Hello Oreo lovers, and welcome to my page 🙂 This 3 layer chocolate cake is topped with the smoothest Swiss meringue buttercream frosting and silky chocolate ganache. If you are a fan of cookies + cream, this cake is for you!
This is my husbands favorite cake, so it’s made about once a year (although I make a variation of this in sheet cake form throughout the year since it’s less work 🙂 ) I’ve been making this for him for the last 5 years so I decided it was time to share! Although it’s a little more complicated than my typical recipe, it really is easy to put together and guests will think you bought it from a bakery! My biggest tip is to allow the cakes to cool completely before assembly. If you try to build this too early while the cakes are warm everything will collapse and it will be a big mess (I know this from personal experience haha).
Swiss meringue tips:
Swiss meringue is a buttercream made using egg whites. It’s super smooth and taste like an airy marshmallow, which is perfect for a cookies and cream cake! Below are a few tips to ensure it comes out correct!
- Clean bowls and utensils: When making a Swiss meringue you have to ensure your bowl, whisk and stand mixer attachments are free from grease. If they aren’t, the meringue will not whip up. Either clean and entirely dry your equipment right before using or wipe them down with lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Only use egg whites: In order for this recipe to work you must only use egg whites. When separating your egg yolk from the whites, make sure to only use if there is no yolk in the mixture. Otherwise the recipe will not turn out correctly!
- Simmer your water: This buttercream is made on the stove by lightly cooking the sugar and egg whites together. Add 1-2 inches of water into a pot and rest your bowl on top. When the water is simmering you don’t want it to be high enough to hit the bowl.
- Whisk until no longer grainy: You will whisk the mixture is sitting over the simmering water. The whole process takes anywhere between 3-5 minutes, and you need to cook it until the sugar I entirely dissolved. The way to check this is to put a little of the mixture between your fingers and rub together. When it’s ready it will be completely smooth to the touch. If you pull it too early your Swiss meringue will be grainy.
This cake is the perfect desert for kids and adults of all ages. The rich chocolate cake and pillowy Oreo Swiss meringue make for the most incredible bite. If you’re craving cake but don’t want to fuss over the layers, try this link for other recipes! Please let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Cookies and Cream Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup strong coffee
For the Oreo Swiss meringue buttercream:
- 6 egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups salted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
For the chocolate ganache:
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 4 oz heavy cream
Garnishes:
- 1 cup Oreos, crushed
- 10 Oreos for decoration
Instructions
For the chocolate cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour (I use cocoa powder) 3 8 inch cake pans and set aside. In a medium bowl or stand mixer beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil until combined. Add in vanilla and eggs and beat until the eggs are fully incorporated, about 20 seconds.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and buttermilk to the mixture. Mix on slow until just combined. Add in hot coffee and mix on medium low speed until incorporated. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until baked through (sides of the cake will pull away from the pan and the center will spring back if you tap it). Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before flipping out of the pan onto a cookie sheet. Let cool completely before frosting.
For the Oreo Swiss Meringue buttercream:
- Whisk egg whites and sugar in a large glass bowl. Place over a small bot filled with 1-2 inches of simmering water. Whisk until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch, about 3-5 minutes.
- Once the mixture is smooth, remove from heat and beat in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand held mixer on medium high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5-10 minutes. Add in butter, one tablespoon, and beat until smooth. Add in vanilla, salt and Oreos. Stir until combined and set aside until needed.
For the chocolate ganache:
- Roughly chop the chocolate and add with the heavy cream to a small bowl. Microwave in 10 second increments, stirring in between each, until smooth. The ganache will thicken as it cools.
For assembly:
- Once the cakes had completely cooled, level the layers. Set aside about ½ cup of the buttercream to pipe on top. Set one layer down and add about ⅔ cup of the buttercream on top. Smooth until flat and sprinkle on about ½ cup of crushed Oreos. Repeat this process again. Add on the final layer on top and cover with the rest of the buttercream. Spread chocolate ganache on top and pipe on the buttercream in a border. Place full Oreos on top, slice and serve! This cake is good for 3 days covered with saran wrap in the fridge.
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