Q: What kind of keys to kids like to carry?
A: Cookies.

Oreo should be my middle name, I love the cookie so much.

So, when it was time to choose a show stopper cake for my daughter’s recent 16th birthday, I knew this recipe was the one. And that just based on its appearance! Now I know what it tastes like….The ultimate in the cookies and cream category of cake.

There are a few things that set this cake apart from other CAC Cake recipes. Firstly, the cake itself has such rich chocolate flavor although light in texture. Bonus is that the layers baked perfectly level. No domed tops or imperfections.

Second, the cream filling/icing is to die for. It honestly tastes just like the center of an Oreo. There is a cooked rouxish- bechamel added to the buttercream which was totally fascinating to me and is what gives the filling its body and thick consistency.

Ingredients for the cake:

1 1/4 cups flour
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Ingredients for the icing:

1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
25 Oreo cookies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.

2. Grease two 8-inch cake pans. Dust with a little bit of cocoa powder.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; About 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down sides as needed.

5. With mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, mix until blended then add 1/2 of the buttermilk. Mix until blended. Repeat until the last 1/3 of flour has been added. Beat for 1 minute longer.

6. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes clean and the sides begin to pull away from the edges.

7. Allow pans to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the racks and allow cakes to cool completely.

8. While the cakes are baking, prepare the icing. In a saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk and cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a thick roux, about 4-5 minutes. Whisk continuously so clumps don’t form. Set milk mixture aside to cool completely.

9. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat on high for 3-5 minutes. If the mixture looks like it is separating, just keep beating.

10. To assemble the cake, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Use about 1/2 cup of icing to fill between each layer. When all of the layers are stacked, set aside 1/2 cup of icing and use rest to frost the outside.

11. Using a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin, crush all but 6 of the Oreo cookies. Apply the cookie crumbs to the sides of the cake (put a sheet of parchment or newspaper underneath to catch the crumbs that will inevitably spill over onto your counter).

12. Use the reserved 1/2 cup of icing to pipe 6 swirls on the top of the cake. Place a cookie in each swirl.

Serves 12

Recipe from Sunny Side Up

Cookies And Cream Oreo Cake

This song is a bit of a show stopper, like the cake.

Over the top production and lots of interesting instrumental stuff going on. I love the vocals, too.

Check out Dear Reader on their Website, where you can learn of upcoming European tour dates and buy the music.

Cheers!