Saturday, May 21, 2011

Oreo Heath Bar Cake

This beauty is a chocolate fudge cake with Oreos baked into batter, heath bar pieces mixed into the filling, and decorating the top.  Very decadent, but very simple to make.  I made this cake for the first time when my (now) husband moved to my city.  I had a meal prepared for the whole family and everyone that came to help him move.  There was not one speck of it left by the end of the night!  

Give it a shot... you're sure to love it!
Ingredients:
  • 1 box Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge cake mix
    • 3 large eggs, room temperature
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil
    • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 30 oreos
  • 1 bag of Heath bar Pieces
  • 4 full sized Heath bars
  • Vanilla Buttercream frosting
    • 6 cups confectioner's sugar
    • 2 cups softened butter
    • 2 tsp vanilla
    • 5 Tbsp half and half
Step-by-Step:
Prep.  Take out your eggs so they can come to room temperature.  Sometimes I cheat and heat up a cup of water in the microwave and let them sit in the warm water while I get everything else out.  Room temperature eggs will give you a fluffier cake than cold eggs (won't rise as much).  Prepare your pans with cooking spray sprinkled with granulated sugar.  Add a circle of parchment paper to the bottom of each to ensure that your cakes won't stick.  Preheat the oven to 325 F if using non-stick pans.  Go ahead and chop the Oreos into quarters.

Counting out the Oreos is a great job for the kiddos!  We discussed counting, stacking in row, what it meant to "quarter" something.... lots of learning and fun going on!

Mix.  For the cake, I used Duncan Hines (my all time favorite brand) chocolate fudge cake mix.   Prepare according to package directions, with the addition of the vanilla.
I box of cake mix
 1 cup of water + 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Every single time I pull out the vanilla, Lily asks to smell it.  This Mexican vanilla really is the bomb!  So I couldn't resist a photo of her little ritual.
1 tsp vanilla
3 large, room temperature eggs
Blend on low for 30 seconds.  Scrape down the sides, then blend on medium high for another 2 minutes.  We want light, fluffy cake.
Immediately pour into prepared pans.
After pouring the prepared batter into the pans, I gently mixed in two rows (about 30) of Oreos that we roughly chopped into quarters. 
You can just push them down with your fingers into the batter.
Bake.  Bake at 325 degrees F for 24 minutes.  You do not want to over bake the cake, or else it won't be moist.  Allow to cool in the pans about 5 minutes before turning them out onto cooling racks.  Remove the parchment paper!

Frosting.  Combine frosting ingredients in a stand mixer and whip until fluffy.  Try to keep the kids out.... my goodness it's delicious!

Here again, we were working on counting and dividing.  If you are making this without a little one helping you, all you need to worry about is that your butter is soft.  HaHa.  But for 2 cups, we needed 16 Tbsp butter.
 

6 cups confectioner's sugar
Add in the soft butter.
2 cups butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
5 Tbsp half and half


Whip until it seems light and fluffy and spreadable, but still has body.

Decorate.  In between the cooled cake layers, I added about half of the bag of Heathbar pieces (the tiny ones that come pre-chopped in a bag in the baking isle) on top of the frosting, then topped with the second layer.



For the topping, I bought a bag of (full-sized) Heathbars, and rough chopped four of them into pieces that were approximately the size of a quarter and piled them on top.  Around the edges, I spooned more of the small pieces from the bag.  
I used 4 full sized bars
more small pieces around the edges
On top of the vanilla icing and the larger candy pieces, I drizzled melted chocolate - I actually used melted chocolate flavored Almond Bark, since it is so easy to work with.

If you short on time, you can also just use some prepared vanilla frosting.  Just wanted to throw that out there for those of you who may be unsure of making your own.

Did you enjoy this recipe?
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Chicken with Creamed Sherry Artichoke
 
Written Method:
Prep.  Take out your eggs so they can come to room temperature.  Sometimes I cheat and heat up a cup of water in the microwave and let them sit in the warm water while I get everything else out.  Room temperature eggs will give you a fluffier cake than cold eggs (won't rise as much).  Prepare your pans with cooking spray sprinkled with granulated sugar.  Add a circle of parchment paper to the bottom of each to ensure that your cakes won't stick.  Preheat the oven to 325 F if using non-stick pans.
Mix.  For the cake, I used Duncan Hines (my all time favorite brand) chocolate fudge cake mix.  After pouring the prepared batter into the pans, I gently mixed in two rows (about 30) of Oreos that I roughly chopped into quarters. 
Bake.  Bake at 325 degrees F for 24 minutes.  You do not want to overbake the cake, or else it won't be moist.  Allow to cool in the pans about 5 minutes before turning them out onto cooling racks.  Remove the parchment paper!
Frosting.  Combine frosting ingredients in a stand mixer and whip until fluffy.  Try to keep the kids out.... my goodness it's delicious!
Decorate.  In between the cooled cake layers, I added about half of the bag of Heathbar pieces (the tiny ones that come pre-chopped in a bag in the baking isle) on top of the frosting, then topped with the second layer.

For the topping, I bought a bag of (full-sized) Heathbars, and rough chopped four of them into pieces that were approximately the size of a quarter and piled them on top.  Around the edges, I spooned more of the small pieces from the bag. 

On top of the vanilla icing and the larger candy pieces, I drizzled melted chocolate - I actually used melted chocolate flavored Almond Bark, since it is so easy to work with.

8 comments:

  1. Ohhh my goodness! This looks divine! I will add this to my list to cook soon for sure! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Brittany - and it is ridiculously simple!

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  3. This looks SO yummy. Thank you for sharing so many wonderful recipes with us. I make so many of these recipes on a regular basis, but I have not made any of your desserts yet. I think I am going to make this for Father's day this weekend, but I have a silly question. Do you have a good recipe for vanilla frosting?? I want it to turn out as fabulously as yours :-). Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Tanya. I feel so flattered when people trust my recipes enough to make them for the people they love!!

      Honestly, for this recipe, I think I used a premade frosting... but for the record, here's a simple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe:

      Ingredients

      3 cups confectioners' sugar
      1 cup softened butter
      1 tsp high quality vanilla
      I love the clear Mexican vanilla. Makes a difference!)
      1- 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

      Directions

      In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and soft butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

      Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

      I hope this turns out just fabulous for your Father's Day celebration. Last time I made this, there was only an empty plate to show for leftovers.

      Thanks for reading my blog! :-)

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    2. Thank you SO much! Can't wait to make it :-). We're going to have roasted red pepper penne (a family fave in our house) tonight and try the mexican pizza tomorrow! Keep on posting!

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    3. You've just made my morning!! :-)

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    4. It turned out PERFECT, and it was such a big hit! Thanks again :).

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    5. That's awesome Tanya! I'm so pleased!!!!!

      Delete

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