High Altitude Mini Cookies and Cream Cake

A high altitude tested, mini cookies and cream cake with soft vanilla cake speckled with crushed Oreos and frosted with Oreo cookie buttercream. This cute little 4-inch layer cake is just the right size for 2-4 people to share for a small celebration.

You might also love these high altitude mini cake recipes for vanilla cake, chocolate cake and carrot cake.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Small Size. I’ve had such great feedback on my mini cake recipes, and this mini cookies and cream cake makes a fun addition to the collection. When you want to make dessert, but you don’t need too much leftover, a mini cake is a wonderful option for a special occasion, birthday or anniversary. This little cake yields four slices, so it’s just enough for a few people to share, or even to make for a baby’s first birthday smash cake. I baked my mini Oreo cake in three 4-inch cake pans, but you can also divide the batter between two 6-inch pans.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Cake

• Cake Flour. With a lower percentage of protein, cake flour makes a lighter, softer, fluffier cake than if you use all-purpose flour.
• Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture.
• Baking Powder. Leavens the cake batter so it rises.
• Salt. A pinch of salt in baked goods enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness.
• Egg + Egg White. Adds structure and moisture to the cake.
• Whole Milk. Adds fat and richness for a tender, flavorful cake.
• Unsalted Butter + Vegetable Oil. You get both flavor and moisture by using a combination of melted butter and oil.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• Oreos. You can use either Oreos, or any generic chocolate sandwich cookie. I scrape the frosting out and just use the cookies, so that I don’t add too much extra sweetness to the cake.

Buttercream

• Butter. I always bake with unsalted butter and then add salt, but you can use salted butter if it’s what you prefer. For the whiter buttercream featured on today’s mini cookies and cream cake, replace half the butter with vegetable shortening.
• Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
• Meringue Powder. Optional, but adds stability and improves the texture.
• Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the cookies.
• Vanilla. Flavor.
• Oreos. Again, any type of chocolate sandwich cookie will work.

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Spray the bottoms of three 4-inch cake pans (or two 6-inch cake pans) with non-stick baking spray.
• In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Separately, whisk together the egg, egg white, milk, melted butter, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined.
• Briefly fold in the chopped cookies, being careful not to over-mix. You should have streaks of crumbs, but if you mix them in too much, your cake batter will turn gray.

• Divide the batter between the pans. Bake on the center oven rack for about 20-25 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester comes out clean.
• Set the pans on a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter/shortening for 1 minute until smooth.
• With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, meringue powder and salt and mix until combined.
• Add the vanilla and beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add a tablespoon of milk, only if needed for desired consistency.
• Gently fold in the crushed Oreos, taking care not to over-mix, or the frosting will turn gray.

• When the cakes are cool, run a knife around the edges and remove from the pans.  Use a sharp knife to remove a small portion of the domed top of each cake, so that they are level when you stack them.
• Set one cake layer on a cake board or pedestal.  Stack and fill the cakes with the buttercream, then frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream (for extra cookie crunch, add chopped Oreos between the cake layers, too). Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Frost the cake with a final layer of buttercream.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store leftover cake?

Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container or cake carrier for up to 3 days.  The assembled and frosted cake can also be frozen for several months.

What cake pans did you use?

I used Fat Daddio aluminum cake pans. Mine are 4 inches in diameter with a 2-inch depth, but a 3 inch depth works, too. You can also use 6-inch cake pans for a cake that’s wider and not as tall as a 4-inch cake. Both of these sizes of pans can usually be found on the baking aisle at Michaels or Hobby Lobby.

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