Description
Soft, moist black velvet cake layers with rich Oreo-like cocoa flavor and creamy cookies and cream buttercream make this Oreo Layer Cake Recipe a fun dessert for birthdays, celebrations, and Oreo lovers.
Ingredients
- Black Velvet Cake:
- 2 cups (265 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 2/3 cups (340 g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (60 g) black cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) hot coffee or hot water
- Cookies & Cream Buttercream:
- 13 Oreo cookies (139 g)
- 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups (540 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
- Pinch of salt, or to taste
- Optional Garnish:
- 12 Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Preheat a conventional oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 6-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment or wax-paper circles.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds.
- Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk. Mix just until combined.
- Slowly pour in the hot coffee or hot water while mixing on low. Then beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. The batter should look quite thin.
- Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Fill each pan no more than two-thirds full.
- Bake for 32 to 36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool completely.
- Process 13 Oreo cookies into very fine crumbs. Stop before the cookies turn into a paste.
- Beat the butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until pale and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar while mixing on low speed. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the vanilla, whole milk, and salt. Mix for another 1 to 2 minutes until smooth.
- Add the finely crushed Oreo crumbs and mix on low until evenly combined.
- Level the completely cooled cake layers if necessary.
- Stack the cake layers with cookies and cream buttercream between each layer.
- Cover the cake with a thin crumb coat. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cover the chilled cake with the remaining buttercream and smooth the top and sides.
- For the pictured decoration, reserve 8 garnish Oreos. Roughly chop the remaining garnish cookies and press the pieces around the lower third of the cake.
- Pipe the remaining buttercream in swirls around the top. Place a whole Oreo between the swirls.
- Serve the decorated Oreo layer cake at room temperature for the softest cake and creamiest buttercream.`),
- notes:p(`Black cocoa gives the cake its darkest color and characteristic Oreo-like chocolate flavor. You can substitute an equal amount of Dutch-processed cocoa or Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa, although the cake will look dark brown instead of black.
- To make a buttermilk substitute, add 1 Tbsp white vinegar to a container. Add enough whole milk to make 1 cup, stir, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Hot water can replace the coffee. However, coffee deepens the cocoa flavor without making the finished cake taste noticeably like coffee.
- Grind the Oreos especially finely if you plan to pipe the buttercream so larger crumbs do not clog the piping tip.
- Tightly wrap the cooled cake layers and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen layers to room temperature before assembling.
- Store buttercream in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks. Bring refrigerated buttercream to room temperature and whip it again before using.
- You can refrigerate the decorated cake. For the best texture, bring it out about 2 hours before serving.
- For cupcakes, fill liners no more than two-thirds full and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 14 to 18 minutes. The full recipe makes approximately 28 to 30 cupcakes.
- Nutrition information is not provided for this recipe.
Notes
Black cocoa gives the cake its darkest color and characteristic Oreo-like chocolate flavor. You can substitute an equal amount of Dutch-processed cocoa or Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa, although the cake will look dark brown instead of black.
To make a buttermilk substitute, add 1 Tbsp white vinegar to a container. Add enough whole milk to make 1 cup, stir, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
Hot water can replace the coffee. However, coffee deepens the cocoa flavor without making the finished cake taste noticeably like coffee.
Grind the Oreos especially finely if you plan to pipe the buttercream so larger crumbs do not clog the piping tip.
Tightly wrap the cooled cake layers and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen layers to room temperature before assembling.
Store buttercream in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks. Bring refrigerated buttercream to room temperature and whip it again before using.
You can refrigerate the decorated cake. For the best texture, bring it out about 2 hours before serving.
For cupcakes, fill liners no more than two-thirds full and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 14 to 18 minutes. The full recipe makes approximately 28 to 30 cupcakes.
Nutrition information is not provided for this recipe.