This red velvet Oreo cake is what dessert dreams are made of! It features rich, fluffy red velvet cake layers with crushed Oreo cookies baked in, all frosted with a simple, creamy Oreo American buttercream. This is the perfect mash-up of two classic flavors, and it's the perfect show-stopping cake for birthdays, special occasions like Valentine's Day, or just because (no judgment from me!).

A slice of Oreo red velvet cake being lifted out with a cake server.

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I'm on a bit of a red velvet kick right now, I can't get enough of it! After making my red velvet cake with mini chocolate chips, I knew I wanted to match it with one of my favorite frosting recipes - Oreo frosting!

I know red velvet cake is usually paired with cream cheese frosting, but 1) cream cheese frosting isn't always easy to work with, and 2) Oreo is such a classic, nostalgic flavor. To get even more Oreo flavor in this cake, I also crushed up some Oreo cookies and added them to the cake batter just before baking.

When developing my recipes, I always try to make a cake recipe that is easy to make but still gonna knock your socks off - and this cookies and cream red velvet cake does just that!

If you're an Oreo lover like me (guilty!), you gotta try my funfetti Oreo cake with Oreo frosting, chocolate Oreo cupcakes with Oreo cream cheese frosting, this no bake red velvet Oreo cheesecake. That's not even all my Oreo recipes, I can't get enough of them!

What you need + why!

All the ingredients needed to make an Oreo red velvet cake, weighed out into small bowls.

Oreo Cookie Crumbs: You'll need crushed Oreo cookies for both the cake layers and the cookies and cream frosting. For the frosting, make sure that they're a fine powder. Otherwise, they'll get stuck in the piping tip when you're decorating your cake!
Food Gel: My absolute favorite food gel is Americolor Super Red!
Vinegar: One of the secret ingredients to red velvet cake is white vinegar, which reacts with the baking soda. Red velvet cake got it's name from the reddish hue from the chemical reaction between the cocoa powder, vinegar, and baking soda.
Cocoa Powder: Make sure you're using a natural cocoa powder and not Dutch-processed!
Cake Flour: During the recipe testing process, I ran out of cake flour during one of the tests! I swapped it out for some 'homemade' cake flour which is for every cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch - it works and the cake was still super soft! Worst case scenario, just use regular all-purpose flour.
Neutral Oil: My lil secret trick to extra moist cakes is replacing some of the butter for a neutral oil. This makes the cake super soft and moist for days. Use something like vegetable oil or canola oil, we want an oil with no taste or smell.

Let's make this recipe!

A white bowl with flour and cocoa powder in it.

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Creamed butter and sugar in a glass bowl.

Combine butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla, oil, and vinegar.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.

Red velvet cake batter with Oreo crumbs in a glass bowl.

Mix in red food gel until you get your desired color intensity. Stir in the chopped Oreo cookies.

Unbaked red velvet Oreo cake in round cake pans.

Bake in the oven!

Pale yellow American buttercream in a glass bowl.

Mix butter with confectioners' sugar.

Add remaining frosting ingredients and frost your cake!

A slice of red velvet cake with Oreo frosting on a small plate.

Assembling your cake!

Here's a few steps to help you assemble your cake, so it looks as good as it tastes.

If your cakes aren't flat, you might need to level the cakes with a serrated knife. I also love using cake strips (when I can actually remember to soak them in water first!)
Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before you start frosting the cake. Warm cake layers + cold frosting = a bad time.
Once you've made your frosting, stop the mixer. Use a rubber spatula and mix the Oreo frosting by hand to remove any air bubbles.
Place one cake layer down on your cake plate, and use a small offset spatula to spread some of the frosting. If you want to go the extra mile, sprinkle over more crushed Oreo cookies!
Place the second layer on top. Scoop the frosting on top of this second layer, and use the small offset spatula to frost the top and sides of the cake.
To get extra smooth sides, I use a bench scraper and go around the sides of the cake.
I then used leftover Oreo frosting to pipe swirls on the edge, and topped every other swirl with a mini Oreo!

Storage & Freezing

Keep the frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend letting it come to room temperature before serving. Cold cake = not much flavor. Once you've sliced the cake, I like to press a piece of parchment paper against the sliced cake so it doesn't dry out too much.

You can freeze slices of cake in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the fridge completely before eating.

Looking for more celebration cakes? I got you

Ella from Alpine Ella is holding a cake stand with cupcakes on it.

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Thank you!

Ella