Oreo Chocolate Cake

Usually, I spend weeks before my birthday pouring over cookbooks and clicking through food blogs in search of a fabulous cake to bake for myself. Life just got in the way this year and before I knew it, it was the Sunday before my Monday birthday. I almost broke down and bought a cake, but then I saw a package of Oreos during my morning grocery store run and decided that I would make a simple and delicious cake starring this pantry staple. I used Hershey's classic Perfectly Chocolate Cake for the cake recipe, and then I threw together some crushed Oreos with my favorite vanilla buttercream for the frosting. I ended up making half the cake recipe and pouring it into three 6-inch round pans to make a small cake since there were only two of us enjoying this one (although, there is absolutely nothing wrong with making a 9-inch cake for two people!).  I also used half of the frosting recipe for my small cake.  The recipe below makes one 2-layer cake, but you can easily make one and a half times the cake and frosting to bump it up to a large 3-layer cake. If you are planning on piping the frosting, make sure you really finely crush the cookies so they don't clog your piping bag. Oh, and I have to add that a half batch of the frosting tastes amazing on a 9x13-inch pan of brownies!

OREO CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS - CAKE
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

INGREDIENTS - FROSTING
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
6-7 cups powdered sugar
1teaspoon vanilla extract
4-6 tablespoons milk
16 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
pinch of salt
additional Oreo cookies for topping, if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. For the cake - preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

4. For the frosting - beat together the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Add milk as needed and beat until fluffy. Add in crushed Oreo cookies, mixing until combined. 

5. Frost cooled cake. Top with additional chopped Oreo cookies if desired.