My Favourite Recipies: Cookies 'n' Cream Cake

 Not only did I try a new recipe this week, but I'm trying something else new next week...entering a cake contest! Eek! A local convenience store has an annual cake contest, and this year I decided to enter. First prize is a $100 gift certificate to that store! That would be a significant help to our family!

My mom and sisters are all entering too, so competition is fierce. :) I decided to make this Cookies 'n' Cream cake that a lady at my church has made..it is so yummy! I gave it a trial run this week, so here is the recipe and the run-down of how I decorated it.

Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cake

1 pkg. White cake mix
1 pkg. Instant vanilla pudding
1 ¼ cups water
⅓ cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 cup coarsely crushed Oreos

Frosting:
4 cups icing (confectioners) sugar
½ cup shortening
¼ cup milk (I had to add waaaaaay more!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional Oreos

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding, water, oil and egg whites. Beat on low until moistened; beat on high for 2 minutes. Gently fold in crushed Oreos.

Pour into two greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350ᵒ for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.





Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:
In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, shortening, milk and vanilla until smooth. Frost cake.

Now, I will have you all know that I am no cake decorator! In fact, I can't even remember a time I did it before this! BUT... I have cousins that are expert cake decorators, and I've been watching them my whole life. I can distinctly remember my cousin decorating a huge, complicated wedding cake for another cousin, and I sat and watched her the.entire.time. Bless her heart!

I did my best to remember their tricks of the trade, and I was pleased with the result.

I put a dab of frosting on my plate first, to help hold the cakes in place. Then I centered the first cake on the plate. That layer got covered in frosting and a layer of crushed Oreos, and then the next layer went on top of that.

I slathered the cake in frosting, just making sure it was completely and somewhat evenly covered:


Then I took a knife dipped in a glass of milk and water and smoothed the frosting. I dipped the corner of a paper towel in the milk/water and used it to wipe the edge of the plate free of frosting. It's starting to look good!


I put my extra Oreos in the food processor and crushed them up nice and fine. I used these to finish decorating the outside, and whala!


It came out nice, but not exactly as I had hoped. I was trying to get the whole thing to look like a big Oreo, but instead it looked more like a whoopie pie! It was also super hard to get the crushed Oreos on the top part without messing up the center white strip..as you can see, it was not a nice clean line as I wanted.

So when I make the actual (prize-winning!) cake on Monday, I am planning to put the crushed Oreos around the bottom, and halved Oreos on top. Simpler, and the result will be neater, I think. I am still pleased with this one..and boy, was it tasty! :)

I'd love to hear your opinion! Have you ever made a cake for a contest? Are you an expert cake decorator? If so, I need your advice, lol! Wish me luck on Monday!


Comments

  1. I think that looks really good. Looks like an Oreo to me! How did it taste?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Sara! It was delicious...the pudding in the recipe makes it really moist, and the cookie on the outside added a nice "crunch!"

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  2. BEAUTIFUL!!! Don't be too hard on yourself- I think it turned out great. And the real test isn't really about the way it looks but how good it tastes, right ;)

    Good luck to you (and the rest of your family)! You'll have to update us all and let us know how you do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I'll be sure to let you know what happens! :S Wish me luck!

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  3. It looks great! :) Could you cut a strip of wax paper or something to put around the center white part while you put on your crushed oreos? Not sure if that would mess up the frosting or not, but just a thought. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Em! I ended up just doing crushed oreos around the bottom and a little something on top...I think it turned out pretty good! I thought about somehow covering up the white strip...but then how would I smooth it out again...I'm not sure how these things work! I may just have too keep experimenting. :)

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