Mocha Caramel Oreo Cake
Dark chocolate cake layers with a mocha Oreo cookies and cream filling, mocha Oreo caramel and buttercream.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (88.5 g) good quality dark cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water or coffee
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) coffee extract, emulison, or Pero (non coffee substitute)
For the Filling
- 3/4 cup (173.25 g) heavy whipping cream
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) coffee extract, emulsion, or Pero (non coffee substitute)
- 8 Mocha Caramel Oreo cookies, broken into chunks
For the Buttercream
- 6 Mocha Caramel Oreo cookies, pulverized into fine crumbs
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 1/2 cup salted caramel, recipe below
- *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
For the Caramel
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoon (120 g) water
- 2 teaspoons (14 g) light corn syrup or honey
- 3/4 cup (180 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray the bottom of the three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine the eggs, buttermilk, water or coffee, oil and coffee extract.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another 10 to 20 seconds. Divide batter equally among the three cake pans (about 16 ounces of batter in each 8-inch pan or 12 ounces in each 6-inch pan).
- Bake the layers for about 25 to 30 minutes (time may vary depending on your oven) or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it. Let the cakes cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then turn onto a rack to cool completely. When completely cooled, wrap the layers in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour in the freezer. Cakes can be make a week ahead of time and wrapped in plastic wrap. If you'd like to store the cake layers longer than a week, wrap in tin foil, as well, and then place in a zip lock bag.
For the Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy whipping cream on high for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the cream forms stiff peaks. Transfer the cream to another bowl and set aside.
- In the now empty bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese for a couple minutes until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and then coffee extract. Beat for a couple minutes until smooth.
- Fold in the whipped cream until no streaks of whipping cream remain. Fold in the crushed Oreos.
- Best to make right before you assemble the cake so the cookies don't get soggy. If you want to make this ahead of time, just leave out the Oreos until you're ready to assemble.
For the Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed for about two minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sifted powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for another minute.
- Add the caramel and then beat the buttercream for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cookie crumbs.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to stir out the air bubbles.
For the Caramel
- Heat the cream in the microwave for about a minute. Set aside.
- Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and then stop stirring.
- You want the mixture to cook on its own. Stirring creates crystallization. If you notice sugar crystallizing on the sides of the pan, soak a pastry brush in warm water and run the brush along the sides of the pan where the sugar is building up.
- Once the mixture turns amber in color, remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the cream, while stirring the caramel.
- Add the vanilla and salt, and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature before using. The caramel will thicken as it cools. Caramel can be refrigerated for up to two weeks in an airtight container.
Assembly
- Place the first cake layer top side up, in the center of the cake board. Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake and then fill the center with about 1 cup of the filling.
- Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream and filling. Repeat piping and filling.
- Place final cake layer, top side down.
- Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of the buttercream and freeze for about 10 to 15 minutes to set this layer of frosting.
- Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill the cake again for another 10 minutes before adding the drip.