Oreo Layer Cake with Cookies & Cream Frosting

This Oreo cake is fluffy, indulgent, and ideal for cookies-and-cream fans. It features layers of moist white cake studded with chopped Oreo pieces and finished with a rich cookies-and-cream frosting made from crushed Oreos (wafers and filling). This from-scratch recipe can be baked as a 2-layer, 3-layer, or a 9×13-inch cake.

Why You’ll Love This Oreo Cake

This cake delivers classic cookies-and-cream flavor with a tender, airy white cake base and crunchy Oreo bits throughout. The batter uses only egg whites for a lighter texture and a bright white crumb, letting the Oreos take center stage. The frosting is made with both the Oreo wafers and the cream filling, so it truly tastes like Oreos rather than plain vanilla frosting with crumbs. The result is creamy, slightly crunchy frosting that perfectly complements the cake.

The white cake is chosen intentionally: without yolks the cake stays lighter and less yellow, which pairs well with the chocolate cookie pieces. The frosting uses crushed Oreos — including the filling — to give authentic cookies-and-cream flavor and texture.

Baking Tips & Tricks

These tips will help you achieve the best results:

Use softened butter that is not melting. Properly whipped butter and sugar give the cake lift; too cold or too warm butter will affect texture.
Bring eggs to room temperature before baking. It’s easier to separate chilled eggs, so separate them first, then let the whites sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Cold whites can cause the batter to curdle.
Use room-temperature milk as well to help everything mix evenly and avoid overmixing, which can make the cake tough.
Measure flour accurately. Weighing flour is best. If using cups, whisk the flour first, then spoon it into the cup and level the top to avoid a dry cake.
When combining dry ingredients and milk into the batter, alternate additions (dry, then liquid) to preserve a uniform crumb and reduce overmixing.
Optional: use cake strips around pans to help layers bake flat and prevent overbrowned edges. They make leveling and stacking easier but are not required.

Pan Sizes

This recipe adapts to different pan sizes. Expected yields and bake times:

Two 9-inch layers — bake about 35–40 minutes.
Two 8-inch layers (pans with at least 2″ sides) — bake about 45 minutes. Do not use shallow 1″ sandwich tins for a two-layer 8-inch cake.
Three 8-inch layers (standard sandwich tins) — bake about 30 minutes.
9×13-inch pan — bake about 35–40 minutes.
For cupcakes, follow a dedicated Oreo cupcake recipe.

Freezing and Make-Ahead Tips

You can prepare components ahead to save time on the day of serving.

To freeze cake layers: cool completely, remove from pans, wrap each layer tightly, place in a freezer bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator — do not thaw at room temperature to avoid a gummy texture.
Frosting can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To use, let it sit at room temperature ~20 minutes, then beat briefly with a mixer until spreadable.

Try other Oreo desserts for variety — cheesecakes, brownies, cookies, or cupcakes are all great options.

Slice of Oreo cake with a bite taken out of it, with a glass of milk

Oreo Cake with Cookies and Cream Frosting

By:
Fiona Dowling

Prep:
45 mins

Cook:
40 mins

Cooling:
1 hr

Total:
2 hrs 30 mins

Servings:
12 pieces

Equipment

2 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans see notes for alternate pan sizes and bake times

Ingredients

Oreo Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour (375 g)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (226 g), slightly softened and cubed
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350 g)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or canola)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 large egg whites (discard yolks)
1 1/4 cups whole milk (300 ml), room temperature (2% works; avoid skim)
8 Oreo cookies, chopped

Oreo Frosting

10 Oreo cookies (wafers + filling), crushed
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (340 g), slightly softened and cubed
4–5 cups powdered sugar (440–550 g), sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3–5 tablespoons whipping cream (45–75 ml), as needed

Instructions

Oreo Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottoms of two 9-inch pans (or two 8-inch pans with 2″ sides) with parchment and lightly grease the sides. For a 9×13 pan, grease the pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until combined, then mix in oil and vanilla.
Beat in egg whites one at a time, stopping when you no longer see pieces. Scrape the bowl as needed.
With mixer on low, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then about half the milk. Mix just until incorporated, scraping the bowl. Repeat: another third of dry ingredients, another third of milk, then the remaining dry ingredients; finish by hand if needed to avoid overmixing.
Fold in chopped Oreos with a spatula.
Divide batter evenly between pans and bake on the same oven rack. Two 9-inch pans: 35–40 minutes. Two 8-inch pans (2″ sides): ~40–45 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean and edges will start to pull away.
Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Oreo Frosting

Crush Oreo cookies (wafers and filling) to fine crumbs using a food processor or place in a bag and crush with a rolling pin. For piping, grind very fine to avoid clogging.
Beat butter in a large bowl until smooth.
Add 3 cups powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Start mixer low, then increase to medium until combined.
Add remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon cream as needed until you reach your desired sweetness and consistency. More cream thins the frosting.
Mix in the crushed Oreos. If frosting needs to be thicker, add more powdered sugar.

Assembling and Frosting the Cake

Make sure cake layers are completely cool. Level domed tops with a serrated knife or cake leveler if needed.
Place one layer on your serving plate. Optionally use baking paper strips around the plate edge to keep it clean.
Spread about one-third of the frosting on the first layer (or one-quarter if making three layers). Add the next layer and repeat as needed.
Apply a thin crumb coat around the sides, then finish with thicker swirls of frosting on top and sides.

Notes

Pan Sizes: See pan-size section above for bake-time guidance and warnings about shallow tins.
Flour: Weigh flour for best results. If using cups, whisk first, spoon into the cup, and level.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Butter, egg whites, and milk should be at room temperature.
Egg Whites: Use fresh egg whites from whole eggs, not carton egg whites, for best baking performance.
Storage & Make Ahead: Cake layers can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Assemble the day you plan to serve. Leftovers: covered at room temperature 2–3 days, or refrigerated up to 4 days. In warm conditions, store the frosted cake in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 854 kcal, Carbohydrates: 108 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 46 g