COOKIES AND CREAM!!!!!! I love cookies and I love cake but it never occurred to me to put them together until my husband Brian requested an Oreo cake for his birthday, so I whipped up my moistest vanilla cake, folded in chopped Oreos and a delicious cake was born. This cake is officially one of my TOP posts and I think it’s the play of creamy and crunch in this moist fluffy cake that gives the recipe an edge. You should also check out my oreo cookie ball recipe! If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.
How do you make Oreo frosting?
The buttercream is just beyond, something about all those crushed Oreos works some serious magic. Feel free to use it on everything. There’s also a swirl of ganache because chocolate and it’s absolutely delicious.
About This Oreo Cake
For those who prefer more crunch in each bite try substituting the ganache between each layer for chopped cookies!
Don’t forget the BEST BEST BEST part: the buttercream!!! I’ll be honest and tell you that I’ve never craved an Oreo — or eaten more than a couple at a time — but when crushed and blended into buttercream, they’re AMAZING!!!
If you want the EASIEST cake hack ever, just whip up some of this stuff. Cover anything in it and you’ll be an instant hero! Channel your inner superman and make this crowd pleaser.
For the Drip:
I love the look of a chocolate ganache drip. One of the main problems people have when making a drip cake is the consistency and i’m not going to lie, it can be a bit tricky! It might seem perfect when you mix it but the ganache cools quickly and a thickens.
How to Get it JUST Right:
I always warm my ganache up right before adding it and often test it on a plate I’m holding vertically to make sure I’m getting the type of drip that I want. You can also add more cream to loosen up the consistency.
How to make an Oreo Cake
1. Butter and flour three 6- inch pans. I use cake strips on my pans for more even baking as well. Preheat oven to 340F. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. In a standing mixture fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat the dry ingredients into the butter until well incorporated, scrape the bowl at least once. Add the wet to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
4. Fold in the crushed Oreos at the very end and mix until just combined. Divide the mixture evenly into the cake pans. Bake at 340 for about 25-30 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch.
5. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and cream and mix. Reserve about a cup of the buttercream for the white dollops. Which will be piped with an 869 tip.
6. Mix in the crushed Oreos into the large batch of buttercream. Melt chocolate and cream together on low heat. Whisk together and set aside. You might need to add more or less cream to achieve the desired consistency.
7. Oreo buttercream goes between each layer, you can pipe it on or apply with a spatula.
8. Swirl chocolate between each layer. Don’t go overboard with the ganache as it will overpower the other flavors.
9. Coat outside of the Oreo cake with buttercream and smooth.
10. Add a skirt of crushed Oreos at the bottom of the cake.
11. Pour the ganache on top and allow to drip. Smooth top with an offset spatula.
12. Finally pipe white buttercream dollops on top with an 869 tip.
Pro Tips for this recipe
- Try not to chop the Oreos too finely. You want some crunch in the cake after baking.
- Fold the cookie bits in last and try to evenly distribute them.
- Use a kitchen scale to make sure each pan has an equal amount of batter in it. If you don’t have one try using a toothpick in the center to measure the height of the batter, like an oil gauge!
- Just as a hint; if you use cake strips when baking you’ll get a flat top and more tender sides. Cake strips are just wet fabric you wrap around the edge of the cake pans. You can make your own or buy a set online, I have a blog post on them and they are a game-changer!!
- Before you add the ganache for the drip, test the consistency on a plate you’re holding perpendicular to the floor. If the ganache is too thick add a tablespoon of cream and you might need to heat the mixture as well.
- You can make the cake layers in advance, wrap them up and store at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for three days.
If you’ve made this Oreo cake recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

Oreo Cake
Video
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temp (170g)
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature (120g)
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature (120ml)
- 1 cup chopped Oreos (120g)
For the Buttercream:
- 1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature (340g)
- 5 cups confectioners' sugar (600g)
- 1⅓ cups crushed Oreos (165g)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (60ml)
- Pinch salt
For the Ganache:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (180g)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use cake strips on my pans for more even baking.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
- In a standing mixture fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients into the butter, and mix on low speed until well incorporated, scrape the bowl at least once.
- Combine the egg whites, sour cream, milk, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the wet ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Fold in the crushed Oreos until just combined. Divide the mixture evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans, then remove them.
For the Buttercream:
- Beat the butter on medium speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners' sugar and cream. Continue mixing until smooth and fluffy.
- Reserve about a cup of the buttercream for the white dollops. Place in a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (#869 tip).
- Mix the crushed Oreos into the remaining buttercream.
For the Ganache:
- Melt chocolate and cream together in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking well, until smooth and combined. Set aside. (You might need to add more cream to achieve the desired consistency for dripping if the chocolate is too thick.)
For the Assembly:
- Spread a layer of Oreo buttercream on top of one cake layer, and add a swirl of chocolate ganache. (Don't go overboard with the ganache as it will overpower the other flavors.) Top with another cake layer, buttercream and ganache.
- Add the final cake layer, then coat all over the outside of the cake with buttercream.
- Add a skirt of crushed Oreos at the bottom of the cake, if desired, by pressing Oreo cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake with your hand.
- Pour the ganache on top and allow it to drip down the side. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Pipe white buttercream dollops on top with an 869 tip. Chill the cake for 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
Baking Tips
- You can make the cake layers in advance, wrap them up and store at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for three days.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set online or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!
- Before you add the ganache for the drip test the consistency on a plate you're holding perpendicular to the floor. If the ganache is too thick add a tablespoon of cream and you might need to heat the mixture as well.
- Try not to chop the Oreos too finely. You want some crunch in the cake after baking.
- Fold the cookie bits in last and try to evenly distribute them.
- Use a kitchen scale to make sure each pan has an equal amount of batter in it. If you don't have one try using a toothpick in the center to measure the height of the batter, like an oil gauge!
Nutrition
Jo says
hi – your cakes always look amazing, I’m looking to make this one on the weekend, how long can this cake be kept (boxed up) before giving to someone?
John K. says
Jo,
If you want to completely finish it, pop it into the fridge completely covered! It should stay fresh for a few days!
John
Kcee says
Hi John! Will definitely bake this on our anniversary. This is my boyfriend’s favorite flavor of all time! If i will make this cake in two 9-inch pans, how long will be the baking time? And also what kind of butter did you use for the frosting? Thanks!
John K. says
Kcee,
Check the centers after about 25 minutes! Also, I used unsalted butter for the buttercream!
John
Adeeba says
Can I make chocolate buttercream ?
John says
Hi Adeeba — I highly recommend using the type of buttercream listed. That said, the chocolate buttercream will not affect the rest of the recipe. If you prefer it, make it! Let me know how it comes out. Best, John.
Fenna says
Hi John, thanks for sharing the recipe. Would the buttercream freeze well? Thank you!
jkanell says
Hey there,
I didn’t freeze this buttercream but I believe it would be ok! Hope that helps!
Yolanda says
So the bake time is correct 340f , not 350
John says
Hi Yolanda — Yes, the bake time is 340F. Hope this helps. Best, John.
K. says
AMAZING!!!
Sanya says
Hi,
I want to make this for my husbands birthday. Do I double quantities if I want to serve about 20 guests?
Thanks!!
John says
Hi Sanya — this cake typically serves 8 people. I would triple the recipe if you have 20 guests — this way — you’ll have 24 slices available to them. Hope this helps! Best, John.
Sanya says
Thank you. If I triple quantities should I use 3 9inch cake pans?
Larissa says
I made these into cupcakes for a party and they were a huge hit! Minor changes I made were adding salt to both the batter and buttercream to help bring out the flavors as well as adding more cookies to each because Who doesn’t love more cookies? I ended up having to add more cream to the buttercream to get a smoother consistency, but it turned out perfect. I skipped the ganache as I felt it was unecesary for cupcakes. I’m sure it would have been great either way though.
John says
Hi Larissa — I’m glad to hear it worked out for you! Best, John.
Ashley says
For the buttercream should I use unsalted or salted butter?
John says
Hi Ashley– I recommend using unsalted butter and adding salt to taste. It’s up to you. Thanks, John.
Ina says
Hi John,
For the buttercream, can I add sourcream to balance the sweetness of 5 cups conf sugar? If not, how to reduce the sweetness without changing the texture?
John says
Hi Ina — I am sure that would work. If it does, let me know how it tastes! 🙂 Best, John.