3-Layer Oreo Cake with Oreo Frosting

This Oreo Cake features three layers of moist, rich chocolate cake, all covered in a luscious Oreo buttercream frosting. It’s the ultimate treat for chocolate and Oreo lovers!

I love enjoying Oreo cookies with a tall glass of cold milk—it’s such a nostalgic after-school treat. But why stop there? I wanted to have my cake and eat it too, so I combined them with my favorite chocolate cake to create the ultimate Oreo Cake.

This three-layer Oreo cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or anniversary celebrations. But if you’re looking for a smaller batch, I also have a similar recipe that makes a dozen chocolate Oreo cupcakes instead.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

For the chocolate cake

1. Flour – I developed this Oreo chocolate cake recipe using all-purpose flour. Cake flour will also work but it’s not necessary to go out of your way to buy it if you don’t already have it on hand.
2. Cocoa powder – you can use either Dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder. But I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa for the darker color cake and a richer chocolate flavor.
3. Sugar – I used granulated sugar but brown sugar would be a great substitute.
4. Salt – I use kosher salt since that’s what we have in our pantry. If you’re using table salt, reduce the amount by half.
5. Leavening agents – both baking soda and baking powder are used in the cake.
6. Buttermilk – if you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute half milk, half yogurt or sour cream, or milk and lemon juice. I have a separate post all about buttermilk and how to substitute.
7. Eggs – to bind the cake ingredients together.
8. Unsalted butter – I like using unsalted butter in baking so I can control the amount of salt added. However, for this cake, you can substitute salted butter and just reduce the amount of salt called for separately by half.
9. Oil – I recommend a typical flavorless oil like canola oil or vegetable oil. Adding oil in addition to butter in your cake will make the cake more moist, while the butter provides that buttery flavor.
10. Vanilla extract – used to enhance the flavor of the chocolate cake and adds complexity. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract and not an artificial vanilla flavoring, it makes a big difference in the final taste.

For the Oreo frosting

1. Unsalted butter – don’t substitute salted butter or your frosting will turn out too salty. 
2. Cream – heavy whipping cream is used in the frosting to lighten up the buttercream and add volume.
3. Powdered sugar – I don’t recommend making a substitution here. Even if you try to grind granulated sugar into powdered sugar in your food processor, you won’t achieve the super fine texture of store bought powdered sugar.
4. Salt – a couple pinches will mellow out the sweetness of the frosting.
5. Vanilla – use good vanilla, this will be the base flavor of the frosting while crushed Oreo adds another layer of flavor.
6. Oreo – crushed Oreo cookies are incorporated into the buttercream to make a delicious Oreo buttercream frosting.

How to Make Oreo Cake

The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Make the chocolate cake

This simple chocolate cake batter can be made with just a hand whisk. You can use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, but it’s not necessary, and be sure not to over mix in step 3.

1. Add buttermilk, melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Beat until combined and smooth.
2. Sift together the dry ingredients and add the mixture to the liquid mixture. 
3. Whisk just until a smooth batter forms.

4. Divide the batter evenly among three 8” cake pans.
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.

Make the Oreo frosting

This Oreo buttercream frosting is an American Style Buttercream Frosting. But unlike the sugar loaded frosting you might think of when you hear American buttercream, this one is rich but not too sweet.

6. Finely ground the Oreos in a food processor or blender. Note: You can also crush the Oreo inside a ziploc bag using a rolling pin. Just make sure it’s very fine so nothing get stuck inside a piping tip if you’re planning to pipe your frosting.
7. Add all the remaining ingredients to the stand mixer bowl and beat until the frosting is lighter in color and fluffy.
8. Stir in the crushed Oreos.

Assemble your cake

The frosting recipe makes about 5 cups, so:

• I used 1 cup of frosting in between each layer of cake as well as on top of the third layer. This will be a total of 3 cups. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly.
• I used 1 cup of frosting for the side. This is enough to lightly cover the cake, the frosting layer will be slightly thicker than a naked cake.
• I used the remaining 1 cup of frosting for the swirls on top. I used a Magic Line French Star Tip size 8FT (equivalent Ateco 868) for the swirl decorations.
• If you don’t want the swirl decoration, you can use the remaining 1 cup of frosting on the side for a thicker layer of frosting.
• Decorate with extra Oreo cookies on top.

Baker’s Tips

• For exact measurement – Use a kitchen scale to divide the cake batter if you want to be more precise, about 500 g of batter per pan for a 3-layer cake. This will also help the cake bake evenly.
• Make it 2-layer instead – You can also make a 2-layer cake from this recipe but I thought the layers were too thick when I tried it so I decided to go with a 3-layer cake for the final recipe.
• Make a 6” Oreo cake – If you want to make a smaller version of this Oreo cake, use this Mini Chocolate Cake recipe for the cake portion and reduce the Oreo frosting recipe by half.
• Make cupcakes instead – You can also make cupcakes with this recipe, you’ll get about two dozen.
• Try a Swiss meringue base for your Oreo frosting – If you’re not a fan of American buttercream, try a Swiss meringue buttercream base instead with the Oreo crumbs folded in, like in this Vanilla Oreo Cupcakes recipe. Double the frosting ingredients from the cupcake recipe to make enough frosting for this 3-layer Oreo cake.

Storage

Refrigerating instructions 

This Oreo cake should be stored in the refrigerator since the frosting contains butter and cream. Be sure to take it out about half an hour before serving to let the buttercream soften up a bit.

Leftover cake should also be kept refrigerated and will last for up to a week. 

When refrigerating the whole cake, frosted, you don’t need to cover it since the frosting will keep the layers of cake underneath moist. If the cake has been cut open, cover the cut sides with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out.

Freezing instructions

This cake will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze this cake, I would first refrigerate it to let the frosting harden completely, then cut it into individual slices, wrap each slice in plastic and store in a freezer bag.

You can thaw frozen cake at room temperature about 2 hours before serving.

Make ahead instructions

Both the chocolate cake and the Oreo buttercream frosting freeze well, which makes it very convenient to make ahead of time. 

If you have a freezer that can handle a large cake, you can assemble and freeze the cake whole. Otherwise, I suggest making the cake layers and the frosting and freeze them separately. You can thaw and assemble the cake the day you are planning to serve it.

For the frosting, let it thaw at room temperature and re-whip it until light and fluffy before using. Or you can just make the frosting the day of, it is very simple and quick.

FAQs

More amazing layer cakes

• Mocha Cake
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
• Apple Pie Cake
• Hummingbird Cake
• Easy Carrot Cake

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Join my free newsletter to receive weekly email filled with recipe ideas, inspirations with a sprinkle of personal anecdotes and the occasional exclusive recipes for email subscribers only.

📖 Recipe card

Oreo Cake

This Oreo Cake is made with three layers of moist and rich chocolate cake, covered in an equally delicious Oreo buttercream frosting. An ultimate cake for chocolate and Oreo lovers!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Yield: 16 slices

Author: Trang

Equipment

• Stand Mixer
• 8" Cake Pan
• Kitchen Scale
• Offset Spatula
• Pastry Bags
• French/Fine Star Tip (Magic Line 8FT or Ateco 868)

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• ▢ 2 cup all-purpose flour (260 g)
• ▢ 1 cup cocoa powder (dutch-processed preferred, 91 g)
• ▢ 2 cup granulated sugar (400 g)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 2 cups buttermilk (room temperature, 470 g)
• ▢ 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• ▢ 4 oz unsalted butter (melted and cooled, 113 g)
• ▢ ½ cup oil (102 g)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Oreo Buttercream Frosting (yields ~5 cup)

• ▢ 20 oz unsalted butter (5 sticks, 567g, room temperature)
• ▢ 2 ½ cup powdered sugar (250 g, sifted)
• ▢ 10 tablespoon heavy whipping cream (equivalent ½ cup + 2 tablespoons, 142 g)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 big pinches of salt
• ▢ 16 Oreos (finely crushed)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the chocolate cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Brush three 8” cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottom of each cake pan with a piece of round parchment paper and brush the parchment paper with butter as well. Set aside.
• Add buttermilk, melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Beat with a whisk until combined.
• Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt to the flour mixture, and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture, and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
• Divide batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans, and bake for 25 – 26 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 20 – 30 minutes. When you can comfortably touch the cake pans, use a butter knife to loosen the sides, flip the pan over to remove the cake from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper, and allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before adding frosting.

Make the buttercream

• Add butter, cream, and vanilla extract to the stand mixer bowl.
• Sift powdered sugar into the bowl.
• Stir to incorporate all of the ingredients, then increase the mixer speed gradually to high and beat until the frosting is lighter in color and fluffy, about 5 – 15 minutes
• Ground the Oreos finely in a food processor or blender, stir into the buttercream until evenly mixed.

Assemble the cake

• Line a cake stand or plate with a few strips of parchment paper around the edges and place 1 layer of cake on top.
• Add 1 cup of frosting on top of the first layer and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Repeat this step with the second and third cake layer. So there will be 1 cup of frosting in between each cake layer and also on the top.
• Use the remaining frosting to cover the side of the cake or use 1 cup of frosting for the side and reserve 1 cup of frosting for the swirl on top.
• If adding swirl decoration on top, add the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip and pipe swirls around the edge. Add Oreo cookies on top between the swirls for additional decoration if you wish.
• Use a warm paring knife to separate the bottom of the cake from the parchment paper, wiping as you go, carefully pull out the parchment paper lining the plate or cake stand from the bottom of the cake.
• Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before serving.

Notes

• Use a kitchen scale to divide the cake batter if you want to be more precise, about 500 g of batter per pan. This will also help the cake bake evenly.
• Use just two 8” cake pans for a 2-layer cake. Note that the cake layers will be much thicker, you’ll want to increase baking time to 30-35 minutes in this case.
• If you want to make a smaller cake, use this Mini Chocolate Cake recipe.
• You can also make cupcakes with this recipe, you’ll get about two dozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 171g | Calories: 709kcal

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?If you made this recipe and loved it, please leave a comment and give us a 5 STAR review. Thank you!!

This post may contain affiliate links. For more details on how we utilize affiliates, ads, and sponsored content, see our full disclosure policy. Thank you for your continued support, which enables us to keep bringing you delicious recipes, at no extra cost to you.