I am SO tired. I don’t think I have been this tired since I had a newborn baby who was somehow allergic to sleep (for 13 months). I had kind of forgotten just how useless I am at functioning without sleep and let’s just say it was a very rude awakening with little chance of respite.
The reason behind my newly zombified state is black, tan and white with the cutest ears ever. I have slept so very little and walked so much more since adopting Brutus, our Jura hound pup, last week. I have become acquainted with 5am (they have those in the morning too?) wake up calls and walking in the rain before I have even had my first cup of coffee.
Taking several long walks every day, combined the lack of sleep, have made me desperate for comfort food and a more than a little ravenous for chocolate. All I could think yesterday was ‘I need some chocolate cake‘ and I ended up making said cake on autopilot – the mere actions of measuring the ingredients and greasing the tin were so familiar and soothing in themselves, I felt much better afterwards.
I somehow got it into my head to make a cookies and cream cake mostly because I had some Oreos which I originally got to make a cheesecake and then never got round to. I put some in the batter and on top of the cake, and for the filling I finally used up some bars of white chocolate that had been left forgotten.
Well the cake was delicious – the kids declared it THE BEST EVER but they are prone to hyperbole when there’s chocolate involved. The cake assembly was a bit of a mess however… I have to admit that. Tiredness and precision do not mix and I kind of butchered the poor sponge when cutting it in three pieces.
In the recipe method I suggest you use three small cake tins to avoid this issue, and if you want have perfectly even layers, follow the trick from this cake. The recipe is easily doubled if you want to bake a 4 layer 20cm (8in) cake. I hope you forgive the inadvertently rustic look and if you make this cake I am sure you will do a much better job! Just, you know, have some sleep first.
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Cookies and Cream Layer Cake with White Chocolate Filling
Ingredients
- For the cake
- 165 g | 5.8oz plain all purpose flour
- 165 g | 5.8oz light brown sugar can also use caster
- 5 Oreo cookies ground to a powder
- 1 level tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 g | 3.5oz cold unsalted butter cubed
- 2 large eggs
- 100 ml | 3.5 fl oz whole milk
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 60 g | 2oz dark chocolate chips
- a little butter and flour to grease the cake tins
- Filling
- 200 g | 7oz good quality white chocolate very finely chopped
- 150 g | 5.3oz double cream
- an extra cold 200g | 7oz double cream
- Chocolate glaze & to decorate
- 100 g | 3.5oz dark chocolate very finely chopped
- 100 g | 3.5oz double cream
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- handful Oreo cookies halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C | 350F. Grease 3x15cm (6in) cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. You can also use one deep tin (preferably springform) instead of 3 shallow ones - increase the baking time to about 45–50 minutes.
- Add the flour, sugar, crushed Oreos, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse briefly to mix the ingredients together, then add the cubed butter and pulse again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and pulse again until mixed in. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to make sure everything is well blended.
- Mix the vanilla and milk and then gradually add to the batter, pulsing until it is smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, divide the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes. The cakes are ready when springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly and then gently turn the cakes out of the tins. Cool completely before filling.
- Put the chopped white chocolate in a bowl and set aside. Heat 150ml (5.3oz) double cream in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles appear around the edge - do not allow it to boil. Pour over the chocolate and leave to stand for a minute. Using a balloon whisk, slowly stir, starting from the centre of the bowl using small motions until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool - if the chocolate is too warm it will not whip easily. But don't let it set completely if chilling in the fridge, keep stirring.
- Pour a little of the (remaining) double cream into the melted chocolate and stir together (this is to make sure it is cold enough). Start whipping the rest of the double cream in a stand mixer and gradually add the melted chocolate. Whip at high speed until you have peaks - do not mix for too long or the filling will become grainy.
- Sandwich your cake layers with a generous amount of the filling - either smoothing it on with a palette knife, or piping it for neater results. If you like, you can also drizzle the layers with some of the chocolate glaze as well.
- Heat the double cream and golden syrup in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles appear around the edge. Pour over the chopped dark chocolate, leave to stand for a minute, and use a balloon whisk to slowly stir the chocolate/cream mixture until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Leave it to cool slightly.
- Carefully pour the chocolate glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Decorate with the chopped Oreos.
Notes
You can make the cake in a stand mixer following the same method.
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Alejandra G says
Hi! This looks awesome, congrats! I want to try it? However, I do not have a food procesor 🙁 is there any chance it will work out with an electric moxer? Or will it not turn out ok? Also, there is no double cream in my country, can I substitute it with heavy cream? Thank you so much 🙂
Lucy Parissi says
Hi – yes heavy cream is fine. You could use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Not sure a hand mixer would work. Let me know if this answers your questions!
Tammy says
Hi
Am looking to try this out as a birthday cake…can I double check that it is a 1/2 tbsp of baking powder and 1/2 tbsp of vanilla extract?
Thanks
Tammy
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Tammy – yes that’s right. If you want to make a larger cake you need to double the recipe (3x 20cm /8in tins) and use 1tbsp baking powder and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Anonymous says
This cake looks a.m.a.z.i.n.g! Just have a small question, you said double the recipe to make a bigger cake. Does the same go for the filling and everything else? Many thanks! Can't wait to try making it 🙂 x
Lucy Parissi says
Think you will get away with same amount of glaze as you are only covering the top of the cake. If you stick with the recipe above for the filling you will have enough but won't be as thick as it is in the photos. If you are doubling the cake recipe you will end up with 4 cake layers and if you fill those too much the cake will be enormous and possibly hard to cut easily. All this to say that if you double the filling you might not use all of it!
Munchies and Munchkins says
Just found this over on flipboard, it looks incredible! I've shared on there too.x
Louise | Cygnet Kitchen says
Pass me a large slice and a fork, Lucy, this looks divine! I hope Brutus settles down soon! Its hard work having a puppy and a rescue one at that… xx
Manjiri says
That dripping chocolate ummmm! I don't think I would ever survive a 5 am wake up call,leave alone walking a hyper awake pup in the rain! But I love dogs and that may change soon 😉
Kate Glutenfreealchemist says
I'm a sucker for a good chocolate cake….. and that looks like a GOOD chocolate cake!
I echo the vintage box comments….. love it!
Hannah Hossack-Lodge says
This looks amazing! It would go down very well right now – I am feeling much like you at the moment in that I have been babysitting my niece for a few days and it has left me in need of some cake! I've got serious prop envy as well, I need to do some ebaying! xx
Galina Varese says
Gorgeous cake! And I'm totally in love with your photo styling props, that vintage box is fabulous.
Lucy Parissi says
Isn't that box amazing?! I love ebay!
Sarah Montgomery says
oh gosh – just looks amazing!!!! 😀
Elinor Hill aka Beachhutcook says
Wow, what an amazing cake. I would be happy with a slice of that! Elinor x
Chris @thinlyspread says
I love the rustic look! Anyone who can produce a cake of this magnitude when totally exhausted is a hero in my book! Fabulous.
Allie | In This Kitchen says
Well if that isn't gorgeous I don't know what is. And the box it's on! Absolutely pinning this to my beautiful food styling pinterest board. Wow!
nicole branan says
GORGEOUS cake! I also love that biscuit tin, what an awesome prop! Brutus sounds like a handful (in sort of a fun way) but I hope you get some sleep soon! 🙂
Keith @ How's it Lookin? says
Looks delicious. Cookies and cream is amazing. Thanks for the idea
Ceri Jones says
Oh goodness me that looks decadent. Can I pop round for a slice?
Lucy Parissi says
Yes! That would be awesome. Though would have too bake something else – this one was not long for this world
Lucy Allen says
Fainting at the sight of your cake over here! Yum and beautiful. Quick I need a coffee to bring me round.
Lucy Parissi says
Do you know some coffee IN the cake would have been really good. Might add some espresso powder next time
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks Vivian! Cakes make me all excited as well… and I hope you will find an occasion to make it soon.
Vivian | stayaliveandcooking says
Seriously, I'm drooling. This looks incredible!! Love the cookies and cream idea, and the photos are gorgeous. It looks so decadent and inviting. Saved, I wish it was my birthday soon so I could serve this cake! Sorry, I get extremely excited when I read cake recipes…. Lol!