found it a tad too sweet, but I usually don’t like sweet frosting. Maybe I’ll decrease a bit of the sugar. All in all, I’m quite proud!! I made it as a surprise for my middle son’s birthday.
Olivia says
Hi Tamrina! I’m so happy to hear you loved this one!! You can try adding a pinch of salt to the buttercream to cut some of the sweetness. If you reduce the sugar too much it will affect the meringue. I hope your son loved it!! 🙂
AmbiRoy says
Hi! Olivia
Can you please suggest a substitute for the eggs? I was thinking of using 1/2 cup of yoghurt…. Do u think it would work as the recipe is already using buttermilk or shall i increase the quantity of buttermilk to 1 cup and skip the eggs. Also could specify the role of eggs in this recipe?
Olivia says
Hi AmbiRoy! I haven’t tried substituting eggs in this recipe, so can’t recommend something specific. In pastry school we used Flax as a substitute. Here are some ideas: https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/egg-substitutes-for-baking/
Cookie says
Hi Olivia
I wrapped it with cling wrap after the cakes had cooled down kept it in the fridge because I didn’t have time to frost it. When I unwrapped it, this morning , it was extremely moist. As compared to other chocolate cakes I made. Is that normal?
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Cookie! Mine get like that too, I don’t think it’s a bad thing! I think it’s just due to condensation.
Amelia says
Do you have any tips on making this recipe into cupcakes?
Olivia says
Hi Amelia! I just revised this post and updated it with more info. For cupcakes you just need to reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so. And be sure not to fill the liners more than half full as the batter rises a lot.
Patrick says
HI! I tried making the butter cream but once I started adding the butter, the meringue lost all of its stiffness and nothing was combining well, any tips?
Olivia says
Hi Patrick! Meringue buttercreams can be tricky to work with. Have a look through my tips and troubleshooting here: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Gemma Laura says
Hi,
I’m planning on making this cake using an 8″ pan, but I was going for a 2 layer cake as I don’t want it too big. How should I adjust the measurements for everything? And should I make one cake and cut it or can I make 2 smaller cakes to just put on top of each other?
Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Gemma! The recipe as is will work for a 2 layer 8″ cake — the layers will be slightly thinner though.
Marizza says
Hi Liv! I’m a big…huge fan of your recipes. I’ve made quite a few with much success. I was wondering if I can cover this more cake with fondant? Will the bits of crumbs in the buttercream interfere with my fondant being as smooth as possible? Thank you.
Olivia says
Hi Marizza! I think it should be fine provided your crumbs are fine and the fondant isn’t too thin.
Kirsty-Ann Leigh says
Dearest Liv … I will be baking 2 batches of this for my Nephews birthday. To feed the hungry 14 year old cricket team I am going to build a 4 layer cake. Do you think I should place a board in the middle on top of the first 2 layers? My thoughts were for stability and to help for cutting and serving. So many boys to feed!! Appreciate your reply. Much love and thanks.
Olivia says
Hi Kristy-Ann! Hmm, you know I think I would, just to be safe. The cakes are fairly heavy and it will definitely help for cutting/serving!
Rebecca says
Hi, you used to have an option to convert your recipes to metric, us this option been removed? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Rebecca! There was a slight issue with my site this morning that caused that to disappear. It should be back now!
Amanda Johnson says
Hello wondering if the serving size recipe for 24 would work for 3 9 inch round pans
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I think the layers would be a bit thinner in the 9″ pans.
Shana says
If I double this recipe, do you think I could I make an 8” version with the six layers? Or will the 8” layers still be too thin to cut in half?
Also, I’m surprised by the lack of butter in this cake recipe! Do you think I could sub melted brown butter for the oil? I have found that rown butter gives a delightful richness to chocolate.
Olivia says
Hi Shana! The recipe as written will make two 8″ layers, though they will be thinner than the ones you see here and maybe harder to cut in half. You can try swapping in cooled, melted brown butter, but it will affect the texture of the baked cake (might not be as moist). I hope that helps!
Shana says
I ended up doubling the recipe for three 8” layers. I used a scale to split the batter evenly between pans, they took 45-50 min to bake and came out comepletely flat for the most part. They ended up being about 1.25” tall, so I think I’m just going to make the cake three layers rather than six (they are currently in the freezer).
Shana says
Update: I made the cake 3 layers, and I froze the layers for 5 days. I used the Oreo SMBC from this recipe as well. If anyone wants to make the 3-layer 8”, you could probably get away with 1.5 times the buttercream recipe. I didn’t want to have too much, so I originally only made the recipe as listed above, but after I filled and crumb coated the cake, I didn’t have enough left for an outer coating. I actually ended up mixing what I had left with American buttercream and more Oreo crumbs, mostly out of laziness (it was still delicious). I added to this recipe by drizzling fudge sauce on top of the crushed Oreos in between the layers. It was delicious. Rave reviews from everyone at the party. The cake was moist, fluffy and not too sweet. Highly recommend!
Olivia says
Thanks for the tips and feedback Shana! So glad you liked it 🙂
Bre says
Is there an egg white substitute I can use for the butter cream?
Olivia says
Hi Bre! Not that I’m aware of, not for this kind of buttercream anyhow.
Lori W. says
Hi! I’m planning to make this cake this weekend. I want to use my mom’s chocolate cake recipe and make amendments to make it more Oreo-y. For example, I’ll sub 1/2 the cocoa for black cocoa. I’d like to add the 1/2 C Oreo crumbs… but I’m not sure if I should reduce the flour or sugar by same amount? I’m guessing sugar… I love your blog. I make a “Fancy Cake” about once per month and have my friends over for a big reveal. Everybody’s trying to get on the “Face Cake” invitation list! Thank for you for the great inspiration!!
Olivia says
Hi Lori! Thank you for your kind words!! I actually replaced and equal amount of flour with the Oreo cookie crumbs, but you could do half and half for a better balance, if that makes sense 🙂
Solah says
I am making this now! Thank you so much for the recipe!!! First time baking a cake from scratch. Very worried about the buttercream as I don’t have a stand mixer. I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
Olivia says
Good luck!! I hope it went well 🙂
Rae says
Hey just wondering what is the depth of the cake tins that you use.
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Rae! Mine are all 2″ deep but 3″ would work just fine.
Amanda W. says
Hi, will the SMBC ingredient sufficient for a 3-layer 8″ round cake instead? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! The recipe as is will work for a two layer 8″ cake, so I would 1.5x the recipe.
Amanda W. says
thank you. For the Oreo crumbs in SMBC – Do you remove the cream from the Oreo biscuit when you blitz them into crumbs? or just blitz the whole biscuit including the cream? thanks
Olivia says
I can buy actual Oreo cookie crumbs here (no filling), so that’s what I used. I’m sure using the filling would work fine too, for ease 🙂
Amanda W. says
Thank you Olivia, i had used your Oreo SMBC and tagged you on Instagram. They turned out well and apparently enough for 3 layers of 8inch as i chanced to try it first using 1 portion of your ingredient. Thanks again
Olivia says
Yay! So glad to hear it worked out 🙂 I’ll check my IG!
P says
I love your recipes Olivia! There are many recipes using 6” pans… have you ever made them using 8” pans? I’m going to be baking the Oreo Cake and am trying to figure out how to increase the ratio of the ingredients
Olivia says
Thank you! Most of my recipes can be made in two 8″ pans instead of three 6″. The layers will be a bit thinner in the 8″ though, so baking time would be a bit shorter, but otherwise should be fine! If you want to have thicker 8″ layers, for this one in particular, adjust the Servings slider to 16 instead of 12 and that should scale all the ingredients up. Let me know how it turns out!
Maureen says
Hi Olivia!
Thank you for the recipe. My cakes seemed to “cave” in the middle – do you know why that would happen? I used 6″ Fat Dadio pans but did not have them wrapped like you suggested. My oven is electric and the temperature does fluctuate but it’s been a pretty steady 340-350 while baking.
Any feedback would be appreciated. I’m making this for my niece’s birthday and really want it to come out perfect.
Olivia says
Hi Maureen! Are you at high altitude by chance? I know this can happen sometimes. Here are some tips just in case:https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/baking-cooking-high-altitudes
If you’re not, then I suspect the cake just needed more time in the oven. Did it sink once you took it out or while it was still baking?
maureen says
Hi Olivia – thanks for your speedy response! I live in NYC and the cakes were sinking while baking. I left them in longer because the middle was undercooked but the sides were definitely baked. I finally took them out and because they were so indented, I decided to scrap them and taste it and it seemed like the sides tasted burnt. It’s so hard to see because the cake is so dark. I will try it again and maybe do it at a lower temp? For what it’s worth – the parts that weren’t burnt tasted AMAZING!! Oh – and i totally nailed the frosting – it is divine!!!!
Olivia says
The sinking while baking is usually caused due to too much raising agent. Did you use self-raising flour by chance? And were the amts of baking soda and baking powder correct? That’s the only thing I can think of that would cause it to sink while in the oven. OH unless, did you open the oven door or move them around before they were set? That will cause it too.
Alani N. Buckley says
This cake was so absolutely delicious. Made it for my nephews birthday and everyone LOVED it. Thank you for posting!!
Olivia says
So happy to hear that everyone liked it Alani! 🙂
gabriela says
Hi, I loved the few recipes I have made from your blog…Would you mind if I mention you on my instagram page whenever I use your recipes?
🙂 big fan
Olivia says
Hi Gabriela! Thank you! I don’t mind at all, I would love to see what you’ve made!
Meagan says
I made this cake for my son’s birthday party this weekend and OH MY GOSH it was SO DELICIOUS!
Olivia says
So glad you liked it Meagan!!
Sam says
Hi! I just found your site and absolutely LOVE it! This cake was great! The cake was moist and not overly sweet, and the swiss meringue buttercream was great too! The only question I have about this recipe is that when switching the ingredient quantities from US to Metric the number of egg whites changes for the frosting. I used the 6 egg whites and it came out fine.
For anyone wondering, I this cake in two 8″ pans and each rose to be about an inch in height. Also, I found that adding “chopped” oreos worked out better for me for both the cake and the frosting.
Olivia says
Hi Sam! Thanks for catching that egg whites error! It was a mistake in the conversion tool, it should have been 6 whites 🙂 5 would not have been a disaster though! Thanks for the tips 🙂
Jennifer says
PS – next week I’m going to try the dulce de leche cake for Super Bowl Sunday.
Olivia says
Ohh yay!! That’s definitely a favourite!! Let me know how you like it 🙂
Jennifer says
Liv – today I made this cake (my second of your recipes, the first was the mocha cake) and it was delicious! Tasted just like an Oreo cookie. I will say, I agree with a previous poster about the buttercream being far too buttery. I read your comment back, but my egg whites had a beautiful peak before adding the butter. We all enjoyed the mocha cake buttercream and that had one less stick butter. I’m not sure if it’s the ratio or something else I did but overall it was really good! I’m new to cake baking but I love your easy to follow blog posts. Not sure if it’s beginners luck or your great details but I’m two for two. Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Jennifer! This is actually one of my older recipes, and since then I’ve actually been using 6 whites per 2 cups butter, so I think I’ll make that adjustment here too. Thanks for the feedback!! Glad you liked it still 🙂 And I’m so happy that you find my recipes easy to follow! That’s always been really important to me 🙂
Melissa Bruno says
WOW! This cake was DELISH! I just made it for my son’s birthday…everyone loved it! I didn’t have black cocoa powder, but it was amazing using regular cocoa. I can’t wait to try it again with black cocoa! Not sure how much better it can get, but definitely going to give it a go!
Olivia says
Hi Melissa! Yay! So happy to hear that everyone liked it 🙂 Black cocoa will make it taste even more Oreo!
KK says
If I don’t have black cocoa can i put in additional oreo crumbs?
Olivia says
Hi KK! I would use regular cocoa in place of black cocoa then as not to change the texture too much.
Amanda says
For the Buttercream, when you say to place the mixing bowl over a hot water bath, do I do this while the water boils? Or just boil some water and place the mixing bowl on top? I’ve never tried to make this type of frosting so any help would be much appreciated!
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! The water should be just barely simmering and the bowl should not touch the water. I use a pot with a couple inches of water or so. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Rebecca says
hey liv!
would love to make this cake for my sons birthday, but he does not like chocolate cake (i know, weird) do you have any ideas on how to make a white cake with the cookie crumbs still in the cake?
thanks so much!
Olivia says
Hi Rebecca! Do you mean a white Oreo cake? Like a golden oreo one? Or something different? If so, what kind of cookie crumbs were you wanting to use?
Rebecca says
Hi Liv,
I was thinking of just making a plain white cake, and adding the oreo cookies, but i was not sure if i make your white cake and then just add the cookies to the batter, do i need to adjutst the recipe in any way, or the bake time?
Now i am thinking of maybe making your peanut butter cake and using this oreo frosting on it, my son loves peanut butter, and oreos, so why not, i don’t know how it will taste, its worth a try, still debating on which cake to make.
Cetta Johnston says
The cake tasted ok, however, the edges were way too hard for my taste. Also the buttercream recipe I followed to the TEE and all I could taste was the butter!! So disappointed, I make cakes every week for family and friends and make my own buttercream and I’ve never tasted the butter like this. Its like I’m putting butter in my mouth mixed with oreos. I read the recipe over and over, while following the instructions very carefully. Again. So disappointed
Olivia says
Hi Cetta, sorry to hear this one didn’t work out for you. The edges should not be hard — perhaps it was overbaked? As for the buttercream, it will have more of a buttery flavour vs typical American buttercreams but it should not taste like you’re eating a stick of butter. It sounds like maybe the meringue didn’t whip up properly before you added the butter.
Venus says
Dear Olivia, thanks for this wonderful recipe. I made this Oreo cake for my hubby’s birthday, and it was my first time baking. My husband likes Oreo very much and he said the cake was look like a huge version of Oreo. The taste real good. Indeed, I am very nervous to make it especially the buttercream, it is not the usual one I saw in the internet. However, based on your clear instructions, I can easily manage it. Though my cake’s outlook was not beautiful as yours (I’m not good in assembling), but I think it was close enough. 😉
Thanks again for your sharing.
Olivia says
Hi Venus! I am so glad that you guys liked this one 🙂 And I am sure it looked beautiful. It’s the taste that matters anyhow though, right? 🙂
Venus says
Yea! 🙂 thank you!
Lauren says
Hey liv! So excited to try this one for my husband and brothers birthdays this weekend. Quick question, where do I find black cocoa powder? I’m in Ontario so hoping you found it in a Canadian store as I don’t have time to order through amazon. Would bulk barn have it? Where did you get it?
Olivia says
Hi Lauren! Doh, I get it at a local gourmet food shop here (https://gourmetwarehouse.ca/black-cocoa-powder-250g/), are there any specialty shops like that where you are? Where are you located, maybe I can ask some food blogger friends in ON. I hope you can find some as it really adds to the flavour and makes it taste more like an Oreo! Regular cocoa would work as a back-up, but it would change the flavour.
Caity says
Is there a way to make this into cupcakes? I need something that’s able to travel well!
Olivia says
HI Caity! This recipe should work fine as cupcakes. Just be sure to adjust the baking time as needed.
Emily says
Is the sugar in the buttercream meant to be grandulated or powdered? I made a frosting from another blog one time with grandulated and it was gritty.
Olivia says
Hi Emily! So sorry for the delay, I’ve been travelling. This is a meringue based buttercream so it needs to be granulated. You dissolve it completely though while you’re warming up the whites.
Gaye says
Cake came out great! I did 3 layers with an 8″ cake pan. I did have to make more batter, but that was fine. The buttercream was delicious! The only bummer was I put it in the trunk of my car and my parents live about 90 mins away and we were having a mini heat wave so when I took the cake out of the car and brought it in the house, I saw that the buttercream on top had melted (I had put Oreos around the top and they fell off). I was bummed, but I had taken “before” pictures – thankfully. And the family loved it regardless. So… yay for first time cake-baking success! 🙂 Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Olivia says
Yay! So glad it turned out 🙂 So sorry to hear about your mishap while travelling!! I would be so stressed out travelling with a cake, nevermind in a heat wave. Glad it still worked out though and that everyone loved it 🙂 Congrats on your first time cake-baking success!!
Gaye says
Hi Olivia! Though I love to bake, I’ve never made a cake before in my life! I decided to try to make a cake for Father’s Day this year and perused Pinterest and found your amazing Oreo cake. So I’m going to attempt it. eeek!
Questions – do you use the cream of the Oreo for anything? Does the cake taste like a big Oreo?? And, would it be possible to pipe some of the buttercream along the edges or on the top?
I’m borrowing some cake pans from a friend and I believe they’re 8″ Is it ok to use 3 of those? Will I need to alter the batter at all?
Thanks! Sorry for so many questions! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Gaye! I’m so excited that you’re going to try this one! I have total faith and confidence in you 🙂 To answer your questions:
– I buy just the Oreo cookie crumbs themselves, like graham cracker crumbs, but they’re not available everywhere (I’m in Canada). So, I don’t use the filling, but you could try adding some of it to the buttercream if you want? It would make the buttercream sweeter though.
– The thing that makes this cake taste most like an Oreo, besides the cookie crumbs, is the black cocoa, so use that if you can!!
– I can’t totally remember, but I don’t think I had enough frosting left over to pipe along the top. If you do this as a 3 layer cake instead of 6 layers though then you’ll be fine.
– If you use three 8″ pans, you need to double the recipe. Or use the recipe as is in two 8″ pans.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂 And good luck!
Gaye says
Thanks so much for the quick reply! So if I use 2 8″ pans, I can then slice the layers to have 4 layers instead of 2. Will I have enough of the buttercream for all that? And do you think I’d have enough to pipe a bit on the top and/or bottom?
I ordered black cocoa and the Dutch processed cocoa from Amazon. 🙂
Oh! One more question. I was going to make the cake layers tomorrow evening (Friday) and the frosting/decorating on Saturday. Will this all keep fresh until Sunday? And should I just keep it out in a cake container until I bring it to my sister’s on Sunday or should I put it in the fridge Saturday after I’m done? (That may have been more than 1 question). 😉
Thanks!
Olivia says
For the buttercream, I would increase the amounts to this:
6 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 tsp clear vanilla extract
1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
That *should* give you enough as long as you don’t go too heavy in the layers.
And yes, your plan is a good one! Just cover the cake layers with plastic wrap Friday night. The frosted cake should be refrigerated. Just bring it to room temp (2-3hours) before serving.
Let me know how it turns out!
Gaye says
You’re awesome! Thank you! Will report back in a few days. 😉
Roslyn Beckstead says
Is this cake ok to leave out? Or do leftovers need to be refrigerated?
Olivia says
Hi Roslyn! Ideally, refrigerate the leftovers 🙂
Aviv Harkov says
Can you freeze the cake and frosting separately ?
Olivia says
You can! I do that often. You will likely need to rewhip the frosting once it comes back to room temperature though.
Aviv Harkov says
Hi, could I freeze the cake and/or frosting before a party?
Thank you it looks great!
Olivia says
Hi Aviv! Yes, both freeze really well. If you freeze the frosting separately, you may need to rewhip it when it thaws.
Sarah says
I tried the icing, however the meringue never stiffened (even though there was no grease on my tools). Normally with meringues I need to start to whip the egg whites, then add the sugar- so this was a first attempt at doing them at the same time. Unfortunately, I am out of eggs, so I can’t try to remake the recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! Sorry to hear about your meringue troubles. If it never stiffened the culprit had to be either grease or trace of egg yolk in the whites. I always wipe down all my equipment with lemon juice to make sure everything is grease free. Also, did you happen to use egg whites from a carton? I had problems with those whipping up before.
Gigi says
Hiya, I don’t have black cocoa powder. Can I just replace it with more Dutch processed cocoa?
Olivia says
Hi Gigi! Yep, that will work fine. The cake may not be as dark and the flavour might be slightly different, but it will still be delicious 🙂
Sneza says
Hi Olivia,
I want to make a very special cake for my husband’s birthday and I’m so happy I found this recipe!! (Didn’t notice it in instagram before?!) I’ m struggling a bit with the measures, can you please tell me how much gramm is one cup? When I google I see different results and I want this cake to be perfect!!
Thank you!
Sneza
Olivia says
Hi Sneza! This is the website I use to check conversions:
http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/flour_volume_weight.html
But you have to be sure to select the correct ingredient from the list on the right. 1 cup of flour is 125g, 1 cup butter is 227g, 1 cup sugar is 200g. I hope this helps!
Sneza says
Yes!! Thank you!!
kristie says
made this cake last weekends- was AMAZING! Question though- for the Oreo Cookie crumbs- should the creme filling be scraped out first? The frosting, while delicious, was a bit too sweet for our taste and I was thinking by removing the creme from the cookies we’d remove some of the sweetness. Not sure how that’d affect the overall taste though.
Anyway making another one this weekend since it was such a hit. thanks so much for such an elegant, beautiful oreo cake!
Olivia says
Hi Kristie! I’m so glad to hear you liked it! I buy Oreo cookie crumbs, they’re like graham cracker crumbs but Oreo and are just the cookie part. So yes, if you’re using whole cookies, scrape out the filling 🙂
LJ says
Just having a go at this now! Well, admittedly second attempt after I stupidly didn’t line my pans with an earlier version. Not that anyone in this house minds, the cake pieces taste amazing with ice cream 😄 First time cooking one of your recipes and I’ll definitely be looking round for more inspiration. Thanks for sharing.
Olivia says
Ohh exciting! You have to let me know how it turns out/how you like it. Glad to hear the cake scraps didn’t go to waste ;).
Linda campbell says
I’m trying to get the recipe for the six layer Oreo cake. It shows the ingredients but not the directions for making it.
Olivia says
Hi Linda! The directions should be listed right below the ingredients. Are they not showing up for you??
Hana says
Great, thank you so much! Any advice if I opt to try the three 9″? I need a pretty large cake.
Olivia says
Hi Hana! You can use the recipe as-is in 9″ pans too, but the layers will be a bit thinner. Though that doesn’t technically make for a bigger cake ;). You can try doubling it and then adding in another half recipe. Or tripling the recipe? Just make sure the batter doesn’t go more than 1/2 way up the pan or so, max 2/3rds as it rises a lot!
Olivia says
Oops, I meant that the doubled recipe would work well in three 9″ pans, but that they’d be thinner.
Elizabeth says
Hi liv. Mine is in the oven. Fingers crossed. I only have an 8″ pan. So ill half it later. Its for tomorrow church potluck. Im using strawberry oreo. Ah cant wait.
Olivia says
Hi Elizabeth! Did you make it all in one 8″ pan or two? Let me know how it turns out!!
Hana says
Did you ever try the 8″? I’m hoping to try this this weekend, but only have one 6″ pan. The only sizes I have three of are 8″ and 9″. Any suggestions?! Looks amazing 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Hana! If you double the recipe it will work perfectly in three 8″ pans or you can use the recipe as is and make two 8″ layers. I hope that helps!
Agata says
Do you think it would be safe for the cake, if I skip Oreo crumbs in the batter?
Olivia says
Hi Agata! Just replace them with additional flour and you’ll be fine 🙂
Agata says
Thanks! 🙂
Anne says
Omgggg this cake looks AMAZING!!!! Oreos are probably my favorite kind of cookie but to make it into such a beautiful looking cake -GENIUS!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Anne! <3 🙂
Leigh says
Where did you get the mint green cake stand??
Olivia says
Hi Leigh! I actually got it at a discount store here called Homesense. You can find similar ones on Amazon or World Market. Look for Jade Green Cake Stand :).
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen says
Wow stunning cake, so glad to have found your blog! You have some fabulous looking recipes! XO
Olivia says
Thanks so much Elizabeth! 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
oh WOW this cake is amazing Liv! Like seriously – six layers???! And the frosting looks like perfection too. Xx
Olivia says
I know, 6 layers is a little over the top, but it had to be done! Thanks Thalia 🙂 <3
J.K. says
This looks awesome! Did you split each of the 3 cakes to get 6 layers, or did you just double the recipe? Also any tips for pressing the crumbs onto the bottom edge of the cake?
Olivia says
Ack! Yes, I did, but apparently I missed mentioning that in the recipe! Thanks for letting me know! I will update it. As for pressing crumbs into the bottom, I had the cake on a cake board and placed it on an inverted bowl so the edges hung over a bit and then carefully pressed it into the sides. Does that make sense? If not, let me know and I’ll try to find a picture of it :).
Jacquie Favrin says
Hi Olivia! I love oreos!!!. I, like you, prefer the golden oreos. Can’t wait to make this one too! More people to invite to help me eat it. 😄
Olivia says
Haha exactly! I hope you like this one 😀
Ace says
I adore golden Oreos! Everyone thinks I’m crazy when I say I prefer them. They remind me of duplex cookies which I loved as a kid.
Olivia says
Golden Oreos are the BEST, glad you’re on my team :D.
Jenn says
Omg my boys (and I) will love this cake! I’m going to try this one immediately!
Olivia says
Hi Jenn!! Aww I should have squirreled away some pieces for you guys! I hope you do try it :D. I’d recommend using hot water vs hot coffee in the cake. <3 xo
Kristen Chidsey says
My husband is an oreo fanatic! he will love this!
Olivia says
Thanks Kristen! I hope you try this :D.