If you love cookies and cream, this Cookies and Cream Cake is a dream come true. It’s layers of soft chocolate cake that’s mixed with cookie crumbs, surrounded by creamy cookies and cream buttercream, chocolate ganache and sandwich cookie chunks! If that wasn’t enough, it’s topped with more ganache, buttercream and chocolate sandwich cookies. Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day but this cake can be made the night before and still be super soft the next day (as long as you don’t cut into it). Oh and, this cake is gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan! It’s a must try for all the cookies and cream fanatics out there!
Ok so. This cake. Oh my gosh. I’m obsessed. It’s soooooooo good!
Every single bite will have chocolate sandwich cookies in it, just like in my Cookies and Cream Cookies!
This is because there are chocolate sandwich cookies in the cake batter itself (like in my Cookies and Cream Cupcakes), in the buttercream AND on top of the ganache.
Like, what?!?! Is this real life??? It’s heaven.
You will thank me later...however your waistline might not.
But hey! I'm a firm believer of everything in moderation. So...just don't make this cake 4 times per week and you'll be golden!
This cake is so decadent…sooooo delicious! It’s the perfect cake for all the cookies and cream lovers in your life!
Or for you. I promise won't tell anyone if you're making an entire cake for yourself.
Good for you!
If that's the type of person you are...I think we're going to be great friends.
For more cookies & cream recipes, try my Oreo Muffins, my No Churn Cookies & Cream Ice Cream, Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls and this Cookies and Cream Dip.
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Substitutions and Variations
How to Make this Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Read the label on your chocolate chips to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
- Use gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies that are also vegan.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Cookies and Cream Cake
Here are the step by step instructions to make this cake!
Make the Ganache First
Step 1: Heat up the Chocolate Chips and Butter
Place the chocolate chips and the butter/vegan baking sticks in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 10 second increments, stirring after each time, until the melted, incorporated and silky smooth.
Step 2: Let Rest and Refridgerate
First let the ganache sit on the counter until it has cooled a bit, whisking every now and then. Then refrigerate until spreadable. If it gets too hard when ready to use, microwave again in 5 second increments until you get the spreadable texture.
For the Cake
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with vegetable oil, line with parchment paper and then lightly grease again with vegetable oil.
Step 2: Crush the Cookies
Place the 10 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies in a zip top bag. Seal the bag. Using a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet, smash the cookies into a sand like consistency. Set aside.
Step 3: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
Add in the cookie crumbs and whisk to incorporate.
Step 4: Make the Wells
Make 3 wells in the dry ingredients.
In the first well, pour the vegetable oil.
In the second well, pour the white vinegar.
In the third well, pour the vanilla.
Step 5: Pour Water and Whisk
Pour the cold water over everything and whisk together until just combined. If it starts getting thick, use a spatula instead of a whisk.
Step 6: Bake
Divide the batter evenly between the two 8 inch pans and smooth the tops with a butter knife.
Bake in the center rack of the oven for 50 minutes.
Step 7: Cut Cakes in Half
Remove from the oven and let cakes cool completely in pans. Once cool, remove from pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Slice the two cakes in half horizontally, now you will have 4 thin layers of cake.
For the Vanilla Frosting
Step 1: Cream the Butter
In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter/vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add Sugar
Add in the confectioners’ sugar, water and vanilla and beat till combined and smooth and creamy. Set aside.
For the Cookies and Cream Buttercream
Step 1: Cream the Butter
In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter/vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add the Sugar, Water and Vanilla
Add in the confectioners’ sugar, water and vanilla and beat till combined and smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add the Cookies
Break about 7 chocolate sandwich cookies into the buttercream. You want chunks of cookies.
Gently fold the cookies into the buttercream using a spatula.
Divide frosting into 4 equal servings.
Assemble the Cake
Step 1: Frost One Layer at a Time
Place one layer of cake on the cake stand. Take ¼ of the cookies & cream buttercream and frost the top.
Step 2: Pipe a Ring of Vanilla Frosting
Place the vanilla frosting (not the cookies and cream frosting) in a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner cut off. Pipe a ring around the top edge of the cake. If you try this with the cookies & cream frosting the cookie chunks will get stuck and burst open your piping bag.
Step 3: Add the Ganache
Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the thick ganache into the middle of the ring of frosting.
Step 4: Add the Cookie Chunks
Sprinkle chunks of broken chocolate sandwich cookies on top of the wet ganache and gently press in to make sure they stick. I use 3 broken cookies per layer.
Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. Do this process 3 times.
Step 5: Frost the Top and Sides
Frost a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper or a icing spatula to scrape excess frosting off the sides of the cake. This should be a semi naked cake. Pop the cake in the fridge uncovered for 15 min to harden. If you’re running out of frosting, you can always use a little of the regular vanilla.
Step 6: Heat the Ganache
Make the ganache liquid again: Microwave ganache in 5 second increments until it is very melted and pourable.
Step 7: Top the Cake with Ganache
Take the cake out of the fridge. Spoon about 9 tablespoons of the liquid ganache on top of the cake. Take an icing spatula and push the ganache around to the edges of the cake so it drips down the sides. Work quickly since the cold cake will harden the ganache fast.
Step 8: Pipe Swirls and Chill
If desired, put the rest of the vanilla frosting into a piping bag and pipe swirls or dollops all around the edge of the top of the cake. Shove on some chocolate sandwich cookies halves. Pop in the fridge, uncovered, to let ganache harden for about 15 min.
Store cake in the fridge under a dome or wrapped in foil until ready to serve. When ready to serve, let the cake sit out for about 20 min prior to cutting. Wrap any extra slices in foil and store in the fridge.
This cake is seriously a dream. No one will ever believe it's gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan!!!! Enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- You can use prepackaged crumbs- If your grocery store has prepackaged gluten free/vegan chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs, you can use those. You’ll need ¾ cup.
- Or make your own crumbs- Place 10 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies (these are the ones I use) into a zip top bag and seal it. Use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet to smash the cookies. You want them to have a sand-like consistency because it’s going into the cake batter.
- Pipe a ring- Place the vanilla frosting (not the cookies and cream frosting) in a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner cut off. Pipe a ring around the top. If you try this with the cookies & cream frosting the cookie chunks will get stuck and burst open your piping bag.
Other Cake Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Cookies and Cream Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 10 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies smashed to a sand like consistency or ¾ cup cookie crumbs
- 3 cups gluten free flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup cocoa powder I use ¼ cup Dutch or Natural Unsweetened and ¼ cup Dark
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups cold water
For the cookies & cream buttercream:
- 2 sticks 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
- 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 7 gf chocolate sandwich cookies broken into chunks
For the vanilla buttercream:
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 3 cups allergy friendly semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1.5 cups 3 sticks unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks
For assembly:
- 9 gf chocolate sandwich cookies broken into chunks for the layers
- 7.5 gf chocolate sandwich cookies for the top decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with vegetable oil, line with parchment paper and then lightly grease again with vegetable oil.
- Make the ganache first: Place the chocolate chips and the butter/vegan baking sticks in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 10 second increments, stirring after each time, until the melted, incorporated and silky smooth.
- First let the ganache sit on the counter until it has cooled a bit, whisking every now and then. Then refrigerate until spreadable. If it gets too hard when ready to use, microwave again in 5 second increments until you get the spreadable texture.
- Place the 10 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies in a zip top bag. Seal the bag. Using a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet, smash the cookies into a sand like consistency. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
- Add in the cookie crumbs and whisk to incorporate.
- Make 3 wells in the dry ingredients.
- In the first well, pour the vegetable oil.
- In the second well, pour the white vinegar.
- In the third well, pour the vanilla.
- Pour the cold water over everything and whisk together until just combined. If it starts getting thick, use a spatula instead of a whisk.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two 8 inch pans and smooth the tops with a butter knife.
- Bake in the center rack of the oven for 50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cakes cool completely in pans. Once cool, remove from pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Slice the two cakes in half horizontally, now you will have 4 thin layers of cake.
- Make the vanilla frosting: In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter/vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
- Add in the confectioners’ sugar, water and vanilla and beat till combined and smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Make the cookies and cream buttercream: In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter/vegan baking stick until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
- Add in the confectioners’ sugar, water and vanilla and beat till combined and smooth and creamy.
- Break about 7 chocolate sandwich cookies into the buttercream. You want chunks of cookies.
- Gently fold the cookies into the buttercream using a spatula.
- Divide frosting into 4 equal servings.
- Assemble the cake: Place one layer of cake on the cake stand. Take ¼ of the cookies & cream buttercream and frost the top.
- Place the vanilla frosting (not the cookies and cream frosting) in a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner cut off. Pipe a ring around the top edge of the cake. If you try this with the cookies & cream frosting the cookie chunks will get stuck and burst open your piping bag.
- Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the thick ganache into the middle of the ring of frosting.
- Sprinkle chunks of broken chocolate sandwich cookies on top of the wet ganache and gently press in to make sure they stick. I use 3 broken cookies per layer.
- Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. Do this process 3 times.
- Frost a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper or a icing spatula to scrape excess frosting off the sides of the cake. This should be a semi naked cake. Pop the cake in the fridge uncovered for 15 min to harden. If you’re running out of frosting, you can always use a little of the regular vanilla.
- Make the ganache liquid again: Microwave ganache in 5 second increments until it is very melted and pourable.
- Take the cake out of the fridge. Spoon about 9 tablespoons of the liquid ganache on top of the cake. Take an icing spatula and push the ganache around to the edges of the cake so it drips down the sides. Work quickly since the cold cake will harden the ganache fast.
- If desired, put the rest of the vanilla frosting into a piping bag and pipe swirls or dollops all around the edge of the top of the cake. Shove on some chocolate sandwich cookies halves. Pop in the fridge, uncovered, to let ganache harden for about 15 min.
- Store cake in the fridge under a dome or wrapped in foil until ready to serve. When ready to serve, let the cake sit out for about 20 min prior to cutting. Wrap any extra slices in foil and store in the fridge. Enjoy!
Ashley says
For the cake! Thank you so much!
Ashley says
I’m so excited to make this for my son’s birthday coming up! Can you substitute the water for almond milk?
Lee says
Hi there! Do you mean in the frosting? Sure!
Faith says
I made this so my 3-year-old daughter could have a treat at a weekly potluck we go to. Well, not only did my daughter enjoy it, EVERYONE enjoyed it! There was hardly any left after it all was said and done. My daughter even said she wanted me to make this cake for her birthday in September!
Lee says
So glad thanks so so much!!!
John says
This Cookies and Cream Cake looks amazing! I can’t wait to try to make this for a birthday!!!
Lee says
Thanks so much! Hope you love it!