A simple six inch mini cookies and cream cake with chocolate layers, Oreo cream cheese frosting, and mini Oreo cookies on top. It's perfect for a small birthday party. This six inch cake is part of my collection of small cake recipes.
I wasn't planning on posting this cake, but it was so good I just had to share. This mini cookies and cream chocolate cake is for anyone who loves all things Oreo. You could stop at Oreo brownies or cookies and cream cupcakes, but a birthday calls for cake.
A Chocolate Cake Base with Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting
This cake is a rich, deep chocolate. Most cookies and cream cakes start with vanilla layers and chopped Oreos baked into the batter. This one keeps the cake all chocolate and puts the cookies in the frosting.
The layers get their flavor from cocoa powder and strong coffee which enhances the chocolate flavor. Sour cream adds moisture.
For the cookies and cream part, I decided to use cream cheese as my frosting base. Think "oreo cheesecake" and you can imagine that this base works just as well as buttercream.
Personally, I prefer cream cheese frosting. You crush the Oreos and stir about half of the crumbs into the frosting. The rest go on the outside of the cake.
Ingredient Notes
The full ingredient list is in the recipe card below.
- Oreos: You need two kinds. Regular chocolate sandwich cookies get crushed for the frosting, and bite size mini Oreos go on top. Crush the regular cookies in a food processor until they're a medium to fine crumb. If you can't find the mini versions, you can still decorate with the larger ones in your own creative style.
- Flour and cocoa powder: Everyone measures differently, so weight is the most accurate way to measure. The recipe card lists grams alongside cups.
- Coffee: Brew it strong and let it cool completely before it goes into the batter. You will not taste the coffee in the cake.
- Cream cheese and butter: Let both come to room temperature. Use unsalted butter in the frosting.
- Confectioners' sugar: Start with 1 cup and add more, up to 2½ cups, until the frosting is as stiff as you like. A teaspoon of milk loosens it if it gets too thick.
Using Cookies and Cream Frosting as a Filling
The same Oreo cream cheese frosting fills and covers this cake, so you get a chocolate cake with cookies and cream filling in the middle and on the outside. Spread about ½ inch of frosting over the first cake layer. Set the second layer on top and cover the whole cake with what's left.
The recipe makes about 2 cups of frosting. That's enough to frost the cake generously, or you can use a lighter layer and save some for decorating.
For a cake with even more layers of cookies and cream filling, try my Oreo crepe cake.
How to Assemble and Decorate a Mini Oreo Cake
Once the cake layers have cooled, this cake comes together quickly. Set the first layer on your cake stand and spread on the filling. Place the second layer on top and cover the top and sides with the rest of the frosting.
For the decoration, place mini oreos around the edge of the top of the cake. I've added whipped cream swirls but you can also use the frosting instead. Garnish the bottom sides of the cake with the reserved cookie crumbs.
It's a simple cookies and cream cake design that only needs piping tips if you want to swirl on whipped cream. You can decorate it however you like. You can even do a ganache drip over the top before adding the whipped cream and cookies.
Making It for a Small Birthday Party
This mini cookies and cream birthday cake is sized for a small celebration and serves 10. Since this was just for my family and not a huge birthday party, I only made a six inch cake. You can always double the recipe if you want to make a nine inch cake.
Looking for six inch cake pans? I have Fat Daddio's Anodized Aluminum Round Cake Pans and they work great. For other six inch cake recipes, you may also want to look at my chocolate cake recipe and this carrot cake recipe.
Mini Cookies and Cream Cake FAQs
How tall are the cake layers?
The cake layers should rise to about 1 inch. Photos can be deceiving, so don't worry if yours look shorter than you expect. Remember this is a "mini" cake.
Can I make this as cupcakes?
For a cupcake version of this flavor, try my cookies and cream cupcakes.
What other cookies and cream desserts can I make?
If you love this flavor, try my cookies and cream sugar cookies.
Mini Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cake
A mini cookies and cream cake with two 6 inch chocolate layers, Oreo cream cheese frosting, and mini Oreos on top. Sized for a small birthday party.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup all purpose flour (120g)
- 7 Tablespoons cocoa powder (42.5g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup butter (76g)
- ⅔ cup sugar (134g)
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup sour cream (85g)
- ½ cup strong coffee, cooled (118 mL)
For the frosting:
- ¾ cup crushed chocolate cream filled sandwich cookie crumbs (90g)
- 6 ounces cream cheese (170g), room temperature
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (85g), room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups confectioners sugar (300g)
- milk to adjust consistency if needed
- 8-10 bite size chocolate sandwich cookies for decorating
- whipped cream (optional for decorating)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter, line with parchment, and flour two 6 inch cake pans.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- In an electric mixer, paddle the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- On low speed, alternately add the dry mixture and the sour cream in five total additions starting and ending with the dry mixture.
- Slowly add the coffee and mix just until the batter becomes smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Unmold and cool on racks.
For the frosting:
- Crush the chocolate cookies in a food processor until it is a medium to fine crumb. Set aside.
- In the mixer, paddle the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the salt and vanilla.
- Beat in the sugar starting with 1 cup first and adding more if needed.
- Add a teaspoon of milk if you need looser frosting or add sugar if you need it stiff.
- Stir in about half of the cookie crumbs. There's no exact amount of cookie to add. Add what you like and reserve the rest for decorating.
Assembly and decorating:
- Cover one cake layer with about ½ inch thickness of frosting. Place the second layer on top and cover the cake with remaining frosting.
- Arrange the mini Oreos around the top edge of the cake. Garnish the bottom sides of the cake with any remaining cookie crumbs.
Notes
The frosting yields about 2 cups of frosting which is enough to generously frost the cake or use a lighter layer and add decorations. The cake layers should rise to about 1 inch. Remember this is a "mini" cake.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 737Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 14gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 329mgCarbohydrates: 118gFiber: 3gSugar: 86gProtein: 8g
This nutrition information is only an approximate provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. Information comes from Nutritionix, an automated nutrition calculator.
DessertForTwo says
My husband would love this! I love that it's mini, too! :)
Nerissa says
Hi! Thank you for this recipe. Made it for a 6 yr old’s birthday and got great feedback. Looking at your photo, your cake layers are much higher. Would you pls tell me what the flour and the cocoa powder converts to in cups or tablespoons? One source says 3/4 cup flour. Another says 1/2 cup flour
Really appreciate it
Urvashee says
Hi,
The flour is about 3/4 plus one Tablespoon. The cocoa powder is about 6 Tablespoons. Please keep in mind everyone measures differently so weight is the most accurate way of measuring. Hope that helps. Also, photos can be deceiving. I'd say the bake height of each cake layer is about 3/4-1inch high. I just made it again last week for my son's birthday so going by that memory!