Chocolate Oreo Cake

Why This Chocolate Oreo Cake Is Worth Making

Chocolate cake plus Oreos? What’s not to love!? Here are some of my favorite things about this delicious dessert.

• There is no such thing as “too many Oreos” here. This cake uses an entire package of Oreos, and they’re not hiding in the background. They’re in the buttercream. They’re between the layers. They’re on top. You won’t take a bite and wonder where the Oreo flavor is.
• The chocolate cake is incredibly moist. These layers bake up soft and rich with a tender crumb that stays that way for days. You can stack them high, load them with frosting, and still get clean, plush slices that don’t dry out or fall apart.
• Easy to make! No complicated techniques. No careful folding. No specialty steps. The batter comes together in one bowl, the buttercream starts with a simple base, and the ganache is just heat-and-pour. The payoff looks impressive, but the process isn’t fussy.

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 This 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.

Can I Make This Cake 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, 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.

Can I Use Different Pan Sizes?

Yes! The recipe below uses three 8-inch pans to make the cake layers, but you could also use:

• Two 9-inch pans – Bake time would be 40-45 minutes
• One 9×13 pan – Bake time is 40-45 minutes

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 Extra Cake

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 Recipes:

• 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