Obsessed Cakes
Cookies & Cream Lava Cake
A three-layer cookies and cream cake with black cocoa Oreo lava, vanilla buttercream, and crunchy Oreo topping.
- Prep
- 1 hr
- Bake
- 20-22 min cake; 8-10 min crunch
- Total
- 2 hr
- Yield
- One 8-inch, 3-layer cake
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Ingredients
Cookies & Cream Cake
- 300 g (about 2 1/2 cups) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black cocoa powder
- 270 g (about 1 1/3 cups + 1 teaspoon) granulated sugar
- 135 g (about 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons) neutral oil
- 240 g (about 1 cup) milk, room temperature
- 15 g (about 1 tablespoon) apple cider vinegar
- 120 g (about 7 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons) plain unsweetened yogurt, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 90 g Oreos, finely crushed (about 8 whole Oreos)
Oreo Lava Filling
- 113 g (about 1/2 cup) butter
- 142 g (about 2/3 cup) light brown sugar, packed
- 64 g (about 1/4 cup + 1/2 teaspoon) milk
- 8 whole Oreos, ground to a powder
- 28 g (about 5 tablespoons) black cocoa powder
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 30-45 g (about 2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons) milk, to loosen as needed
Oreo Crunch
- 120 g Oreos, crushed (about 10-11 whole Oreos)
- 40 g (about 3 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon) granulated sugar
- 20 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1 1/4 teaspoons) melted butter
- Pinch fine sea salt
Vanilla Buttercream
- 339 g (about 1 1/2 cups) butter (3 sticks)
- 520 g (about 4 1/3 cups) powdered sugar
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 80-90 g (about 1/3 cup to 6 tablespoons) heavy cream, slightly above room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- Make the cake. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, milk, apple cider vinegar, yogurt, and vanilla bean paste until smooth.
- Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black cocoa powder. Whisk just until combined.
- Fold in the finely crushed Oreos.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake layers completely.
- Make the Oreo lava filling. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and milk together until glossy and smooth.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the Oreo powder, black cocoa powder, and salt.
- Cool to room temperature or chill briefly until just below room temperature.
- Add 30 g milk to loosen the lava to your desired consistency, then add up to 15 g more if needed.
- Make the Oreo crunch. Stir together the crushed Oreos, granulated sugar, melted butter, and salt until evenly coated.
- Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
- Cool the Oreo crunch completely before using.
- Make the buttercream. Beat the butter and salt until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla bean paste.
- With the mixer on low, slowly stream in the slightly warm cream until fully incorporated, silky, and spreadable.
- Assemble the cake. Place the first cake layer on a board or stand. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the cake and pipe a tall buttercream dam around the edge.
- Add about one-third of the Oreo lava filling inside the dam and sprinkle generously with Oreo crunch.
- Repeat with the second cake layer, another thin layer of buttercream, a tall dam, Oreo lava, and Oreo crunch.
- Add the final cake layer and frost the outside with the remaining buttercream.
- Garnish with the remaining Oreo lava filling and Oreo crunch.
- Slice and enjoy right away, or chill if you prefer a firmer slice. Microwave individual slices for 8-10 seconds if you want the lava to loosen again.
Helpful notes
- The lava will thicken and set after assembly and refrigeration. Warm individual slices briefly to bring back the glossy lava texture.