Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Oreo Cheesecake Cake



Grant and I celebrated our anniversary yesterday.

11 years!!!!  

I'm telling you what, getting married in July is a perfect recipe for hot weather, both in Tennessee where we tied the knot and in Virginia where we now reside.

We really chose the perfect place for our honeymoon - Glacier National Park in Montana - what an amazing escape from the humidity and nastiness of summer in the South.  Wish I was there right about now......

So 11 years, a couple of deployments, a couple of moves, and five kids later, here we are!

And we celebrated with cake!

Well, we had a date too, our first completely alone in over 9 months (no tag-along Miranda this time!), and that was really amazing. We went to the Outback for dinner - hadn't been there in ages - and when we finished and still had some time to kill, we......this is kind of embarrassing.....went to Target.

I know, how romantic.

Well, it was too darn hot to even think about being outside for more than 30 seconds, and the mall area nearby is all outdoors (brilliant design, people....who wants to walk outside in any adverse weather?).....
and Target was right there.

You know the best part, though?  We could actually walk side by side and hold hands.  I can't even remember when we did that last......we're always juggling kids and strollers and diaper bags......and it was so nice to just walk around in the air conditioning together.

And buy a new sports bra.
(I got to go in a dressing room alone!!!  And I spent my entire time in there chuckling at the conversation I was overhearing between a mom and dad trying to maintain control of their 3 or 4 young kids while the mom tried on clothes.  I could totally identify with their struggle.)

But the cake.  Oh, this cake.

It really is up there in my list of favorites.  

The breakdown:

Hershey's dark chocolate cake, white chocolate buttercream frosting, crushed Oreos, Oreo cheesecake, more frosting, more Oreos, another layer of cake, everything covered in frosting, and garnished with mini-Oreos.

I love everything about this dessert.  The cake is moist and tender and so darkly chocolate (you could use regular cocoa powder for a lighter chocolate cake if you were so inclined), the cheesecake provides a wonderful contrast to the cake flavors and texture, and the frosting is out.of.this.world.  It doesn't really taste like white chocolate, but it's definitely different from a regular buttercream. It's supposed to mimic the Oreo cream.....which I think it does pretty nicely.  And it's awesome on chocolate cake.

A perfect celebration cake.   And 11 years of marriage is worth celebrating.

Update:  Grant has now declared this is his favorite cake of all time. And you know that's saying something, because that man loves cake.

Oreo Cheesecake Cake (adapted from Erin's Food Files)

Cheesecake:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
7 coarsely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies

Cake:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
(I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder)
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 (I used expeller pressed coconut oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1 tsp. instant coffee granules (optional)

Frosting:
6 oz. white chocolate (I used Baker's Premium White Chocolate)
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
1/4-1/3 cup heavy cream or milk

6-8 additional crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, for assembly
Mini oreos for garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Cheesecake:
Preheat oven to 325°.  Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Fold in crushed Oreos.
Cut parchment paper in a circle and line the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Pour batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes.  Let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Remove outer ring of cheesecake pan, but leave metal bottom. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. (I just refrigerated - it worked fine)

Cake:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.
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 electric mixer 2 minutes. If using coffee granules, dissolve them in the boiling water.  Stir water or coffee into batter. (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
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.

Frosting:
Place white chocolate in double boiler over pot of simmering water just until it begins to melt. Stir to fully melt, remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, cream butter. Once chocolate has cooled, beat in with butter. Continue to mix at low to medium speed while adding vanilla. Gradually add in cream/milk and powdered sugar, alternating until frosting reaches desired consistency.

Assembly:
Place one layer of cake on cake stand. Frost top with a thin layer of frosting, and a sprinkle of crushed Oreos. Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove metal bottom of the pan, then peel off parchment paper. Place cheesecake layer on top of the cake. If the cheesecake is wider than the cake, and it is necessary to to trim it, wait approximately 5-10 minutes for the cheesecake to soften, then trim it with a knife. Frost top with a thin layer of frosting, and a sprinkle of crushed Oreos. Place top layer of cake on top of the cheesecake, and coat entire cake with a layer frosting to act as the crumb coat. Be careful not to get any crumbs in the bowl of frosting! Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, then frost with as much of the remaining frosting as necessary. Top with mini Oreos, crushed Oreos, or any decoration of your choosing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.




52 comments:

  1. WOWWWW What an AMAZING cake!
    My mouth is watering!

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  2. That cake is looking very tasty folks! Richard from the Amish settlement of Lebanon,pa

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  3. Well congrats on 11 years of marriage! My husband and I when we would go on a date with no kiddos, when they were young, would go and buy diapers after our "Date", it kinda became a thing for us! So I understand that!!!!
    And that cake looks amazing! I'm gonna have to try this one!!!!!

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  4. Some of my best dates have been to Target and the mall, no joke. Love this cake, it's SO gorgeous! Happy Anniversary!

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  5. This is absolutely amazing! Happy anniversary!

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  6. Holy moses, this looks incredible! I saw something similar a whileback and thank you for bringing it back to my attention! Looks just perfect, and happy anniversary :)

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  7. That cake is absolute divine looking!!! Happy anniversary!!! Dates in Target are some of the best:-)

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  8. OMG I've been trying to find the perfect bday cake to celebrate my kids bdays in August. One turns 26 the other 23 and this is the one.

    So you used a 9" springform pan for the cheesecake and then two 9" round cake pans? Did the edges all line up? Oh I love this. So I need to figure on 2 days cooking and prep time. Any other tips? Thanks so much for sharing this and Happy,, Happy Anniversary!

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    1. Yes, I did use a 9" springform for the cheesecake - I'll clarify that in the directions. :)
      My edges did not quite line up - I did have to trim the cheesecake a bit. It wasn't difficult - after putting it on top of the first layer of cake, I just went around it with a sharp knife and cut off the excess. We sure didn't mind nibbling on the remnants - dipped in the oreo crumbs! :)
      Oh, and it wasn't frozen, just refrigerated. It trimmed very easily.

      I made the cheesecake and cake on one day, and the next day made the frosting and assembled it.

      I hope your family enjoys it as much as we did!! Happy Birthday to your kids!

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    2. Hmm I wonder if I used three 9" springform pans if that would solve the issue of shaving the edges. I'm forwarding this photo to my daughter now for her approval. I'm quite sure she will love it. I'm ready to eat it now!

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    3. I think using 3 9" springform pans would work great! But even if you have a little bit of difference, trimming the edges goes really fast.

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  9. The cheesecake looks absolutely wonderful!! And what a beautiful photo!

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  10. Hello..I'm a new follower! I can't WAIT to try this cake..it looks A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Me and my hubby will celebrate our 11 year anniversary in a couple weeks also!

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    1. Hi! Thanks for following! Congrats on your anniversary coming up....I hope you have a lovely celebration...and if you make the cake, I hope it knocks your socks off! :)

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  11. I'm a new follower too! This looks so amazing! I've pinned it to try sometime SOON - maybe for our anniversary in August. :)

    ~Steph @ Silver Boxes

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    1. Hi Steph! Happy Anniversary in August! That is definitely a suitable occasion to make such a cake (I always try to come up with "excuses" to go over-the-top on desserts)!

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  12. Oh my goodness this looks amazing! Thanks for sharing such a cute recipe :)

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  13. wow! your cheesecake looks great. i love it. i'm gonna try this. i hope my first attempt of making the oreo cheesecake will be great as yours. :)

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  14. I made this cake yesterday for my dads birthday! it came out wonderfully, and since he likes nuts i added a layer of nuts on top of the cake as it was baking. It was mouth watering!

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  15. I made this caked yesterday for my dad's birthday! It came out great! I incorporated a layer of nuts on top of the cake while it was baking because he loves nuts!I wish i could post a picture of mine! I was so happy that everyone loved it. It was a long process but well worth it.

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    1. I am SO glad it turned out well for you!! It definitely takes some time and effort, but we agree that it's completely worth it as well. :)

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  16. Oh my gosh Rebekah - could this look any better! I was just about to leave you a comment on your cowgirl cookies, then I saw a picture of this and since I just picked up a giant box of OREOS at Costco, I need some ideas to use them up. I love that the OREOS look like polka dots. I can not wait to try this. I'm a new follower!

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  17. I never thought to combine cheesecake with regular cake, and Oreos! Oooo!

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  18. How well does this cake hold up? Do you think it would support fondant covering?

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    1. I am not experienced with fondant, so I can't say for certain, but it was a pretty sturdy cake, so I would guess that a layer of fondant would be just fine. Let me know if you try it..I'd love to hear how it works!

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  19. I made this cake yesterday for my husband's birthday party today and it was a huge hit. Kids and adults alike loved it - especially the cheesecake layer. The recipe is fantastic - it turned out just like the pictures. Thank you so much for helping me make my husband's birthday special!

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    1. I am SO glad it was a success for your family!!! Thanks for letting me know! I'm going to make it again for our anniversary....definitely worth a repeat. :)

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  20. Rebekah - just an FYI that your recipe and images are being used, uncredited, here:
    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=342465192523673&set=a.283556271747899.46524.283215951781931&type=1

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for letting me know. Not really sure what I can do about it. The picture still has my signature, but there is obviously no mention of my blog in the recipe. Very frustrating. :(

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  21. http://www.erinsfoodfiles.com/2012/03/oreo-cheesecake-cake.html

    there is difference in mesure????

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  22. Could you possibly tell me the measurements in grams? Id love to make this. I just dont do well in cup measurements

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    1. I very rarely bake by weights - but there are several good conversion charts online - here's an example. http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/

      I hope the cake works out for you!

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  23. Hi Rebekah, wow the cake looks amazing! I'd love to give this a try for my girlfriends birthday.. would you be able to give me the measurements in grams as opposed to cups? Also, the baking powder for the cake part.. is that '1 & a half' teaspoons?

    Look forward to hearing from you.. can't wait to give this a go! :-)

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    1. I don't really bake with grams - but there are several good conversion charts online - such as this one http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/

      And yes - the baking powder and baking soda are 1 & a half teaspoons - sorry that was confusing.

      I hope the cake is a wonderful success for your girlfriend's birthday!

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  24. This cake looks amazing. How long can the cake last in the fridge? Can i make 4 or 5 days before my friend's birthday?

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    1. I can't say if it would last for 4-5 days or not - we polished ours off before then! It would definitely last a couple of days, though. I know the cheesecake part would be fine for several days, but I would have concerns about the cake layers remaining as fresh tasting for that long. I recommend making it as close to the birthday as possible, just to be on the safe side.
      Good luck!

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  25. Hi,

    I am happy to tell you that I shared your recipe in Coolcake’s Facebook.
    The reaction was great :)
    8,244 saw this post, 340 liked commented and shared it.

    You are welcome to visit our site at – www.coolcake.com and our facebook at - https://www.facebook.com/CoolCakePhotoCakes
    Thanks for the cooperation.

    We will be more than happy to cooperate in the future.
    (you can contact us at support@coolcake.com)

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  26. This type of cake stands are really rare. I'm glad to see your creation !

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  27. Rebekah, I found this recipe on pinterest and pinned it to my board. Thank you for sharing! I made it two days ago for our supper club last night. It was more than delicious! Definitely a celebration cake. I've already had two requests for the recipe. I shared the link to this page on your blog.

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  28. Fantastic cake! I made it for our supper club last night and I've already had 2 requests for the recipe. I shared the link to this page on your blog. Thank you for sharing this recipe with the world. Loved it!!! I was looking for a dessert to impress and this hit the mark completely.

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    Replies
    1. I am SO glad it was a success for you!! Thanks for letting me know!!

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  29. This is incredible! I have to bake this immediately.

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  30. I also made this today for my husbands birthday....it was a long method but at the end it turned out well .....thanks for sharibg the recipe.....

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  31. How much would you increase the ingredients for a 10inch pan and 10inch springform? I'm wanting to make it bigger to be able to serve 15-20( maybe a few more) people.

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    1. I'm so sorry - I have no idea how much to increase it. Since the cake is extremely large and rich, the serving pieces don't have to be large - I would say you could easily feed 15-20 adults with it. (the serving piece in the photo would be WAY too big for most people!)

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    2. But if you want to increase it for a 10 inch pans, I would probably make 1 and a half times the recipe. So for the cheesecake, I would use 3 blocks of cream cheese and increase the other ingredients accordingly.

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    3. That's what I was thinking too. I made it for my family one Thanksgiving but couldn't remember how much was left. I think some are just having "eyes are bigger than their stomach" syndrome.

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  32. Tried it for my son's birthday 2 years ago. Amazing cake! I must make it again.

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  33. do you think the chessecake layer would pop out if its in a regular 9 in. pan letting it cool completly having put parchment on the bottom and around the inner wall of the pan and having it frozen or cooled in the fridge?

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    1. I have never tried that, but I think the parchment paper could work. I would probably try to remove it BEFORE freezing, though. I'm afraid if you froze it in the pan, it wouldn't budge!

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