Oreo Look-Alike Cake
17 Dec
By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the Oreo look-alike cake pan for sale at Williams Sonoma. (Or as they call it, the Sandwich Cookie Cake pan)
Whatever you want to call it – the premise is the same: two chocolate cake layers, with a thick layer of vanilla icing in between. It’s certainly something you don’t see everyday, and it sure would elicit smiles at the dinner table.
However, you call me cheap, or you can call me practical (don’t call me late for dinner, though) – but when the novelty wears off, then what? The pan gets stashed in the back of the cabinet, never to be heard from again.
Except if you move, or reorganize the cabinet.
Riiiiiiiight.
And since I don’t feel like putting down $49.00 for a pan that probably won’t get used too often, I decided to improvise.
That’s one of the mother’s rules, did you know that? Page 12, go look it up in the Mommy Handbook. It’s right up there with the rule that mothers aren’t allowed to get sick. (That’s on page 16).
Where was I…….. oh yes, now I remember.
Using a new chocolate cake recipe that I found during Operation Binder Clean-Out, I made a reasonable facsimile to the Williams Sonoma version – or at least my family thought so, because when I brought the cake out, they all said, in unison, “Hey look! It’s a giant Oreo!”
This cake is very similar to Ina Garten’s recipe for Beatty’s Chocolate Cake – which is also known as the Only Chocolate Cake My Mother Will Eat. While Ina’s uses cocoa powder, this version, which utilizes unsweetened chocolate, provides a deeper chocolate flavor. They are both excellent cakes, however, so don’t ask me to pick a favorite. 
Oreo Look-Alike Cake - cake recipe adapted from Back In The Day Bakery
3 cups cake flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
4 cups granulated sugar
9 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups hot coffee
1 tbs. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9” cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar and set aside.
Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot coffee over it. Allow it to sit for a minute to melt, then stir gently until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and stir again.
In another bowl, combine the eggs and oil until well blended. Whisk in the sour cream, then stir in the chocolate mixture.
Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester comes clean from the center. Remove the pans from the oven and allow to cakes to cool for 10 minutes – then invert the cakes onto a wire rack. Peel off the paper and allow to cakes to cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbs. milk (may need more)
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar until combined. Add vanilla and 2 tbs. milk and beat until smooth. Add another cup of powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add 2 tbs. milk and continue beating. Add remaining powdered sugar and continue to beat on low speed until frosting is smooth and creamy. If necessary, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake plate. Cover with a generous amount of vanilla frosting, then place the other cake layer on top. Chill, covered, for about an hour to allow frosting to set.
I too would not really be able to justify buying one cake pan just for this recipe. Especially not at that price. As cute as it would be. Okay, maybe some psycho part of my foodie mind would WANT to justify it. But it really just wouldn’t fly.
The cake looks delicious though! You have spoken to my every dream with it. Who wouldn’t want the biggest oreo cookie known to man?
I received one of those W-S novelty cake pans (giant snowman) as a gift. It is fun to have but I would never buy it based on how little I have used it. I am thinking of breaking it out for Christmas Eve.
I love the Ina Garten cake so I am sure this one is good, too. But my next chocolate cake will probably be the Cocoa Buttermilk for Will’s birthday. The timing is just too convenient.
You’re right, a little pricey for a novelty item only used occasionally….loved your rambling post and look alike cake!
Yummy! I’m sure the cake was extra good with unsweetened chocolate instead of cocoa powder. Those novelty pans at Williams-Sonoma are tempting, aren’t they? So far I’ve resisted.
I’ll call you practical. Those cute pans look fun, but they’re not at all practical.
Your slice of cake looks SO tempting!
I saw those pans in the Holiday catalog, and thought I HAD to have them. When I went to order them online, I was reading some of the reviews and apparently a lot of people had issues getting the cake out and or the imprints werent very clear. So I’ll call you practical too! great recipe, thanks for sharing!!
I like your version of the mommy handbook! I like the oreo pan, but wouldn’t buy it for $49 either. Who takes the time to search out a specific cake pan prior to baking? Definitely not someone who reads a mommy handbook – LOL! We’re too busy just trying to find any old pan to cook the cake in.
This cake would be a big hit with my family and in-laws. They love a great chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream.
Delish!
But don’t you still secretly want that pan…?
I saw that pan in the catalog, and thought it was so cute but also didn’t want to spend $49 on a specialty pan. Your cake looks so cute!
Yours works for me! I’ve seen that pan too and agree, too pricey. Everything at WS is too pricey!
Looks so fantastic! Great improvisation!
Love your cake more because you don’t have to store another pan!! It looks yummy! – mary
I always feel that way about their pans. They’re so sweet, but what do you do with them after the novelty wears off? (Especially given their price.)
Maybe we should start a new group: Sisterhood of the Traveling Cookie Cake Pan. Although it would probably work best if everyone lived fairly close to each other.
I once had delusions of grandeur and bought a snowman cake pan. The snowman had to be assembled standing UPRIGHT. Then decorated UPRIGHT. What the heck was I thinking? A mini bundt pan, I can handle, but specialty cake pan that costs 49 smackaroos…nuh-uh. I learned my lesson.
I love your oreo cake-it looks delicious!!!! (And that Beatty’s Chocolate Cake is AWESOME!)
This is the first time I’ve seen this cake pan and I love it! The cake looks great!!!
This is so adorable!