If you love cookies and cream desserts as much as I do, this chocolate Oreo cake recipe will be your go-to for birthdays, celebrations, or just because. The homemade chocolate cake layers are rich and fudgy, and the Oreo buttercream frosting tastes like a cookies-and-cream dream!
Chocolate Cake with Oreo Buttercream Frosting
My Oreo cake starts with a tender chocolate cake layer that gets its moist crumb from a combination of buttermilk and melted butter, so it’s never dry. But if you’re short on time, use my box cake mix shortcut and focus on the frosting. It’s a classic vanilla buttercream base, upgraded with crushed Oreos for a simple cookies and cream frosting that makes every bite of this cake delicious. Whether you’re making this for a birthday party or a weekend treat, this cookies and cream cake delivers big flavor with simple steps!
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Don’t Forget to Chill Before Frosting!
Chilling the cake layers before frosting is a simple step that makes a huge difference in how your cake turns out. When the layers are cold, they’re firmer and less likely to crumble, which makes stacking and frosting much easier and cleaner. It also helps the frosting set faster and gives you neater slices when it’s time to serve.
Chocolate Oreo Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 3 8-inch Round Cake Pan(s)
- Fine-Mesh Sieve
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set (optional)
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder *
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature**
- 1 cup salted butter melted and cooled to room temperature (2 sticks)***
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Oreo Buttercream Frosting
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups salted butter slightly melted (4 sticks)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 20 Oreo cookies crushed
Optional Decorations
- 11 Oreo cookies kept whole
- Rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking soda together. Set aside.2½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda
- In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract together.1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup salted butter, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then gently fold together just until combined.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (about 462 grams per pan). Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from oven and let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes. Remove from the pans and set on a wire rack to finish cooling, about 1-2 hours.
- Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap each one in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
For the Oreo Frosting
- While the cakes chill, make the frosting: Use a hand or stand mixer to beat the powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract together on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.6 cups powdered sugar, 2 cups salted butter, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Set aside ½ cup of Oreo cookie crumbs, then beat the rest into the frosting.20 Oreo cookies
For Assembly
- Once chilled, unwrap each cake layer, and use a serrated knife to cut the dome tops off.
- Place a thin layer of frosting (about 2 tablespoons) in the middle of a cake board or cake plate, then place one cake (cut side up) on top of that frosting.
- Add a generous layer of frosting on top of that first layer then place the second layer (cut side up) on top of the first layer.
- Add a generous layer of frosting on top of that second layer of cake then place the third layer of cake (bottom/flat side up) on top.
- Frost a thin crumb-coat around the top and sides of the cake, then place the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Remove the cake from the freezer and apply the second layer of frosting, smoothing out with a cake scraper or offset spatula.
- Press the extra Oreo crumbs you set aside earlier firmly along the bottom edge of the cake.
- Place the remaining frosting into an icing bag with a large icing tip to pipe swirls around the top of the cake. Optionally, add Oreos between the swirls and sprinkles on top of the icing swirls.11 Oreo cookies, Rainbow sprinkles
Notes
- Measure the dry ingredients with the spoon-and-level method.
- Sift the dry ingredients for a smoother cake.
- Don’t overmix the batter, or the cake will turn out tough.
- Fill pans only ⅔ full to avoid doming.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- For two 9-inch round pans, bake for about 35-38 minutes.
- Cool completely before wrapping or chilling.
- Chill layers before frosting for cleaner stacking.
- Don’t frost warm cakes (frosting will melt).
- Save some crushed Oreos for decoration.
- Use a crumb coat to lock in crumbs, and a bench scraper for smooth sides.
- If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 tbsp milk; if too thin, add powdered sugar.
- Nutritional information does not include optional decorations
Boxed Cake Mix Shortcut
If you want an easier Oreo cake recipe, you can use a standard 15.25-16 ounce boxed chocolate cake mix instead of making the cake layers from scratch. Prepare the mix according to the package instructions (with the listed amounts of eggs, oil, and water), then divide the batter evenly between three 8-inch pans. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the layers cool completely before frosting with the Oreo buttercream.
How to Make an Oreo Layer Cake Step-by-Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set them aside so they’re ready to go. Give your buttermilk and eggs about 15 minutes to come to room temperature, and microwave the butter for 30-60 seconds, or until it’s partially melted. Let it cool slightly so it doesn’t scramble the eggs when you mix everything together.
Sift the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together 2½ cups of all-purpose flour, 2 cups of granulated sugar, ¾ cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Sifting breaks up any lumps (especially in the cocoa) and helps everything mix together more smoothly. Set the dry ingredients aside while you whisk the wet ingredients.
Whisk the Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup of room-temperature buttermilk, 1 cup of slightly melted and cooled salted butter, 2 large room-temperature eggs, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. You only want to whisk until everything is combined–no need to overdo it. The butter needs to be cooled slightly so it doesn’t cook the eggs and make the batter clumpy.
Combine the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together just until combined. Don’t overmix; you want the batter to stay light and fluffy. Avoid using a mixer here, as overmixing will activate the gluten and make the cake dense instead of tender.
Portion the Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans (about 462 grams per pan). Try to keep the amounts even so the layers bake up the same height and finish at the same time.
Bake and Chill the Cakes: Bake your chocolate cake layers in the preheated oven for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove them and finish cooling on wire racks. Once completely cooled, wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Chilling helps the layers firm up so they don’t crumble while you frost them.
Make the Buttercream: While the cakes chill, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat 2 cups of slightly melted and cooled salted butter, 6 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the Oreos: Crush 20 whole Oreo cookies into crumbs. Set aside ½ cup of the crumbs for decorating later, and beat the rest into the frosting until evenly mixed.
Prep the Cakes: After the cakes have chilled, unwrap them and use a large serrated knife to level off the dome tops so each layer is flat. This makes stacking easier and gives you a clean, even cake. Place about 2 tablespoons of frosting on your cake board or plate to “glue” the first layer down, then set the first cake layer on top with the cut side facing up.
Layer the Cakes: Spread a generous layer of frosting on top, then place the second cake layer on top (cut side up again). Add another generous layer of frosting, then top with the third cake layer bottom-side up so the flat top is facing up. Now do a thin crumb coat all over the cake. This first thin layer locks in crumbs and makes the final frosting look smooth. Use a cake scraper or offset spatula to smooth it out, then freeze the cake for 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
Frost and Serve: Take the cake out of the freezer and apply the final layer of frosting. Smooth it as evenly as you can using a cake scraper. Press the reserved Oreo crumbs along the bottom edge of the cake, pressing gently so they stick without squishing the frosting. Fill an icing bag fitted with a large tip (I used a Wilton 8B) with the remaining frosting and pipe swirls around the top of the cake. Add whole Oreos between the swirls (I used 11), and sprinkle on rainbow sprinkles if you like.
How to Store and Freeze
Store leftover Oreo cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer (tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil) for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying at room temperature.
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