Cookies and Cream Layer Cake

 I realize this is not an original idea.  But, what I was going for with this cake was a great cake consistency using a mix.  I Googled "how to make a box cake mix denser".  The search gave me quite a few different ideas and I incorporated every single one of them.  I don’t know if the cake could have turned out better.  It was super moist, dense (but, not too dense), rich, had a great chocolaty flavor (the milk and pudding gave the cake more of a milk chocolate flavor), and the cake was easy to handle in layers.  The frosting was just a throw together buttercream. The cake was so good I realize there is definitely a place for mixes in my pantry. Although I still want to get on top of, and learn more about, scratch baking.  But baking this cake helped with that because I am beginning to understand how some of these ingredients work together.  This recipe helped me with that.  I will use this cake and these ideas again.

 Cookies and Cream Layer Cake

Cake:

-16.5 oz. dark chocolate fudge cake mix (I used Duncan Heinz)

-3.9 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix (I used Jell-O)

-1 whole egg, plus 4 egg yolks

-1 c. skim milk

- 1/3 c. oil (I used grape seed oil, I am sure vegetable oil would work as well)

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and beat for a few seconds on low speed to combine ingredients.  Turn mixer up to medium high and mix for about two minutes.  Batter will be a little thicker than a normal cake batter.  Split batter evenly between two (buttered and floured) 8” X 8” square cake pans.  Place both filled cake pans on middle oven rack and bake for 29 minutes, until cake begins to pull away, slightly, from side of pans.  Let cakes cool in pans for a few minutes and then turn cakes out on to a cooling rack.  Let cakes cool completely.  Turn cakes over and trim them so that they will be nice and even when you stack them.  Place 1 cake on a plate and top it with ½ of icing (spreading out evenly to edges).  Top first cake with second cake and top it with the rest of the icing (spreading out evenly to edges.  Slice and EAT!!!  Serves anywhere from 4 to 12 depending on how you slice it. (In my house, probably only 4:).

Cookies and Cream Buttercream

Frosting:

-the icing out of 8 MEGA STUFF OREOs (or 16 regular OREOs or 12 double STUFF OREOs)

- ¼ c. room temperature butter (I used unsalted)

-2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

-5 Tbsp. heavy cream

-1 Tbsp. vanilla

- 1/3 c. crushed OREOs (just the cookie part)

Cream Oreo icing, butter, and 2 c. sugar. Add cream 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition, until desired consistency is reached.  Add vanilla, mix thoroughly. Add crushed cookies, mix thoroughly.  Add more sugar at any point to get back to a thicker consistency.  This frosting recipe will cover the top of a 9” X 13” cake or (in my case) the middle and top of an 8” X 8” cake.  If you want to frost the outside as well you will have to double the recipe.  But, I am warning you, this frosting is ultra-sweet!

{Sinful Recipe Sunday}

Sam waited patiently while I took my photos.  All the while, Will was exclaiming,” Sam wants his cake!” Then I was done.  Sam ate the cake and Will ate the OREOs (actually just the OREO frosting).