Oreo Cookie Cake

It's that time of the month again for revealing what I've baked for the cake slice bakers. It sort of crept up on me last week and we really didn't need more cake in the house as I'd already made two large chocolate cakes for family birthdays as well as a fruit cake and cupcakes for other people... But at least we had family visiting over the weekend so most of it has been eaten. The choices this month from Maida Heatter's Cakes were a Sand Torte, which I thought was a rather plain sounding cake, a Jelly Roll i.e. a Jam Swiss Roll, which didn't excite me much, Blueberry Muffins, which I'm sure are great but I've made enough blueberry muffins for this not to seem like much of a challenge and finally an Oreo Cookie Cake. Even if I had really loved the sound of the other three choices this still would have been no contest... I can't resist anything with Oreo Cookies! (Although I'm glad to see the others have made all the other cakes!)

The cake itself was quite a plain mix but baked in a bundt tin which I think always makes a cake seem special... and of course it has those lovely dark cookies broken up and stirred through the batter. It rose up beautifully with a fabulous thick crust, which then of course becomes the bottom of the cake, which gave a lovely crunchy texture to the base of the cake..

Maida Heatter does say the cake can be served plain but I thought it looked a little too plain so went for the optional glaze.

And I also had a sneak peek at Laura's version on Facebook before the weekend and liked the way she had used extra broken up cookies to decorate the top, so I did the same.

It was met with delight by the family because they thought I'd made a giant iced doughnut, however they weren't disappointed when they tasted it and it was declared a "Good Cake".

And should you wish to try this yourself (I can recommend it) here is my version of the recipe:

Oreo Cookie Cake (adapted from Maida Heatter's Cakes)

You will need a bundt tin,  buttered well and dusted with  breadcrumbs. (See method here but I'm  sure you could dust with flour - what is important is that the cake does not stick)

Ingredients:

• 14 Oreo cookies, which is what you get in a packet, plus extra for the top (optional)
• 385g sifted plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 227g  unsalted butter
• 300g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 200ml sour cream

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 deg F, 180 deg C, 160 deg fan.
• Place the cookies on a board and cut into quarters, it doesn't matter if they break up into smaller pieces and crumble. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a jug, gently beat the eggs to break them up and add the vanilla and almond extracts.
• Using a mixer or hand whisk, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, until soft and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs a little at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each addition and beat until well mixed. 
• With a large spoon, fold in the flour in three additions alternating with the sour cream in two additions.
• Spread about a quarter of the mixture into the base of the tin. It will be a thin layer.
• Gently fold the broken cookies into the remaining mixture and then add it to the tin in spoonfuls, spreading it over the plain batter
• Bake for about an hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for about fifteen minutes before turning out to cool on a rack.

To make the glaze melt together 60g milk chocolate, 60g of plain chocolate and 55g unsalted butter - I do this in short bursts in the microwave. Stir until smooth and then stir in 1-2 tablespoons of double cream. This will thicken the glaze so you have to work quickly to spread it over the top of the cake. Top with more broken cookies if you feel like it... and if like me you happened to have bought a double pack in the hope of some left over!

This is defintely a cake I would make again. A good moist crumb and the cookies soften to the texture of the cake giving little chocolatey hits. The flavours of cookies and cream ice cream in a cake... what is not to like!

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