Part brownie, part cake, and part cookies and cream decadence, every feature of this layered beauty is designed to satisfy your cocoa and cream cravings. Black cocoa, the dark secret to Oreos, goes into the fudgy brownie layers to create a rich base for our delicious cookie-speckled buttercream.
Cookies and Cream Brownie Layer Cake
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (330 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1½ cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1â…“ cups (128 grams) black cocoa powder, sifted
- 1½ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons (3 grams) instant espresso powder
- 6 large eggs (300 grams), room temperature and lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon (13 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 grams) whole milk, room temperature
- Cookies and Cream Buttercream (recipe follows)
- Garnish: cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookiess
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugars and melted butter until smooth and well combined.
- In another large bowl, whisk together flour, black cocoa, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
- Slowly add eggs to sugar mixture, whisking until combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, stirring just until combined after each addition. Divide batter among prepared pans (about 2½ cups or 680 grams each), smoothing into an even layer.
- Bake until tops are dry and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 28 to 38 minutes. Let cool completely in pans.
- Level cooled brownie layers, if desired. Place 1 cooled brownie layer on a cake stand. Spread 1½ cups (350 grams) Cookies and Cream Buttercream on top. Top with second brownie layer, and spread 1½ cups (350 grams) buttercream on top. Top with remaining brownie layer. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top and sides of cake to create a crumb coat; refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Spread 3½ cups (816 grams) buttercream on top and sides of cake.
- Place remaining Cookies and Cream Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a medium French star piping tip (Ateco #866). Pipe dollops in a crescent shape around top of cake. Garnish with cookies and cookie crumbs, if desired.
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Cookies and Cream Buttercream
Makes about 8 cups
Ingredients
- 2â…“ cups (530 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 8½ cups (1,020 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup (240 grams) heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
- 2â…“ cups (265 grams) crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (about 23 to 25 cookies)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt at medium speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar alternately with cream, beginning and ending with confectioners’ sugar, beating until fluffy and combined. Beat in vanilla. Using a spatula, fold in cookies. Use immediately.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
