Chocolate Cake with Oreo Buttercream Frosting for the home table
This simple and oh-so-tender house-made Chocolate Cake with Oreo Buttercream Frosting is a strong match for birthdays, dinner parties, or family get-togethers!
Why this bake works
Chocolate dessert recipes, like my Chocolate Ricotta Cake, House-made Chocolate Truffles, and Mini Bundt Chocolate Pound Cakes, are favorites year-round, and this Chocolate Oreo Cake recipe is now another one!
This method is three 6-inch layers of rich, tender chocolate cake frosted with a creamy, flavorful Oreo buttercream. If you love chocolate or have a chocolate dessert lover in your life, this method is worth making!
What goes in
The following ingredients are needed to make this chocolate Oreo cake recipe. Items noted in the bulleted lists are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
Chocolate Cake
- Whole Milk. While whole milk is preferred, you can also use buttermilk, which will give the cake layers an even more tender texture.
- Espresso Powder. You can use the King Arthur brand of espresso powder, but DeLallo is also very good! This is an optional ingredient that's whisked together with the boiling water. If you choose to omit this ingredient, you still need to add the boiling water. If you only have instant coffee, you can use this in place of the espresso powder.
- Eggs. Only 4 eggs are needed for this chocolate cake recipe, not 6 as shown above.
Oreo Buttercream Frosting
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. Oreos are familiar and work well here, but you can also go with a generic version.
- Powdered Sugar. Best if this has been sifted to avoid any clumps in your frosting. Try the Domino Sugar brand, but use what you prefer.
For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.
How it comes together
Below is a brief overview of how to make this easy chocolate cake with Oreo buttercream frosting. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements, visit the method card below.
Chocolate Cake
Step 1. Whisk your dry ingredients together. This includes the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
Step 2. Mix the wet ingredients together. The ingredients needed for this step are the eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, whole milk (or buttermilk), and vanilla extract.
Step 3. Stir the espresso powder into the boiling water. You can boil the water either in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Step 4. Add the espresso powder mixture to the rest of the wet ingredients. Whisk until well blended.
Recipe Tip: If you don't have espresso powder or instant coffee, or if you're not a fan of the flavor, you can omit this ingredient. You will still need to add the 1 cup of boiling water to the cake batter, though.
Step 5. Add in the whisked dry ingredients.
Step 6. Mix the batter together until just combined. Meaning, only until you can no longer see the flour or other dry ingredients within the batter.
Step 7. Evenly divide the cake batter into your prepared cake pans. You can use my scale for this, so each layer has the same thickness.
Step 8. Bake the cake at 350ºF for 40-45 minutes. Let the cakes sit in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire cooling rack.
Recipe Tip: The chocolate cake layers should be cooled to room temperature before you frost them with the Oreo buttercream frosting.
Oreo Buttercream Frosting
Step 1. With a food processor, pulverize the cookies into fine crumbs. Set aside.
Step 2. Beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla extract and salt.
Step 3. Switch the mixer speed to low, then gradually add the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until well blended. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Step 4. Add in the Oreo crumbs, setting aside any you wish to use to decorate the top of the cake. When ready, use an offset spatula to frost the cake.
Storage
Cake Layers. You can store cooled, unfrosted cake layers, double-wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 2 days. If freezing, double-wrap in plastic wrap, then wrap with a layer of aluminum foil, and place in a well-sealed container.
Frosting. For the frosting, if you're not using it immediately, you can refrigerate it up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container. Bring it to room temperature, then blend together on low speed to rewhip.
Fully Assembled. Frosted chocolate Oreo cake slices can be kept frozen for up to 3 months if double-wrapped in plastic wrap, then wrapped with a layer of aluminum foil, and placed in a well-sealed freezer bag or container.
How to Prevent Cakes from Doming
Here are a few ways you can prevent cakes from doming:
- Use a heating core in the center of your cake pan. I've never tried this, but some say it works well.
- Use cake baking strips. I've used my Wilton baking strips many times, and they work very well. Make sure you fit them snugly into the pan and wet them with cold water prior to adding the batter.
- Tap the cake pans. By gently tapping the filled cake pans on the counter before you place them in the oven to bake, you'll release any air bubbles. Straightforward, and it doesn't cost you anything!
Frosting Variations
The following list is additional frosting recipes that would work truly well with this chocolate cake!
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- Chocolate Frosting
- Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting (will need to triple)
- Vanilla Frosting (simply leave out the crushed Oreos!)
Questions on this bake
How many servings are in a 6-inch cake?Based on Wilton's cake serving guide, a cake of this size will serve approximately 12 people, making it a strong match for a small dinner party, birthday party, or family get-together.
What size cake pans did you use?For this chocolate Oreo cake recipe, I used three 6-inch x 3-inch cake pans. The cake, once baked and frosted, measures approximately 6″ high, not including the extra Oreos and frosting you may choose to add on top for decoration.
Can Use 6-inch x 2-inch cake pans?Yes! But just an FYI—the cakes might come right up to the top of the cake pan.
Do I have to add the espresso powder or instant coffee?No, this is an optional ingredient that helps give the chocolate a more robust flavor. Some people simply do not care for it, though, so you can easily leave it out. You will still need to add the boiling water, though.
Are there any substitutes for the eggs, flour, or sugar?No, not with this method.
How much Oreo buttercream frosting does this make?This method makes enough to generously frost the outside of the cake and the layers in between, with some remaining for a decorative border on top.
- Yield 12 servings
- Prep 20 minutes
- Cook 50 minutes
- Total 1 hour 10 minutes
- Calories 942
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup Whole Milk, or buttermilk
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- 2 tsp Espresso Powder, or instant coffee, gets added to the boiling water
Oreo Buttercream Frosting
- 20 Oreo Sandwich Cookies, plus any extra for decoration
- 2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature and quartered
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 3/4 cup Sifted Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Tools
- 6-inch x 3-inch Round Cake Pan
Method
Chocolate Cake
- Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and heat the oven to 350ºF. Spray the inside of 3, 6 inch cake pans with a flour-based baking spray. Line with a 6 inch parchment paper circle and lightly respray the tops. Optionally. you can also add baking strips to your cake pans. Set to the side.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Set to the side.
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment stir together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract on medium speed until well blended.
- Boil the water in a heat proof glass bowl, then stir in the espresso powder (or instant coffee). Then pour the whole thing into the cake batter and mix until evenly mixed.
- Switching the mixer speed to low, gradually add in the whisked dry mixture until just combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
- Evenly pour the chocolate cake batter into each prepared 6 inch cake pan and bake at 350ºF for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the chocolate cake layers to cool for approximately 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire cooling rack. The chocolate cake layers should be cooled completely before frosting with the Oreo buttercream frosting.
- If not frosting the cake the same day, chocolate cake layers can be double wrapped tightly in plastic and kept in the fridge for 2-3 days before frosting. If planning to freeze double wrap them tightly and place in a freezer bag. Cakes can remain in the freezer for up to a month. When ready, take the cakes out of the freezer 15-20 minutes before frosting.
Oreo Buttercream Frosting
- With a food processor, pulverize the Oreos (the whole cookie) until they are these fine little crumbs. Hold to the side.
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla extract and salt. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Switch the mixer speed to low, then gradually add the powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until well blended.
- Add in the Oreo crumbs, setting aside any you wish to use for decorating the top of the cake with. Mix until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl one more time, then switch the mixer speed back to medium-high and beat the frosting until it's super light and airy (about 5-6 minutes). Use frosting immediately or you can refrigerate up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container.
Baker notes
Espresso powder or instant coffee is optional. You'll still need the boiling water.
Prep and cooking times noted are for the chocolate cake only. Prep time for making the Oreo buttercream frosting will take roughly 15-20 minutes. Frosting and cake decorating time will vary based on your level of experience.
For the 6-inch parchment paper circles, you can simply trace the bottom of the cake and cut them out, keep the paper insert that came with your cake pans and use that to trace with or purchase precut parchment circles.
Using baking strips is optional, but they do help produce a flat-top cake. If you do end up with domed cake tops, simply cut them off using a serrated knife. Save the scraps to snack on.
For the frosting, if you only have salted butter on hand, just omit the salt from the remaining list of ingredients.
You can store cooled, unfrosted cake layers, double-wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 2 days. If freezing, double-wrap in plastic wrap, then wrap with a layer of aluminum foil, and place in a well-sealed container.
For the frosting, if you're not using it immediately, you can refrigerate it up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container. Bring it to room temperature, then blend together on low speed to rewhip.
Frosted chocolate Oreo cake slices can be kept frozen for up to 3 months if double-wrapped in plastic wrap, then wrapped with a layer of aluminum foil, and placed in a well-sealed freezer bag or container.
