Superbowl Cookies & Cream Cake

After taking the second Wilton cake decorating class, I was left with two egg-shaped cake pans. I put them to good use to make a football-shaped cake for the Superbowl. The pans are smaller and wider than my usual 8 X 8 rounds, so the cakes came out really high. I cut them in half lengthwise and ended up with four layers. I used three and froze the fourth to make cake balls at a later time. The cookies and cream filling took the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake to a new level. I really loved this filling and couldn't stop tasting it as I was whipping it together. This cake was well received, as not one piece remained.

Cookies & Cream Cake

Source: Good Things Catered and Annie's Eats

Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 and 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk (I used vanilla almond milk.)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I reduced this to 1 teaspoon.)
1 cup boiling water
16 - 18 Oreos twisted to separate cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick baking spray. Place cookies on bottoms of pans.

Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin) and pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 - 35 minutes (mine took 45 minutes). Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.

Cookies & Cream Filling:
1 and 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/8 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 Oreos, chopped

Place bowl of electric mixer and whisk attachment in fridge for 30 minutes. Combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold in chopped Oreos.

Frosting:
1 stick butter, melted
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir cocoa into melted butter. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk and beat well. Stir in vanilla. (Add a small amount of additional milk, if needed.)
 
To assemble cake:
Slice each cake in half lengthwise. (I only used three layers and froze the fourth for future use.) Fill first layer with a layer of cookies & cream filling. Place second layer on top. Fill second layer with another layer of cookies & cream filling. Top with third layer. Frost top and sides with chocolate frosting. Decorate as desired.