Vegan Oreo Cake – Easy!

This vegan Oreo cake recipe is super easy to make and so flavourful with a moist and fluffy texture that goes perfectly with the rich and creamy Oreo buttercream frosting! This cake is perfect for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, as well as casual home parties.

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Love Oreos? You have come to the right recipe! Let me introduce this vegan Oreo cake. This is by far one of my absolute favourite cake recipes. The delectable chocolate cake layers are enhanced with that unforgettable taste of Oreos from childhood, sandwiched with a rich and creamy Oreo buttercream frosting that resembles the iconic Oreo look. It’s a treat that is sure to make all dessert lovers smile and is perfect to bake for any occasion, any time of the year!

Main ingredients and substitutions

*Use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise instructed.

Plain Flour: Plain flour is the base of the Oreo cake. If you have dietary restrictions such as gluten-free, you can also use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend too! 

Brown Sugar: I used brown sugar as the main sweetener to create a soft and moist texture in the cake. Coconut sugar or other dark sugar is great for this cake too.

Cacao Powder: I used a Dutch process cacao powder but any kind of cacao powder works fine! If unavailable, unsweetened cocoa powder works perfectly too.

Soy Milk: Soy milk is my go-to for baking as it makes the best vegan buttermilk but feel free to use any other plant-based milk of your choice too such as almond, oat, or rice milk, they will work well.

Vegan Butter: This vegan butter from Naturli gives that delicious buttery taste to the cake! Earth Balance vegan butter would work perfectly in this recipe too. If you want to make it with oil like coconut oil you can certainly use it instead of butter but the texture of the cake will be a little more greasy as oil has no water content.

Applesauce: Did you know that applesauce can replace eggs in baking? It also gives moisture to the cake too! If you can’t find it in shops, don’t worry! It’s super easy to make your own at home, find the recipe here! Mashed bananas can be used instead of applesauce too, though it may slightly alter the flavour.

Oreos: For that Oreo deliciousness we all love! Ensure they are a vegan-friendly variety as some contain milk powder. You can use other cookies and cream cookies as well.

Soy Cream: I love using soy whipping cream in my buttercream recipes as it creates a fluffy and rich texture!

Other ingredients: Apple cider vinegar, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, and icing sugar.

Note: Substitution may change the final taste and texture of this recipe.

*I use bone char-free sugars for all of my recipes. I cover the topic in my article Vegan Baking 101. Go to the “Is sugar vegan?” section to learn more!

Recommended equipment for this recipe

18cm(7inch) Cake Tin: For this recipe, I recommend using three 18cm(7inch) round cake tins. One size bigger may work as well.

Parchment Paper: Parchment paper is one of those underrated baking tools. Lining your cake tin with parchment paper makes it easy to remove the cake from the tin. 

Large Mixing Bowl: If you are using a hand mixer or whisk, use a large mixing bowl as this is a 3-layer cake and the amount of the cake batter is quite a lot.

Stand Mixer: I used my stand mixer with a paddle attachment to make this recipe. 

Silicone Spatula: A silicone spatula is perfect for folding in the crushed Oreos into the batter and scraping the side of the bowl of a stand mixer!

*The ingredient list and measurement for this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.

How to make vegan Oreo cake

Step 1: Prep and make the wet mixture

Preheat the oven to 180°C(350°F). Line your cake tins with parchment paper.

Let’s start by making vegan buttermilk! Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar and lightly mix. Set aside for it to curdle up. In a large bowl with a whisk or with your stand mixer, combine the vegan butter and brown sugar using the paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium speed until they are well combined.

Add the vegan buttermilk, applesauce, and vanilla extract and continue mixing until all the wet ingredients are combined. The mixture may look a bit runny but don’t worry, it’s perfect!

Step 2: Make the batter

Add the flour, cornflour, cacao powder, baking soda, and baking powder to the wet mixture. Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined and a rich, smooth batter is formed. Don’t overmix! Finally, add crushed Oreos and mix a few times until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter. That’s it for the batter part! Easy isn’t it?

Step 3: Bake!

Pour the cake batter into the 3 cake tins evenly and bake for 23-25 minutes. To check if the cake is done, do a toothpick test. If a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, it’s done! If it comes out with wet batter, bake for another 2-3 mins.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in the tin for about 10-15 mins until it’s not too hot to touch. Do not remove the cake immediately from the tin! The cake is still forming the shape and removing straight away can break the cake apart. Transfer the cake onto a cooling rack and cool completely.  

Step 4: Make the Oreo buttercream frosting

While the cakes are cooling, use your stand mixer again to prepare the Oreo buttercream frosting! Beat the vegan butter until it’s creamy and fluffy about 1-2 mins. Gradually add the icing sugar one cup at a time until it’s very well combined. Add the soy cream and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the mixture is fluffy, rich, and smooth about 2-3 mins. Fold in the crushed Oreos and mix until evenly distributed. Ta-da, delicious Oreo buttercream frosting is ready for the cake!

Step 5: Assemble

Once the cakes are completely cooled, here comes the fun part! Let’s assemble the cake and decorate. Place one layer on a cake stand and frost with the Oreo buttercream frosting. Gently place the second layer over the buttercream frosting and repeat until the last layer. I decorated the top with the leftover soy whipping cream, Oreo crumbs, and additional Oreos! Enjoy.

Serving tips and ideas

This vegan Oreo cake is a shining star just on its own, but pairing a slice with other vegan treats can make your dessert experience even more enjoyable!

• Serve with a scoop of your favourite vegan ice cream for a more indulgent dessert experience! Vanilla, chocolate, or cookies and cream flavour will enhance the flavour even more. Perfect for a summer party!
• Serve with fresh fruits like strawberries or raspberries to add a healthy balance to the cake! The sweet and tangy taste of fruits complements the rich and chocolatey cake.
• If you have leftover soy whipping cream, whip them with a little maple syrup and serve a slice with it!

Expert tips and tricks

Cool the cakes completely before frosting

Ensure your cakes are completely cooled before frosting. If your cake is still warm, it causes the butter in the frosting to melt and slide off. Not what we are looking to get! It’s a little frustrating to wait for the cakes to cool down but be patient, it’ll only do good for your cake!

Rest the cake in the fridge

To set the frosting and cake, you can rest the frosted cake for 30 mins to 1 hour in the fridge. This allows the frosting to set and makes slicing much easier and neater. Don’t forget to cover the cake!

Don’t Overmix the Batter

Overmixing the batter can make the cake dense, tough, and rubbery, which is the worse thing that can happen to a cake in my opinion. Once you’ve added the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mix it just until combined and no more. You may see little lumps of flour but don’t worry, it’ll be incorporated while baking! 

Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients

Always use a digital scale rather than measuring cups when you are baking. It’s so much more accurate and measuring correctly is very important to achieve the best result.

Recipe variations

• For a coffee-flavoured twist, you can make a vegan mocha Oreo cake by adding 1 table of instant coffee powder or espresso powder to the cake batter. The coffee flavour will enhance the chocolate and creates a delicious harmony.
• If you can find them, try switching to a different flavour of vegan Oreo! I can’t find a vegan version of other flavours in my city but if you try, let me know how it goes!
• Add 1/4 cup of vegan caramel sauce to the frosting to make a vegan caramel Oreo cake! Caramel and Oreo is actually a great combination.

How to store

• Room temperature: If you plan to eat the cake within 1 to 1 and a half days, storing it at room temperature shouldn’t be a problem unless you live in a particularly hot climate. Make sure to cover it well with a dome lid to prevent it from drying out and keep it in a cool place.

• Refrigerating: The cake can refrigerate well too for a little longer storage. Place the whole cake on a cake plate with a dome lid or sliced cake in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. This will prevent the cake from absorbing any unwanted flavours from the fridge and keep it moist.

• Freezing: To freeze the cake, first slice the cake and place them in the freezer unwrapped for a few hours until the frosting is firm. Then wrap each slice well in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-friendly airtight container. Store for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw it in the refrigerator or at room temperature overnight.

*Although you can store this recipe in the fridge or freezer, it’s always best to consume it fresh and as soon as possible.

Q and A

I only have one cake pan. Can I still make this cake?

Of course! You can bake one layer at a time and then bake the next one. This is what I do actually since my oven is tiny. 

My frosting is runny, what should I do?

If your frosting is runny, try adding more icing sugar little by little, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. If your frosting is runny because of a high room temperature, try chilling it in the fridge for 15-20 mins.

My cake turned out dry, what went wrong?

Overbaking is a common cause for a cake to turn out too dry. Did you bake longer than 23-25 mins? Do a toothpick test after 23 mins and it comes out with moist crumbs, though it may seem like it still needs more baking, it is baked perfectly and you don’t need to bake any longer. You only need to bake 2-3 mins longer if a toothpick comes out with wet batter.

Another reason could be that you measured the ingredients incorrectly. Be sure to properly measure your ingredients by weighing them with a scale as too much flour or not enough fat can result in a dry cake.

The middle of my cake fell, what happened?

If your cake fell in the middle, it might be due to underbaking or too much leavening agents aka baking powder or baking soda. Make sure to preheat your oven correctly and give the cake enough time to bake fully. Also, avoid opening the oven door often as it can cause a temperature drop that can then cause a fall in the cake.

If you think you may have added more leavening agents than the recipe says, it’s possible that the cake raised too rapidly in the oven creating a hole in the cake which then deflated when you removed the cake from the oven. More baking powder or soda doesn’t always mean fluffy cake, so add the correct amount instructed in the recipe.

Want to master the basics of vegan baking?
Check out Vegan Baking 101 – the beginner’s guide to vegan baking for you to become an excellent vegan baker and familiar with the basics of vegan baking, ingredients, and techniques with useful tips!

You will LOVE this Oreo cake because it is:

• easy to make
• soft, moist, and fluffy
• decadent and indulgent
• perfect for special occasions
• full of Oreo flavour

Want more recipes like this?

Try my other delicious cake and dessert recipes you might enjoy!

• Matcha Cake
• Coconut Cake
• Apple Crumble Cake

Visit the cakes and cupcakes page and recipe page for more delicious recipes!

Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!

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