Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (64 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) hot water
Cookies & Cream Frosting
- 8 oz (226 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened but still slightly cool
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) heavy cream, as needed
- 12 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed with filling intact
Chocolate Ganache
- 6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
For Finishing
- 10–12 whole chocolate sandwich cookies
- 4 chocolate sandwich cookies, roughly crushed
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and free of cocoa lumps.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the bowl.
- Add the hot water. Slowly mix in 3/4 cup hot water on low speed. The batter should become quite thin. Do not add extra flour.
- Divide the batter. Divide evenly among the three prepared pans. A kitchen scale gives the most even layers.
- Bake. Bake for 22–27 minutes. Begin checking at 22 minutes. The centers should spring back lightly, and a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool completely. Leave the cakes in their pans for 10–15 minutes. Turn onto cooling racks, remove the parchment, and cool completely. For easier stacking, chill the cooled layers for about 30 minutes.
- Prepare the frosting. Beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the cream cheese and mix just until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low speed. Add vanilla. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time only until the frosting becomes smooth and spreadable.
- Add the cookies. Finely crush 12 sandwich cookies with their filling intact. Fold the crumbs into the frosting. Keep the pieces fine enough that they will not tear through the frosting during spreading.
- Level the cakes if needed. Trim pronounced domes with a serrated knife. Remove as little cake as possible.
- Fill the cake. Place one cake layer on a cake stand or board. Spread an even layer of cookies-and-cream frosting over it. Add the second cake layer, frost again, then place the third layer on top.
- Crumb coat. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes.
- Finish the frosting. Cover the chilled cake with the remaining frosting. Keep the sides thick enough to show the pale cream color and dark cookie speckles.
- Make the ganache. Place chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream until steaming. Pour it over the chocolate. Leave untouched for 2 minutes, then stir gently until completely smooth.
- Cool the ganache. Let it cool until fluid but no longer hot. Keep the frosted cake cold. Test one drip on the back of the cake. It should travel slowly rather than immediately running to the bottom.
- Decorate. Spoon ganache around the top edge to create controlled drips, then spread more across the top. Decorate with whole sandwich cookies and roughly crushed pieces.
- Chill before slicing. Refrigerate for 30–45 minutes. Slice with a sharp knife, cleaning the blade between cuts for defined chocolate-and-cream layers.
Notes
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder for the recipe as written.
- Use full-fat block cream cheese, not spreadable tub cream cheese.
- The cake batter is intentionally thin after adding the hot water.
- Cake layers must be completely cool before frosting.
- Chill the layers for easier stacking and fewer crumbs.
- Crush frosting cookies finely but leave decorating cookies chunky.
- Do not add all the heavy cream to the frosting automatically. Add only enough to reach the desired consistency.
- Never pour hot ganache over cream cheese frosting.
- Test one ganache drip before decorating the entire cake.
- Keep the assembled cake refrigerated because it contains cream cheese and heavy cream.
- For clean slices, use a hot, dry knife and wipe it between cuts
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Additional/Chilling Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-inspired