Chocolate Chips? Oreos? How about both in a cake....Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie Cake

Sometimes you just need to be creative...like when a co-worker for his birthday asks for chocolate chips or Oreos.  I immediately nix the "or" and go for "and" instead.  Like do I do a chocolate chip and Oreo layer cake with both actually in the cake.  Or do I try this as some sort of whoopie situation.  Somehow while thinking about it over the weekend I went back to adding both in one cake kind of like I did with putting an entire key lime pie in a cake here. 

So here is the layout...

And yes those are little drawings for the chocolate chip cookies and Oreos on top.  This cake ultimately came out exactly like I wanted it to.  The cookie layer stayed soft and not too crispy; the cake was light and fluffy.  The Oreo cream filling added the right amount and essence of Oreo for this cake.  The cake is then topped with a vanilla bean buttercream frosting...but only on top, because lets be real, this cake does not need frosting all over it. This cake is seriously delicious, it is a little sweet, but a great birthday cake for someone who likes Oreos or chocolate chips...definitely if they like both.  Enjoy!

Okay this is the plain Oreo cream filling...this would have been delicious itself...

but crushed Oreos make it better.

Okay first layer of Oreo cream filling goes on top of the bottom cookie layer.

Spread it out evenly...reflection in the icing spatula...then place one layer of cake down.

Cake down, then top with the remaining Oreo cream filling.

Time for the frosting on top of the last layer of cake.

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie Cake: 
*serves 12-15

Cookie Layer: (*Note you can make the cookie layer a day in advance)

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

3/8 cup light brown sugar

3/8 cup white sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda in 1 tablespoon hot water

1 1/8 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars.  Then mix in the egg, vanilla extract and baking soda mixture until well combined.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.  Then mix these dry ingredients in to the wet ingredients, just until combined.

3.  Fold in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and pecan.  Then place in the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  (I used this time to clean up the mess I somehow always seem to make hen baking.)

4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom.  Spread all but 1 cup of the cookie dough into the prepared pan.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and set in the middle.  On a small cookie sheet, make inch cookie dough rounds and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove cookies from oven when done, and let cool through.

If you are baking the cookie and cake layers on the same day, prep the cake batter while the cookies are baking.

Vanilla Cake Layers:

1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups self rising flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1.  Prep two 9-inch round pans with non-stick cooking spray and parchment paper on the bottom.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. 

3.  Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.  Whisk in the vanilla extract and set aside.

4.  In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flours.

5.  Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. 

6.  Pour cake batter into prepared cake pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cakes cool in pans for 10-15 minutes.  Then gently remove from pans and let finish cooling on a cooling rack.  While cake layers are cooling prepare the frosting.  

Oreo Cream Filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup 1/3 fat cream cheese, at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 teaspoons heavy cream

12 Oreos crushed

1.  In a larger mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese.  Then whisk in the vanilla extract and two teaspoons of heavy cream.  Then whisk in the powdered sugar.  If mixture seems dry, whisk in another teaspoon of heavy cream.

2.  Fold in the crushed Oreos and set aside until all layers of the cake are cooled.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 vanilla bean seeds (optional)

2 - 3 cups powdered sugar

2-3 teaspoons heavy cream or skim milk

1.  In a larger mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter.  Then whisk in the vanilla extract, vanilla beans and two teaspoons of heavy cream.  Then whisk in the powdered sugar one cup art a time.  If mixture seems dry, whisk in another teaspoon of heavy cream.

To assemble:

1.  Place cookie cake layer on serving tray.  Spread 1/2 of the Oreo cream filling evenly on top.  Using a serrated knife, "flatten" or take the top mounded part off of one of the cake layers.  Place the cut-side face down on the cookie.  If your cookie is larger than the cake, using the knife, carefully go around the edge of the cookie, cutting it so that it is even with the cake.  Then top the cake layer with the remaining Oreo cream filling.  The place the remaining cake layer mound side up on top, and frost with the vanilla butter cream.  Place small chocolate chip cookies and halved Oreo cookies on top if desired.  Serve and Enjoy!

Note: This cake can be served at room temperature.