Mary Anne here. February 17th marked Feast on the Cheap’s 5th birthday! On that fateful day five years ago, Mariel suggested transforming my ultra fancy, tres expensive catering recipes into something that better reflected the downtrodden economy. C’est Voila! At the time, I barely understood that search engines weren’t something you rode to work. Mariel has been beyond patient with me as I have learned how to traipse through the wild and wooly world of dot com (and dot net).
Although I haven’t been cooking as much recently – I won’t bore y’all with my excuses – I always show up for the party! So Happy Birthday to us. I am blessed to share this adventure with my extraordinarily talented daughter, and I must offer her a very special tip of my party hat. Not only is she my treasured child and my partner in wondrous fare, but of late, she is our chief chef, dishwasher, and writer of this beloved blog. And while she’s keeping our blog fires burning, Mariel works full-time from home as a magazine writer, in between caring for her own child – a singularly fierce and fantastic toddling tiger cub. Beautiful girl, I promise to deliver the goods more consistently this year.
Now let’s eat cake!

Oreo Cookie Layer Cake
Serves 8 as a Layered Cake
24 as Cupcakes
Note: The cake portion of this recipe is actually our Devil’s Food Cake of yore. The only difference is the very-delicious addition of Oreos to the batter. As for the icing – this is a basic Confectioner’s sugar/butter/milk icing with once again, a healthy dose of crumbled cookies. Simple and seriously sinful!
Ingredients:
For the cake:
½ cup hot, brewed coffee- stock
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder – stock
½ cup buttermilk – $2.49
1 Teaspoon vanilla – stock
2 cups all-purpose flour – stock
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened – stock
2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed – stock
2 large eggs – stock
¾ cup mini Oreos, chopped – $2.50
For the Icing:
4 ½ cups Confectioner’s sugar – $2.29
1 ½ sticks sweet butter, softened – stock
1 Teaspoon vanilla – stock
6 – 8 Tablespoons milk – stock
½ cup crushed Oreos – included above
Grand Total Assuming a Well-Stocked Kitchen: $7.28
Total Per Slice: $0.91
Total Per Cuppie: $0.30
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray (i.e. Pam) the bottom and sides of 2- 9” round cake pans. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit each round bottom and place in pans. Spray or butter the parchment and lightly flour the bottoms, knocking out the excess flour over the sink.
2. Prepare the cake. In a small bowl, whisk together the hot coffee and the ¾ cup of cocoa powder. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, whisking well. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the brown sugar, beating until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Using the lowest setting on your mixer, add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa-butter mixture, Beat until just combined. (I finish this part by hand, so that the cake is moist and not over beaten.)
6. By hand, stir in the chopped Oreos.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs clinging to the shaft. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife along the sides of the pans to loosen the edges. Invert onto wire racks lined with foil. Remove the parchment paper.
7. Allow to cool completely before icing.
8. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with the Confectioner’s sugar. Add the vanilla. Gradually add the milk, beating well, until the icing is a good spreading consistency.
9. Stir in the crushed Oreos, incorporating well.
10. Spread icing evenly over the bottom layer. Add the top layer, spreading icing across it’s top. Using the remaining icing, spread evenly along the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top with a dusting of some more crushed Oreos and garnish with any leftover cookies.
wowwww…an excelent cake, look’s so amazing and in the same time very tasty, delicious and creamy crunchy combination, love this one 😀
Happy blogoversary! This cake looks like a fabulous way to celebrate!
Oh my, I am all over this cake! It looks decadent 🙂 I can’t wait to try it!