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This Chocolate Oreo Cake is to die for. Three layers of moist chocolate cake are filled and frosted with chocolaty, Oreo-packed buttercream, plus more Oreos are layered between the cake layers. It’s an Oreo lover’s dream.
Table of Contents
- Rich & Decadent Chocolate Oreo Cake
- Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake with Oreo Buttercream
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make Chocolate Oreo Cake
- Can This Chocolate Layer Cake Be Prepared in Advance?
- Tips for Success
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store Leftovers
- More Oreo Cake Recipes:
- Watch How To Make Oreo Cake
- Get the Recipe
Rich & Decadent Chocolate Oreo Cake
I am such a big fan of desserts made with Oreos, as you can see with from all my dessert recipes made with Oreos. The flavor is just so good. This cake combines the wonderful Oreo cookie with cake and chocolate. The result is one delicious dessert that is nothing short of a dream come true.
Three layers of tender, moist chocolate cake are stacked on top of one another, filled with thick layers of fluffy, Oreo-filled buttercream. Between each cake layer there is also more chopped Oreos! There’s no shortage of Oreo flavor in this cake! It is then frosted with more Oreo buttercream, drizzled with a rich chocolate ganache, and decorated with buttercream swirls and whole Oreos. It’s practically irresistible.
And even better – it’s super easy to make! The chocolate cake itself is my classic chocolate cake recipe that is super moist and gets into the oven in about 10 minutes. The buttercream is also a classic vanilla buttercream that’s easy to make – you just have to grind up the Oreos to flavor it!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Cake with Oreo Buttercream
Chocolate cake plus Oreos? What’s not to love!? Here are some of my favorite things about this delicious dessert.
- Packed with Oreos. If you love Oreos as much as I do, this is the cake for you. The recipe uses an entire package of these delicious sandwich cookies. Between the frosting and the garnish, you will not miss an Oreo in a single bite.
- The cake is so moist. The layers of cake themselves are some of the moistest ever. Your search for the perfect chocolate cake is over. It’s amazing.
- No fancy mixing method. Some cakes require a lot of fancy whipping, fluffing, and folding. Not this one. Just mix everything together right in the bowl. It’s as simple as that.
What You’ll Need
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this decadent, Oreo-filled chocolate layer cake. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
Chocolate cake
- All-purpose flour – Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free substitute instead.
- Sugar
- Natural unsweetened cocoa powder – You can use dutch processed cocoa powder for a more bitter chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda – For the optimal rise and cake texture.
- Salt – For flavor. Don’t leave it out.
- Large eggs – It is best if the eggs are at room temperature. They will incorporate into the batter more easily, helping to prevent over-mixing.
- Milk – For more moisture and fat.
- Vegetable oil – For a super moist cake.
- Vanilla extract – For a little extra flavor.
- Boiling water – The hot water will help the flavors in the cocoa powder “bloom”, yielding a more powerful chocolate flavor.
Oreo Buttercream
- Butter – The butter should be at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – For volume and consistency.
- Oreo crumbs – To flavor the buttercream. I like to put my Oreos in a food processor and grind into crumbs.
- Vanilla extract – Also for flavor.
- Heavy cream – To give the frosting creaminess and the best consistency.
- Oreos
Chocolate Ganache and Toppings
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Heavy whipping cream
- Oreos
How to Make Chocolate Oreo Cake
Cake. Buttercream. Ganache. Just three simple components and you’ll be ready to assemble one of the best layer cakes on the planet. Here’s how to do it. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
Chocolate cake
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F, line the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles, and grease the sides.
- Make the cake batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, and vegetable oil and mix to combine. Add vanilla to the boiling water and mix into the batter.
- Bake. Divide batter between the three cake pans and bake for 30-33 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool for 5-10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Oreo buttercream
- Beat the butter until smooth.
- Mix in half of the powdered sugar followed by the vanilla and Oreo crumbs. Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar. Slowly mix in the heavy cream until you get a smooth consistency.
- Set aside 3 1/2 cups of the buttercream and add chopped Oreos to the rest.
To assemble
- Level the cakes. Use a serrated knife to remove the cake domes.
- Stack and fill. Place first layer of cake on cake plate and spread half of the icing with chopped Oreos on top in an even layer. Repeat with the second cake and the second half of the icing with Oreos. Top with the last cake layer.
- Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Make the chocolate ganache. Heat the heavy whipping cream until it begins to boil. Pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes and whisk until smooth.
- Finish the cake. Drizzle the chocolate ganache around the edge of the cake and spread the remainder over the top. Allow the ganache to firm up before piping the remainder of the frosting around the top edge of the cake. Add Oreos between swirls.
Can This Chocolate Layer Cake Be Prepared in Advance?
Yes! You can prepare all of the elements for this cake (aside from the ganache) in advance. Bake the cakes, allow them to cool, and store them in an air-tight container or cake carrier (or wrap them in clear wrap) until you are ready to assemble the cake. You can also make the buttercream a day or two in advance so long as you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When you are ready to enjoy this delicious dessert, bring your buttercream to room temperature (it’ll be very hard straight out of the fridge). Then all you have to do is stack, fill, frost, and decorate the cake.
Tips for Success
Layer cakes can feel intimidating, I get it. Rest assured, though. This chocolate Oreo cake will turn out perfectly if you follow a few simple tips and tricks.
- Measure carefully. Especially the flour. If you don’t have a food scale, I recommend spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it.
- Room temperature ingredients. The eggs in the cake batter as well as the butter in the buttercream should be at room temperature before beginning. The eggs will incorporate into the batter more easily, preventing you from over-mixing. Starting with room-temperature butter will set you up for a smooth, creamy buttercream as opposed to a lumpy one.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing the batter will cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop giving you a tough, overly dense cake.
- Frost with ease. Check out my tutorial for how to frost a smooth cake while the cake is cooling.
- Study up on how to make the perfect chocolate ganache.
Serving Suggestions
This chocolate layer cake is magnificent on its own but that doesn’t mean you can’t doll it up with a topping or two or wash it down with a delicious beverage. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it.
- Ice cream. Serve this Oreo cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Feeling adventurous? Whip up a batch of my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream or this Birthday Cake Ice Cream.
- Whipped cream. Pick up a tub of Cool Whip or hop in the kitchen and make Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe. You could even try my Baileys Chocolate Whipped Cream. Yum.
- Sauce. Drizzle this Easy Caramel Sauce or my Easy Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce over a slice of this chocolate cake with oreo buttercream.
How to Store Leftovers
If you find yourself with leftovers, store this cake in an airtight cake carrier in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. No cake carrier? No problem. Wrap the cake in a double layer of saran wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Use toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the cake decorations. Already sliced it? Arrange the slices in a single layer in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.
If you want to freeze the cake, do so before assembling it. Wrap the cooled cake layers in clear wrap and aluminum foil and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy, allow the layers to thaw in the refrigerator before stacking, frosting, and decorating.
More Oreo Cake Recipes:
I love Oreos. And I love cake. So naturally, I have done my best to dream up as many cakes featuring Oreos as my imagination will allow. Here are some of my favorites.
- No-Bake Funfetti Oreo Birthday Cake Cheesecake
- Oreo Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cake
- Ultimate Oreo Cheesecake
- Oreo Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake
- No Bake Oreo Cheesecake
- Oreo Brookie Ice Cream Cake
- Oreo Brookie Layer Cake
- Oreo Brookie Cheesecake
- Cookies and Cream Layer Cake
Watch How To Make Oreo Cake
PrintChocolate Oreo Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 58 minutes
- Yield: 14-16 Slices
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Chocolate Oreo Cake is to die for! A moist chocolate cake full of Oreo icing! And not just any Oreo icing – it is FULL of crushed up Oreos. An Oreo lover’s dream.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour (measured properly)
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
Oreo Buttercream and Chopped Oreo Filling
- 3 cups (672g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8–9 cups (920g-1035g) powdered sugar
- 3 cups (414g) Oreo crumbs (about 33 Oreos)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6–7 tbsp (90ml-105ml) heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 12 Oreos, chopped
Chocolate Ganache
- 6 oz (1 cup | 169g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
- Oreos, optional
NOTE: You’ll need at least one full package of Oreos. If you plan to decorate the outside of the cake with more Oreos, as shown, you might need a second package.
Instructions
- Make the cakes. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides.
- Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
- Add eggs, milk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.
- Divide batter between three cakes pans and bake at 300 degrees for about 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
- Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
- Make icing while cakes cool. Beat together butter until smooth.
- Slowly add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add vanilla, Oreo crumbs and salt and mix until smooth.
- Add another 4-5 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add heavy cream, as needed, until you get a smooth consistency.
- To make the filling for inside the cake, measure out about 3 1/2 cups of Oreo buttercream and add chopped Oreos. Set chopped Oreo filling aside. Set remaining Oreo buttercream aside as well.
- Assemble the cake. Once cakes are cool, remove cake domes from top with a large serrated knife.
- Place first layer of cake on cake plate. Spread 1/2 of the chopped Oreo filling on top in an even layer.
- Add second layer of cake and add the rest of the chopped Oreo filling on top in an even layer.
- Add final layer of cake on top and frost the outside of the cake with the Oreo buttercream frosting. Feel free to use my tutorial for how to frost a smooth cake.
- To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl (see my tips on making chocolate ganache).
- Heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle the chocolate ganache around the edge of the cake, then pour the remainder of the ganache on top of the cake and spread evenly. I like to use a squeeze bottle for drizzling around the edges.
- Allow the ganache to firm up a bit, then pipe the remainder of the frosting around the top edge of the cake (see my tips on making a chocolate drip cake) and add an Oreo between each swirl. I used Ateco tip 844.
- Sprinkle a few Oreo crumbs onto to the cake, if desired, then serve. Cake is best when well covered for 3-4 days.
Notes
Feel free to reduce the overall amount of buttercream if you plan on decorating your cake differently. I use a fair amount based on my method of how to decorate a smooth cake (linked in the recipe instructions above).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 995
- Sugar: 93.8 g
- Sodium: 398 mg
- Fat: 60.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 114.7 g
- Protein: 5.7 g
- Cholesterol: 79.1 mg
Enjoy!
Where did the recipe go?! I was going to make this for my daughter’s birthday this weekend?
I’m so sorry for the trouble! There was an issue today that affected thousands of sites – mine included. It looks like it’s been resolved, so you should be able to access it here now. Sorry about that!
I saved this recipe on my pinterest & I purchased all of the ingredients today… only to get home & Pinterest tell me it’s been removed & now I can’t find it on google. Could someone send me this recipe & instructions please.
I’m so sorry for the trouble! There was an issue today that affected thousands of sites – mine included. It looks like it’s been resolved, so you should be able to access it here now. Sorry about that!
Hi Lindsay, Thank you for sharing this recipe. I would like to know if we can use this recipe for cupcakes.
Yes, you can. You can actually find that here.
QUICK QUESTION. FOR THE OREO CRUMBS THAT YOU ADD…DO YOU LEAVE IN THE WHITE PART OF THE OREO?
Yes, you do.
Hi! Can I just check if your recipe is 300 degrees fahrenheit? I’m in the UK and we use celsius and 150 degrees celsius seems quite low…
Recipe looks amazing, I’m making it now!
Thanks!
Yes, it’s fahrenheit. 🙂 It’s a lower temperature than normal, but it’s correct.
What happened to your recipe? When I click the link on Pinterest it tells me page not found. Wanted to make this cake again this weekend,
I’m so sorry for the trouble! There was an issue today that affected thousands of sites – mine included. It looks like it’s been resolved, so you should be able to access it here now. Sorry about that!
Sorry to say that I just made this cake and had to throw the sponge away. They were made as per the recipe and came out of the oven looking great. But on cooling they shrank away from the side of the tin and lost their rise. I continued to turn them out, but they were overly sticky and claggy. I am an experienced baker and never seem to get on with American recipes. I think the translation from cups to grams and fahrenheit to celsius never really works.
I’m sorry you had trouble with it. I always measure with grams, so I know those measurements are correct. Perhaps the baking soda needs to be replaced? Or possibly more was added on accident? That actually sounds like something that happens when there’s too much leavener (baking soda).
Hi, oh wow this cake looks unbelievably delicious. Can I just ask, why have you chosen special dark cocoa for this recipe? Does it taste better than natural cocoa?
We do not get Hershey’s special dark cocoa in Australia. Can I use 50% natural cocoa and 50% Dutch processed cocoa as a substitute.
Thanks!
You could really use either. I’ve used both the special version and the regular cocoa. I originally used the dark version because the color mirrored the dark color of the Oreos. 🙂 I haven’t used half and half like that, so I’m not totally sure. Definitely all natural cocoa would work just fine.
Would I still want to use simple syrup on this cake?
This recipe does not call for simple syrup.
How would I make adjustments using 6 inch pans?
6inch pans should be fine, but I haven’t done it myself, so I don’t know what the adjustments for time would be and how much batter you’d need, I’m sorry.
Loved this recipe. I used a good processor to make the Oreo crumbs. Turned out great!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
reading the comments has me confused- is this recipe for 8” pans or 9”? if it’s 8”, do you think 9” would still work with the ingredient volumes as listed? and do you know what the cooking time would be for 9”? thank you so much. can’t wait to try this beautiful cake with such rave reviews!
It’s for 8 inch pans but you can use 9 inch without a problem. You’ll just need to keep an eye on baking time. They’ll probably need a little bit longer in the oven.
Hi, this recipe looks amazing. Excited to make it for my daughter’s birthday in a couple of weeks.
I just have one question; how deep were the 8 inch pans you used for this recipe?
Thanks!
I used 8×2 inch pans. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi, what size/type of piping nozzle did you use for the rosettes on top of the cake please?
I use Ateco tip 844 for those swirls, which is similar to the Wilton 1M.
Delicious! My daughter loves Oreos, so I made it for her birthday.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
I Love this recipe, I’ve made this Cakes so many times since I got it!!! Thanks so much for sharing…..
I’m so glad to hear you love it! Thanks Lavona!
I made the icing portion and it was delicious!!! It wasn’t too heavy, and tasted amazing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Hi! I’m planning on making this for Thanksgiving! Just wanted to know if there were a preference in using the darker non-stick cake pans vs lighter cake pans?
I have lighter pans and like them. Dark pans would be fine, but it might bake a little more quickly. 🙂
How much batter goes In each pan trying to measure it out.
I would recommend pouring equal amounts into the 3 cake pans.