Chocolate Oreo Cake

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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.

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!

A slice of chocolate Oreo cake on a plate with a fork.

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.
Mixing Oreo buttercream frosting.
  • 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.
An Oreo cake drizzled with chocolate ganache.
  • 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.

A slice of chocolate Oreo cake on a plate.

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.

Chocolate Oreo cake on a cake stand near Oreos.

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.

Watch How To Make Oreo Cake

Read Transcript

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side view of Chocolate Oreo Cake
Recipe

Chocolate Oreo Cake

  • Author: Lindsay Conchar
  • 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
  • 89 cups (920g-1035g) powdered sugar
  • 3 cups (414g) Oreo crumbs (about 33 Oreos)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 67 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

  1. Make the cakes. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides.
  2. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
  3. Add eggs, milk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
  4. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.
  5. 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.
  6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
  7. Make icing while cakes cool. Beat together butter until smooth.
  8. Slowly add 4 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  9. Add vanilla, Oreo crumbs and salt and mix until smooth.
  10. Add another 4-5 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add heavy cream, as needed, until you get a smooth consistency.
  11. 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.
  12. Assemble the cake. Once cakes are cool, remove cake domes from top with a large serrated knife.
  13. Place first layer of cake on cake plate. Spread 1/2 of the chopped Oreo filling on top in an even layer.
  14. Add second layer of cake and add the rest of the chopped Oreo filling on top in an even layer.
  15. 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.
  16. To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl (see my tips on making chocolate ganache).
  17. 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.
  18. 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.
  19. 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.
  20. 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

Categories

Enjoy!

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921 Comments
      1. Lindsay

        I wouldn’t recommend it. The cake will take forever to bake, bake unevenly and turn out very dense.

  1. Ama

    Hi I want to make this cake for my brothers birthday but my mum doesn’t want it to be too sugary so if I reduced the sugar to around 300g will that make the batter too small 

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t tried it before with reduced sugar, so I can’t way what kind of difference that’ll make. I do know that sugar also adds moisture to cake though, so it could alter the final texture of the cake.

  2. Ama

    Hi i wanted to make this for my brother’s birthday. you used 3 8 inch baking tins . i only have 1 20cm cake tin which is ok cause its approx 8 inches but i wanted to ask cause i don’t have enough could i put them in one at a time or would it not work.

    1. Lindsay

      I wouldn’t put it all in one pan. It won’t bake evenly and it’ll turn out more dense than it’s meant to be.

  3. Julia

    Hello!
    I find this recipe amazing and I would like to try it so I have a few questions:
    1. Can you use one pan for baking the cake and after letting it cool, just slice it in 3 parts?
    2. What do you suggest to grease the sides of the pan with?
    3. Can you use separately the filling and the crumbs from Oreos while making the icing?
    Thank you!

    1. Lindsay

      I wouldn’t suggest one pan – the cake likely won’t bake evenly and will turn out more dense than it should. I grease my pans with bakers joy usually. And I’m not sure I understand #3, but you don’t need to separate the filling from the Oreos.

  4. Nicole Andreola

    Hello! Want to make this chocolate cake as a sheet cake for my sons birthday. Would a 9×13 work? Or should I go bigger? Really looking forward to making this! 

  5. Oksana

    Hi there, 
    I’m in the middle of making my batter but I can’t decide about the icing. Would this work with Oreo cream cheese icing instead?






  6. Katie O

    I made this cake today for my grandpa’s 80th birthday celebration and it was a HIT! Decadent, rich, perfection! Thanks for a great recipe!






  7. Nicole

    Made this cake last weekend and it was a hit! The batter was SO easy! I need to make a marbled cake and now I’m obsessed with this cake recipe – do you think I can just leave out the cocoa powder for the vanilla portion of the marble?
    Thanks! 






  8. Olivia

    This cake is a 10 out of 10 for me! I have made this cake many times and loved it, those that eat it loves it too! I also use this recipe ANY time I need a chocolate cake!! I really do not trust anyone else chocolate cake recipe!  LoL😀 Thanks so much!! I was going to use this recipe for cupcakes, but I see you have a chocolate cupcake recipe!






  9. Teagan

    I’ve tried so many chocolate cake recipes before and everyone is dry and dense.
    But this one is the BEST ONE i have probably ever made! Its moist and chocolatey!
    Also you could add 1/2 cup of coffee/expresso and other 1/2 water to enhanse chocolate flavor.
    Definitely recommend!!






      1. Teagan

        Sorry another question… to make oreo crumbs did u put in food processor or put them in a bag and use a rolling pin? Just because i found it hard to pipe rosettes on top of cake because big pieces of oreo got stuck in piping tip.
        Thanks






      2. Lindsay

        I used the food processor. That should help with piping, but even so, a frosting filled with something like cookie crumbs is going to be harder to pipe with a closed star tip. Little bits of things will just commonly get stuck.

  10. Katrina

    Hello i have a question,So im thinking of mking this cake today. Instead of me using 3 9x3inch cake layers i want to make 2 Cake layers and 1 baked Cheesecake layer. Will.the frosting recipe be enough for me to frost the cake??

    1. Lindsay

      That kind of depends on how much frosting you tend to use. I am a little heavy handed with mine, so I might need a little more. But some people would probably find it to be enough.

  11. Rioghna

    How much are the cakes meant to rise. When I made mine they didnt really rise at all. Not sure if this was a mistake i made or not?

    1. Lindsay

      They should definitely rise quite a bit considering how thin the batter is. It sounds like maybe the baking soda got left out?

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29