Cookies and Cream Cake

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease and line 3 8×8 round cake pans and line with parchment. I did 2 9 inch rough cake pans that I sprayed well and lined with parchment.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Chop the Oreo cookies into small pieces. Set aside.
• Beat butter with an electric hand mixer for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and oil to the bowl and beat for 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy.
• Add sour cream and vanilla to bowl and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl so that all the ingredients combine. Add 1/3 cup milk to the bowl and mix on low to combine. Follow with 1/3 cup dry ingredients and mix on low to combine. Add remaining milk and the dry mixture, beating in-between each addition. Set bowl aside.
• With clean beaters whip the egg whites for about 2-5 minutes until you have stiff peaks.
• Add half the stiff egg whites to the bowl and fold into the batter until no streaks. Repeat with remaining egg whites and Oreo cookies. Fold gently with a rubber spatula.
• Divide batter evenly between 2 or 3 cake tins. Bake the cake in a preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. If a toothpick comes out clean, it is done.
• Remove cake from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Then flip cakes out and allow to cool completely. If using later in the day or the next day, wrap well in plastic wrap then foil. When ready to use remove from freezer and frost. ( Image the cake in the morning, let it cool and froze overnight and placed the cake the next am in the frig. I then frosted a few hours later.)
• Mousse: Must make right before frosting the cake
• Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream in a saucepan over medium until hot and then pour over chocolate and mix until melted. Reserve remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream in the refrigerator.
• If the mixture doesn’t melt, place in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until it melts fully. Let the melted chocolate cool completely.
• Beat the cream cheese with a mixer for 45 seconds.Add the cooled white chocolate/cream mixture. Beat for 30 seconds to combine.
• In a separate bowl, beat remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form.
• Add the whipped cream and vanilla to the bowl with the cream cheese and white chocolate mixture and fold to combine.
• Add the chopped Oreos and mix.
• Place mousse in the refrigerator while you make the frosting.
• Frosting
• Beat the butter with a paddle attachment for 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese and beat together for 1 minute.
• Add powdered sugar and salt, mix on low until everything is combined.
• Raise the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until everything is creamy. Add vanilla and combine.
• Add 1/2 cup of Oreo’s and mix until incorporated. Scrape the bowl and mix another 30 seconds. Save remaining 1/2 cup to attach to the sides of the cake or in between the layers.
• If the frosting is too soft, add a bit more powdered sugar and if the frosting is to dry, add some milk.
• You can put some frosting in a large pipe bag, if you want.
• Keep remain ing frosting covered.
• Assembly
• Place one layer on a serving plate, Spoon some of the mousse around the layer of the cake. Top with next layer and then the next if making 3 layers. If only making 2 layers, spread the mousse pretty thick on the layer then cover with top layer.
• Frost the whole cake and then decorate or make the ganache and drip it over the whole cake. My daughter thought that was too much.
• Once the cake is frosted, use the Oreo’s to decorate the cake. Chill until about 2 hours before serving. This cake tastes best when it is at room temperature.
• Ganache
• Place chopped semi sweet chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until hot and pour over the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted. Let the ganache cool for about 10-15 minutes, you want it pourable and not too thick. Then gently pour over the top of the cake and decorate.
• The cake can last in an air tight container up to 4 days in the refrigerator.