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!).

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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!

- 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!

- Mix all the dry ingredients together.

- Combine butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.

- Add the eggs, vanilla, oil, and vinegar.

- Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.

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

- Bake in the oven!

- Mix butter with confectioners' sugar.

- Add remaining frosting ingredients and frost your cake!

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

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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe

Red Velvet Oreo Cake (with Oreo American Buttercream)
Equipment
- 2 8-inch cake pans
- Stand Mixer
- Kitchen Scale
- Measuring Spoons
- Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake
- ½ Cup (113 grams) Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 ½ Cups (300 grams) Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs room temperature
- Red Food Color
- 3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder natural cocoa powder
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon White Vinegar
- 2 ½ Cups (300 grams) Cake Flour
- 1 Cup (227 ml) Buttermilk
- ½ Cup (120 ml) Neutral Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 5 Oreo Cookies crushed
Oreo Frosting
- 2 Sticks (212 grams) Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 4 Cups (480 grams) Confectioners' Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ Cup (60 grams) Heavy Cream
- 10 Oreo Cookies pulsed into a powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉/175℃ and grease and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder. Set aside.3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder, 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda, 2 ½ Cups (300 grams) Cake Flour
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.½ Cup (113 grams) Unsalted Butter, 1 ½ Cups (300 grams) Granulated Sugar
- Add in the eggs, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar and beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes.2 Large Eggs, 1 Teaspoon White Vinegar, ½ Cup (120 ml) Neutral Oil, 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Make sure to start and end with the dry ingredients.1 Cup (227 ml) Buttermilk
- Mix in your food coloring until you have your desired color.Red Food Color
- Stir in your Oreo cookies.5 Oreo Cookies
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed until combined.2 Sticks (212 grams) Unsalted Butter, 4 Cups (480 grams) Confectioners' Sugar
- Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes
- Mix in the vanilla extract, salt, and crushed Oreo cookies.1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt, 10 Oreo Cookies
- If your frosting is too thick, you can add up to ¼ cup of heavy cream.¼ Cup (60 grams) Heavy Cream
- Once the cake layers are completely cool, frost and enjoy!













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