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, 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 No Churn Cookies & Cream Ice Cream, Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls and this Cookies and Cream Dip.
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Tips For Making Cookies & Cream Cake
For the Cookie Crumbs in the Cake Batter
- 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.
For the Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients- In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients.
- Make 3 wells for the wet ingredients- Pour the liquid ingredients, minus the water, into the 3 wells.
- Pour cold water on top of everything- Do this prior to mixing.
- Mix everything together and divide batter evenly in two 8 inch cake pans- Use a whisk to combine. Once it gets too thick, use a spatula and scoop the batter evenly into the pans and bake.
- Let the cakes cool completely before cutting them in half- This recipe makes 2 layers of cake in 8 inch pans.
- Once the cakes have completely cooled, slice the cakes in half horizontally- Now you have 4 thin layers of cake.
For the Cookies & Cream Buttercream
- Beat your butter or vegan baking stick- Before adding the other frosting ingredients, it’s best to beat the butter or vegan baking stick until it’s smooth and creamy. About 2 min.
- Add in the other frosting ingredients- Beat in everything else, except for the cookies, until combined and smooth. If you don’t have an electric mixer you can do this by hand, using a spatula.
- Add in the cookies- Using a spatula, gently fold in the broken cookies.
- Split your frosting up into 4 equal sections- This way you will use the exact same amount of frosting on each layer.
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat your butter or vegan baking stick- Before adding the other frosting ingredients, it’s best to beat the butter or vegan baking stick until it’s smooth and creamy. About 2 min.
- Add in the other frosting ingredients- Beat in everything else until combined and smooth.
For the Ganache
- Place the chocolate chips and butter or vegan baking stick in a heat safe bowl- We are going to heat them together.
- Heat them in the microwave in 10 second increments- Make sure you are stirring after each time until the chocolate chips and butter/vegan baking stick are fully melted and incorporated. This will take a little while.
- Cool the ganache- First let it sit on the counter until it has cooled a bit, whisking every now and then. Then refrigerate until spreadable. If it gets too hard, microwave again in 5 second increments until you get the spreadable texture.
For Assembly
- Frost one layer- Place one layer of cake on the bottom of the cake plate. Scoop ¼ of the cookies & cream buttercream on top and use an icing spatula to spread it around.
- 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.
- Spoon the ganache- Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the thick ganache into the middle of the ring of frosting. See picture below.
- 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 used 3 broken cookies per layer. See picture below.
- Repeat the process- Place another layer of cake on top and repeat this same process. Do this with 3 layers of cake.
- Keep the sides thin- Once you get to the top layer, use an icing spatula to frost the top and a thin layer on the sides. This will be a semi naked cake.
- Use a cake scraper- Or use a large icing spatula to scrape the icing off the sides so it’s a super thin layer. You should have hardly any frosting left. Pop the entire cake in the fridge uncovered for 15 min so it is more stable to work with.
- Heat the ganache- Microwave in 5 second increments until it is very melted and pourable.
- Do the ganache drip- 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.
- Decorate with extra vanilla buttercream- You can pipe some extra vanilla buttercream on top of the ganache and stick some halves of chocolate sandwich cookies into the buttercream.
Can this Cake be Vegan?
Yes! Absolutely!
Follow these simple steps to make sure this cake is 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 cake is seriously a dream. No one will ever believe it's gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan!!!! Enjoy!
Other Cake Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Cookies and Cream Cake
This Cookies and Cream Cake has sandwich cookies in the cake, buttercream and ganache! Best part is, it’s gf, nf, egg free and easily vegan!
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!
Video
Notes
You'll need 34 chocolate sandwich cookies to make this cake. You could use less, I won't judge you.
Nutrition
Calories: 1478kcalCarbohydrates: 211gProtein: 8gFat: 72gSaturated Fat: 34gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 728mgPotassium: 324mgFiber: 9gSugar: 165gVitamin A: 974IUCalcium: 65mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
John
This Cookies and Cream Cake looks amazing! I can’t wait to try to make this for a birthday!!!
Lee
Thanks so much! Hope you love it!