Easy Oreo Cake Recipe

Unless you have an under-active sweet tooth, there's nothing quite like biting into a forkful of cake. And when that cake is covered in Oreo frosting, it's even better. Mashed recipe developer and food photographer Jessica Morone from Jess Loves Baking has created a decadent recipe we guarantee you'll want to taste. Aside from the flavor and the deliciously moist consistency, Morone praises this recipe for being extra easy. If you're looking at the layered assembly and are ready to skip over to something simpler, she eliminates any hesitation by explaining that "this recipe cuts down on most of the time and effort it usually takes." 

By using a few packaged shortcuts, you'll spend less time in the kitchen and more time actually enjoying this delightful cake. She compares the icing to cookies and cream, and honestly, we're already sold. For lovers of the classic cookie, this easy Oreo cake recipe is the perfect way to elevate your gustatory experience with minimal work — it's like chocolate cake, but even better!

Start by gathering together the ingredients and measuring everything out. For the cake batter you'll need a box of chocolate cake mix, instant chocolate pudding mix, sour cream, milk, three large eggs, and ⅓ cup of vegetable oil. Morone points out that "using a boxed cake mix makes the cake almost fool-proof," which gives it extra points in our books. Nonetheless, she incorporates a few elements "to make it really delicious" and explains that the pudding mix, sour cream, and milk enhance the flavor and increase the moistness without thinning out the batter.   

For the frosting you'll need a little bit of milk, salted butter at room temperature, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and of course, some crushed Oreo cookies.

First things first, preheat your oven to 350 F and line two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Set the pans aside until your batter is ready. 

Next, set out a large bowl and empty out the cake mix and pudding mix packages. Then, add the sour cream, milk, eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix the contents with a spatula until everything is well combined and there are no more dry streaks.

Set out the two paper-lined cake pans and pour equal parts of the cake batter into each. Once your oven has reached temperature, pop the pans onto a rack and bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes. 

You'll know they are ready when you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out free of batter. Set the cakes aside to cool down completely.

While you wait for the cakes to cool down, get to work on the frosting. Morone cautions, "to make sure the butter is room temperature before making the frosting," and explains that "if it's too cold it will end up being more chunky than creamy." In case the butter hasn't quite reached ambient temperature, she recommends microwaving it in 10 second intervals to soften it. 

Using a large bowl and an electric mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter until it reaches a fluffy consistency. Then, keep beating the mixture as you add the powdered sugar ½ a cup at a time to combine. Next, splash in the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk and mix well. In case the frosting is a bit too dense, Morone recommends incorporating a bit more milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you are satisfied with the texture. Finally, mix in the crushed Oreos until they are evenly distributed throughout the frosting.

Once your cakes have completely cooled down, place one on a serving plate. Transfer about 1 cup of Oreo frosting to the surface and spread it across using a spatula. Now, carefully place the second cake over the icing, checking that the sides are properly lined up. Spread the rest of the frosting on the surface and sides of the double cake. Add any extra decorations (whole Oreos are an obvious option) and your cake is ready to slice and serve. 

Morone recommends covering leftovers with plastic wrap for three to five days. Alternatively, if you want to have a nice surprise in the near future, she notes that the cake can be frozen for up to three months.