Oreo Cake - It was called "Amazing" more than once!

Ali's birthday was two weeks ago. We celebrated it over a couple of days (ok, 10, but she's 20, and not home as often as the others are). As you probably know, the kids get to choose their meals for their birthday. I try to do them all on the same day, but due to her work schedule, it took us a bit to get them all in. Her breakfast and dinner choices were the same as last year - German Pancakes and Heart Attack Chicken. Both recipes are blog posts from last year that you should check out. When I made the chicken, I also made her birthday cake. She found the recipe on Pinterest, and as usual, I tweaked it a little. I do that a lot so I can post the recipe and not feel like I am stealing it from someone. It was hands-down the most amazing cake ever!! It is easy to make, too!! It does call for a cake mix, which for some of you is the way you always roll. For me it was a bit of a "twitch inducing" experience. I think I even felt the ground tremble a little as my mother rolled over in her grave, but I did it anyway, and with all of the additions to the cake, it tasted like any other scratch cake I have ever had. Enjoy!

Oreo Cake

Cake:
Devil's Food Cake mix
small box of chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 t. salt
2 t. pure vanilla extract
1 c. sour cream
1 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream Filling/Topping
1 c. butter, softened
1 T. pure vanilla extract
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2-4 T. whipping cream
25 Double-Stuff Oreos, crushed

Fudge sauce or ganache

For the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper or wax paper, then spray well with non-stick spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, salt, vanilla, sour cream, oil, eggs, and water. Beat for 30 seconds on low to combine and then switch mixer to medium/medium high for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the pkg. of chocolate chips.
Divide the mixture between the two pans and bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remember that you have chocolate chips in there, so it might be a little difficult to determine if it is batter or chocolate chips on the toothpick.
Remove cake pans to a cooling rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes invert the cakes out of the pans onto the racks and allow to cool completely before frosting them.

For the frosting:
Beat the butter and the vanilla until soft and fluffy. Gradually add in the sugar until thoroughly combined. Add cream a tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches spreading consistency. Stir in the crushed Oreos.

Assembly:
Put a dab of frosting on the serving plate and top with the first layer. Top that with half of the filling mixture spreading just to the edge of the cake. Top with the second layer followed by the remaining cream filling. Drizzle the top with fudge sauce or chocolate ganache (1/2 c. heated cream or half and half combined with 1/2 c. chopped chocolate, stirred until smooth).

Make that and tell me it is awful. I dare you :)

Until next time, stay warm and loved, my friends!