Cookies and Cream Cake Recipe

For the Oreo Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 3 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Spray the lined pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. The batter should be fluffy, not curdled, once the eggs are incorporated.
5. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk in batches to evenly incorporate: add ⅓ of the dry, half of the milk, ⅓ of the dry, last half of the milk, and last ⅓ of the dry. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are well mixed.
6. Fold in the crushed Oreos with a spatula.
7. Evenly divide the batter into prepared pans.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove the cakes from the oven. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing from the pans and completely cooling on a cooling rack.

For the Oreo Buttercream Frosting

1. While the cake layers cool, make the frosting. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for 1-2 minutes on medium speed.
2. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
3. Add the milk and remaining powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined. Once combined, beat the frosting on medium speed for 7-10 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Gently fold in the ground Oreo cookies with a spatula.

To Assemble

1. Once the cake layers are completely cool, begin assembling the layer cake. If the cakes are domed shaped, use a serrated knife to trim the tops.
2. Spread a dollop of buttercream on the cake board/plate. Place the first cake layer on the plate, bottom facing up. The buttercream on the plate helps to keep the cake steady and prevents it from moving around during assembly.
3. Use an icing spatula to spread an even layer of buttercream onto the first cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top, bottom facing up. Repeat this process for the third cake layer.
4. Add a crumb coat to the cake by spreading a thin layer of buttercream around the sides and top of the cake. Place the cake in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.
5. Once the crumb coat has hardened, frost the cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing the top and sides of the cake with an icing spatula or bench scraper.
6. Transfer any remaining buttercream into a piping bag with a small star tip. Pipe rosettes on top of the cake and place mini Oreo cookies onto each piped rosette.