The softest vanilla cake with lots of OREO cookie pieces and a cookies and cream Buttercream! The black buttercream stripes are made with black cocoa powder only - it will not stain your teeth!
The softest vanilla cake lots of OREO cookie pieces and an indulgent OREO buttercream! Perfect for OREO lovers!
How to achieve deep black buttercream?
The key to achieving a beautiful intense black buttercream is making it ahead of time! Letting it sit over night intensifies the color immensely! When making black buttercream it always has a grey color in the beginning and even microwaving might not achieve the same color intensity as letting it sit for some time. Additionally, you will need less black cocoa to achieve a deep black color if you make it ahead.
If you do not have enough time to let it sit overnight, you can try to microwave the buttercream to achieve a darker color. For this method separate a small amount of your frosting in a microwave save bowl and mix in enough black cocoa for the whole buttercream that you wish to dye. Microwave the buttercream for about 10 seconds
I like using black cocoa to color buttercream since it has a good flavor and it works like powder food coloring. Black cocoa does not stain your teeth like black liquid food coloring would.
OREO Vanilla Cake
Ingredients for 3 8-inch cake layers
OREO vanilla cake:
1 3/4 cups (350 g) sugar
3 3/4 cups (450 g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) butter milk
1/3 cup (80g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (175 ml) vegetable oil
4 teaspoons vanilla
15 crushed OREO cookies
OREO buttercream:
2 cups (454 g) butter
12 egg whites
3 cups (600 g) sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups OREO cookie crumbs (only black cookie part), sifted
1/3 cup (35 g) black cocoa powder
1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar (for swirls on top)
For the ganache drip:
1/4 cup (75 ml) heavy cream
3 oz (100 g) dark chocolate
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
Start off with a medium sized bowl. Sift in flour, baking soda, baking powder and cornstarch. In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, butter, salt, and oil. Mix for about 4 minutes. The mixture should be very fluffy and lighter in color. Add eggs, vanilla and butter milk. Mix it until fluffy. Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder and baking soda for about 5 times before sifting it into the mixing bowl. Mix the batter until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
Step 2:
Divide the batter evenly among 3 8-inch cake pans. Add the OREO cookie pieces and mix them in. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean. Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes then remove the pan and cover the cake layers with cling wrap and freeze them until needed.
Step 3:
For the Swiss meringue buttercream whisk egg whites and sugar in a fat-free heatproof bowl and place it on a pot with simmering water (bain-marie). Whisk it continually for about 10 minutes. The mixture is warm enough when the sugar has fully dissolved.
Step 4:
In the meantime crush the OREO cookie pieces in a food processor. Separate the cookies from the filling and only crush the black cookie part until it is a fine powder. You can alternatively use a freezer bag and crush the cookies using your hands or a rolling pin. Make sure to sift the cookie crumbs so that no big pieces are transferred to the buttercream.
Step 5:
Take the meringue out of the water bath and whisk it with a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. I like to fill it into a bigger mixing bowl at this step. When the meringue is stiff, mix in the butter in small pieces. Keep mixing it until it comes together in a smooth buttercream. Add the vanilla, and mix it in. In a small bowl combine 2 cups buttercream with the black cocoa powder for the black buttercream. If you want a more intense color add some more black cocoa powder. Keep in mind that the color intensifies over time. It is best to prepare the buttercream the day before and let it sit at room temperature. Add the OREO cookie crumbs into the rest of the buttercream. Mix in the OREO cookie filling for extra flavor (See notes)
Step 6:
To decorate the cake place the bottom layer on a plate and spread a thin layer of OREO buttercream on top and smooth it out. Add the second cake layer and repeat the step two times. Cover the cake with buttercream on the top and its sides. Smooth it out and let it cool in the fridge for about 40 minutes or place it in the freezer for 8 to 10 minutes. When the cake is cooled add a final layer of buttercream and smooth it. Place it in the fridge for at least 40 minutes to ensure it is very cold when the drip is added.
Step 7:
While the cake is cooling make the chocolate ganache. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer and pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Let it sit for 3 minutes, then whisk it until it comes together. It should have a smooth consistency but not be too runny. Let the ganache cool to almost room temperature while the cake is cooling in the fridge. I like to fill the ganache in a piping bottle but you can also use a small spoon to add the drip. Decorate the cake and place it in the fridge for 5 minutes to let the drip set. Pipe swirls on top of the cake and add OREO cookies if desired. To achieve a better piping consistency of the buttercream mix in powdered sugar to stiffen it.
Enjoy!
**Pro Tips**
Let the black cocoa buttercream sit overnight to intensify its color.
Add the OREO cookie filling to the buttercream for extra flavor. To ensure the cookie filling mixes in nicely I recommend microwaving it until it becomes liquid. Let it cool for 30 seconds before adding it. Mix it in when adding the sifted cookie crumbs.
You can use cake flour instead of cornstarch and all purpose flour. Just substitute the same amount.
