It was Zach’s birthday this past week and he is a huge Oreo fan so when I found this cake on the Food Network site, I knew it was the birthday cake for him and I was right, it was delicious and I think he ate probably half of the cake  himself.  The recipe for the “Basic Chocolate Cake” can be found here and the instructions for the “Cookies and Cream Cake” can be found here.  It wasn’t hard to make, just a little messy while putting the Oreos on the sides of the cake.  P.S.  The frosting on this cake was to die for!

Basic Chocolate Cake

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3/4 cup oil

1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray two 9″ round cake pans with cooking spray (I used the cooking spray for baking).

2  Whisk cocoa and 1 1/2 cups boiling water until smooth and set aside.  Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in your mixer bowl until combined.  Add eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute.  Reduce speed to low and beat in cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined then finish mixing with a spatula.

3  Divide batter between cake pans and tap to help batter settle.  Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 – 40 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pans and allowing to cool completely.

Cookies and Cream Cake

frosting:

6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped (I used Ghiradelli white chocolate discs, like the Wilton Candy Melts)

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

3 cups powdered sugar (it was a warm day when I made the cake so I ended up using about 5 cups)

Melt white chocolate in microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.  Beat butter, vanilla and salt in mixing bowl on medium high until smooth, about 1 minute.  Add melted chocolate and beat until combined.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth.

cake assembly:

15 Oreo cookies (I used about 30 I think), crushed

Place 1 cake layer on platter, spread approx 1 cup frosting on top and spread then top with about 1/2 cup crushed cookies.  Place second layer on top and frost entire cake.  Press cookie crumbs onto sides of cake.  (I got my Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator out and had some fun with the top of the cake too.)