Chocolate Oreo Layer Cake

I was invited to a very dear 11 year old boy’s birthday party. I offered to bake the cake and his mum was delighted to let me do it. His favorite ingredient is chocolate and so I decided to bake a chocolate cake with Oreo’s in it. That was the biggest surprise when the cake was cut – ‘Oh goodness – does it have Oreo’s inside? ‘. I have made an Oreo cookie birthday cake before and used more of a chocolate cake batter but I wanted this one to be lighter. I looked up one of my favorite chef personalities Ina Garten and this is a take on her Double-Chocolate layer cake.

I do not always have buttermilk in the fridge so I keep powdered buttermilk on hand and make it as needed.

I will say it was a hit. The birthday boy loved it and had two pieces. Then when I was taking the cake plate with me. He asked his mum ‘Do I get to keep the cake?’ Cutest thing ever!. I got a huge compliment from my mum. She said ‘Its your best cake ever!’

I am sorry that I do not have the times that I did to make the cake and frostings – but overall prep time should not be more than 20 minutes for the cake and 15 for each of the icings.

Ingredients

For the cake

1 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot coffee (1 1/2 tablespoon of instant Nestle coffee)

1 package double stuffed Oreos

For the filling

Oreo cookies crushed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter + 2 tablespoons, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream

1 cup milk chocolate chips or good quality milk chocolate
Oreo cookies to decorate

Method

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter two 8 inch by 2 inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Butter the paper.

Whisk dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, sea salt) in a stand mixer. Whisk the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla (I use the electric whisk). Add this to the dry mixture and whisk until just incorporated.

With tongs dip 12 Oreo cookies in the hot coffee to soften just a bit and set aside. Add the hot coffee and whisk to incorporate. The batter will be very liquid. Pour the batter equally into the prepared pans. Distribute 6 Oreos per pan and make sure they are submerged.

Bake the cakes for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Take the cakes out and let them cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, remove them from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Filling

Reserve 8-9 Oreo cookies and set aside. Crush the remaining in a food processor or seal in a plastic bag and run a rolling pin over them till they are finely crushed.

Cream butter in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. If your paddle attachment does not have a scraper, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl at least twice. Add confectioners sugar a half cup at a time beating well between each addition. Add the crushed Oreo cookies, vanilla and milk and beat. The filling should be fairly thick but spreadable. If it is too firm add a teaspoon of milk to reach spreading consistency.

For the frosting

Microwave the chocolate with the 2 tablespoons of butter for 20 seconds. Then go for two to three 5 second bursts making sure the butter has melted. Stir the butter chocolate mixture making sure that all the chocolate has melted and let it cool. If the chocolate has not melted microwave again in short 5 second bursts stirring between each burst.

Cream the 1/2 cup of butter in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, half the sugar and half the milk/cream and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining sugar and milk and beat again until incorporated. Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat until incorporated. Again if you feel the icing is not going to spread at this time add a little more milk/cream.

To assemble

Place one cooled cake flat side down on your cake plate. Place strips of parchment   under the edges of the cake. This will help you have a clean cake stand at the end. Spread your filling on the top of the cake in an even layer.

Place the second cake – flat side (parchment side) up on top of the filling. Press down gently to get an even top. Using an offset spatula scrape off any filling that has squeezed out.

Pour your frosting over the top of the cake and using a clean offset spatula push it gently towards the edges and let it drip over. Then using your offset spatula turn your cake plate slowly and using your offset spatula make an even edge. Gently pull out the pieces of parchment paper and you have neat edges!.

Now split the remaining Oreo cookies and scrape off the filling. Use the Oreo halfs to decorate the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for about an hour. Take it out of the fridge for about 15 minutes before you serve it.

 

 

 

Oreo Cookie Cake

When you have a blog you have to have a schedule to make sure you can put note and blog about what you do. My schedule is set on my calendar but as you can tell that did not work really well for me. I had a lot of things come up and while I continued my cooking and baking none of it made it past the kitchen – or rather I should say past my friends delighted palettes.

One would think that it being the New Year I have started off with a new resolution. Well I will say this I am not about New Years resolutions but I am going to try to keep up with the blog. It helps me in a couple of ways :

1. I get a list of what I have made and how I made it
2. Whenever someone needs a recipe – its already published

So here is my first cake of the year. One of my very dear friends wanted an Oreo cake for his birthday. I was thrilled to have him ask me to make it. He throws the most fabulous parties, for a very tasty spread with wonderful drinks to go with it. I had never made an Oreo cookie cake before but it is apparently quite popular. I did a fair bit of research to figure out whether I wanted to bake with Oreo’s in the cake or just have Oreo frosting. I also tried to decide whether I wanted to frost the sides of the cake of just leave them ‘Au Natural’. Guess which one won the contest.

This is a really simple cake to make. You can choose to double the icing and frost the top if you like and the sides.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the filling

• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups finely crushed Oreo cookies
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the chocolate ganache

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup corn syrup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bases of two 9 inch baking pans with parchment paper.
2. Whisk 1st 5 dry ingredients together and set aside
3. Cream butter for a few minutes and then add the sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy about 5 minutes
4. Add the eggs one at a time making sure each is incorporated before adding the next one.
5. Add the vanilla extract and then the buttermilk in a slow stream continuing to whisk.
6. Finally add the dry ingredients in two batches. Do not overbeat the batter.
7. Divide the batter equally between the cake pans
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake
9. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then carefully remove them. Let the cool completely on a rack if you are icing them the same day. If not double wrap them in cling wrap and freeze them.

For the filling

1. Cream the butter for a few minutes and then add the crushed Oreo’s and beat until incorporated.
2. Add the sugar one cup at a time beating until incorporated
3. Add the heavy cream and vanilla.

For the chocolate ganache (Make this after you have assembled the cake)

1. Heat the heavy cream in a microwave until hot but not boiling. It takes about a minute and a half. Pour the cream over the chocolate and corn syrup.
2. Let it sit for about 10 to 15 seconds and then start stirring slowly.
3. Keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted use immediately.

Assembling the cake

1. If you have frozen the cake take it out.
2. I normally level the cake by cutting off the top, but that is not by any means necessary
3. Brush with simple syrup (1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup water, boiled for about 5 minutes).
4. Layer on the filling and spread evenly across the 1st cake
5. Repeat with the next layer (level and brush with syrup)
6. Put the cut side down onto the filling
7. Make your chocolate ganache
8. Pour over the cake and decorate with Oreo cookies. I used smaller Oreo cookies that were separated on the side

 

Oreo Cookie Balls

Oreo truffes

I had these over two years ago at Mandy’s house for a Christmas Party. The food was incredible and so well laid out and the punch was every so ‘delicious’. Apparently I liked it so much I had quite a bit of it along with a generous helping of these delicious truffles. I had to ask what they were as the taste was so familiar but I just could not put  my finger on it. Mandy was kind enough to tell me how to make them. They are simple and every so yummy. You can coat them with just about anything that you like – white chocolate, sprinkles – just put them on before the chocolate has set.

Recipe

• 16oz oreo cookies (the three row pack)
• 8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
• 8 oz nestles chocolate block
• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Method

Use your food processor to grind the cookies into a fine powder. Put in the cream cheese and process until its forms a dough. I used a small cookie scoop to get the same sized balls. Roll them between your palms to form a ball. Place on a silicone  (or parchment) lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for at least a half hour.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Dip each ball into the chocolate to coat. You can use two forks or chocolate dipping tools to get it coated. Place it back on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle your decorations on now. Then refrigerate after you have done all of them. I rolled half of them in sweetened coconut flakes right after dipping them in chocolate. They were yummy as well.