Cookies and Cream Cake is a layered chocolate cake with Oreo buttercream and crushed Oreo cookies in between the layers and on top of the cake. Try my Chocolate Cupcakes with Oreo Buttercream for another ‘cookies and cream’ treat.
Cookies and Cream Cake
This cookies and cream cake recipe all starts with my perfect chocolate cake recipe. It is a rich and decadent chocolate cake that is delicious on its own! But, when you layer in the creamy Oreo buttercream with added Oreo cookies, this cake really takes the cake, if you will.
Cookies and Cream Cake Ingredients
There are three main parts to this cookies and cream cake recipe–the chocolate cake, Oreo buttercream, and crushed Oreo cookies.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients will help you get the best results when baking the cake and making the buttercream. Butter is at room temperature at 65°F. Don’t put it in the microwave to soften it; simply cut it up into small pieces and let it sit out if you forgot to take it out of the refrigerator.
Buttermilk: The buttermilk should also be at room temperature. You can make your own buttermilk if you don’t have any on hand.
Coffee: Yes, there is brewed coffee in the cake recipe (use decaf or regular). The coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate. The cake does not taste like coffee at all… it simply tastes richer. If you simply must not use coffee, you can substitute hot water.
Oreo Cookies: Don’t forget about the cookies in this recipe. If you want your buttercream to have that signature velvety texture, make sure you finely chop the cookies (I use a food processor). The cookies can be more chopped for the topping.
Tips for Making the Perfect Cake
This is truly a moist and flavorful chocolate cake. Is there anything worse than dry cake? Nope! You will never have that problem with this recipe! Plus, the added coffee does magical things to the chocolate flavor. I used two 8-inch pans for my cake, but you can also use 9-inch pans. If using 9-inch, you will want to decrease the bake time by up to five minutes. And don’t forget to use GOOP to prepare your pans… it is the BEST! If you are making adaptations at a higher altitude, be sure to check out my High Altitude Baking Tips.
Can I Make the Frosting Ahead of Time?
Yes! Buttercream can be made in advance, so save yourself some time and make it ahead of time! Store in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for 3 months.
More Chocolate Cakes
Cookies and Cream Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (90 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup (112 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 g) freshly brewed hot coffee, I use decaf
Oreo Buttercream
- 2 cups (4 sticks / 453 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 cups (1,000 g) confectioners' sugar
- 20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed (approximately ½ cup)
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
Topping
- 10 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, or prepare with GOOP. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl and mix until combined.
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and mix just to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Equally pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet). Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Oreo Buttercream
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and smooth.
- Slowly add 2 cups of confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth. Pause to scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.
- 2 cups at a time, add the remaining confectioners' sugar, mixing until combined.
- Fold in Oreo crumbs, and mix until smooth.
- Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you desire.
Assembly
- Level the cakes and place one on a serving plate.
- Spread about 1 cup of buttercream evenly on the top, followed by a few of the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies.
- Add the second layer of cake and top with the remaining buttercream and more chopped Oreo cookies.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
This is my go-to cake. Every time I make it people ooh and ahh over it. I use whipped cream for the frosting instead because my family doesn’t like frosting. Delicious every time!
I was looking for the perfect recipe to see what I would use for my first homemade chocolate cake and this did not disappoint! It was so soft and moist. The ONLY modification I did was use the buttercream all over, no chocolate icing at all. My niece said this is the best cake I have ever made, and I think she is correct.
Why does the Oreo Buttercream for the cake look so much different than the Oreo Buttercream for the cupcakes? I like the way it looks on the recipe for the Cookies and Cream CAKE better. It looks more chocolatey.
I added a half cup of dutch processed cocoa powder to the icing to darken it up. It was still yummy!
Being allergic to milk is there a substitute for the buttermilk?
I will definitely try the recipe as it is written but have you ever tried it with your chocolate ermine frosting?
That would be so good!!
Friends & family love this recipe. A friend’s son requested I make this for his birthday after having it at our daughter’s birthday. Thank you so much for sharing your work. “It’s IamBaker” gets repeated a lot around here.
One of the best cakes I’ve ever made….my kids and grands were delighted! I always gave to kick up my recipes a notch, so I also added milk and dark chocolate chips after frosting each layer…..then extra Oreo chunks with whole Oreos on outside of cake.
So delicious and moist and flavorful! I made the sponge for a birthday cake recipe and it turned out so well. I made a circle base, then cut a second circle and put those two pieces upright to make a rainbow. Held up nicely and was still so soft and spongy!