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A Coconut Cookies and Cream Cake on a white plate against a white background.
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Coconut Cookies and Cream Cake

A delicious coconut cake baked on top of an Oreo crust. Each cake layer has a coconut filling on top and then a cookies and cream frosting goes around the entire cake. It's a delicious combo of flavors!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Assembly Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 1289kcal

Ingredients

Oreo Crust

  • 2 1/3 cup crushed Oreo crumbs (I used 25 Oreos)
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cake

  • 1 box white cake mix (I used a Duncan Hines 15.25 oz box mix)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 2/3 cup sour cream full fat or light is fine
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 4 egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons coconut emulsion
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Coconut Pudding Filling

  • 1 small package Cook n' serve vanilla pudding (should be a 3 oz box)
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk (I used a 13.5 oz can)
  • 1/3 cup milk can be any milk variety (you just need enough milk and coconut milk to equal the amount of liquid called for on the cook n'serve pudding package... as we will be making according to the package instructions.)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut emulsion
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Oreo Buttercream

  • 2 1/2 cups unsalted butter set at room temperature for about 15 minutes, the butter should be semi-soft but still cold.
  • 8 cups powdered sugar measured, then sifted
  • pinch salt
  • 5 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 10 Oreos pulverized into a fine powder in a food processor

Dark Chocolate Ganache Drip

  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips. I used regular sized chocolate chips (not the larger ones).
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream you may need 2-2 tablespoons more heavy cream to reach a flowable consistency

Instructions

Oreo Crust

  • Preheat oven to 325° F. Prepare three 6-inch round cake pans by lightly coating with nonstick spray, lining the bottom with parchment paper, and spraying again.
  • Place the Oreo cookies (do not remove the cream filling) in a food processor and pulverize until fine crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a medium sized bowl. 
  • Add the sugar and melted butter to the Oreo crumbs, stir to combine.
  • Divide the mixture evenly between three 6-inch round cake pans and press into the bottom of each pan.
  • Bake for 3 minutes.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cake Instruction

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat the oil, sour cream, buttermilk, egg whites, coconut emulsion and vanilla extract until well-combined. Sift in the white cake mix, then add the chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. 
  • Divide the cake batter amongst the 3 cake pans. (You’ll add the batter to the top of the Oreo crust).
  • Bake for 30-34 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Let cakes cool in cake pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. 

Coconut Pudding Filling

  • Prepare pudding according to package instructions, using the coconut milk plus enough additional milk of choice is needed to make 2 cups (or how much the box calls for).
  • Mix in coconut emulsion and vanilla extract and cool, then refrigerate until completely cool.

Oreo Buttercream

  • Beat butter and a pinch of salt until it’s smooth and light in texture and color.
  • Add the powdered sugar in, a couple cups at a time and then mixing well before adding more. Add a tablespoon of heavy cream as needed to keep the frosting smooth and not too stiff. Repeat until all powdered sugar and cream are added.
  • Mix in Oreo crumbs until they’re evenly incorporated. NOTE: If you make the frosting in advance, don’t add the Oreo crumbs until you’re ready to frost the cake. If they sit in the frosting for more than an hour they’ll soften up and blend completely into the frosting, turning it grey when it’s mixed again.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Drip

  • Heat the cream in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave until hot, then pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. 

Assembly

  • Place a cake layer, crust side down, on a cake board or stand. Spread a thin layer of Oreo buttercream evenly over the cake. 
  • Pipe a rim of buttercream around the top to create a dam, and add 1/3-1/2 cup coconut filling.
  • Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the second layer of cake, placing the second cake layer on top of the first layer.
  • Place the third cake layer on top and crumb coat the entire cake in a thin layer of Oreo buttercream. Refrigerate or freeze for a few minutes, until the buttercream is cold and no longer soft.
  • Add the final layer of frosting around the entire cake. Add the chocolate ganache drip around the outside of the cake and fill in the top with more ganache. Add additional decoration as desired.

Notes

Coconut Pudding: Use full-fat coconut milk. I experimented with full-fat and lite coconut milk and the full-fat was much creamier and produced better results. 
Oreo Buttercream Frosting can be made in advance! However, do NOT add the Oreos until right before frosting the cake. If the Oreos sit in the frosting for more than an hour they’ll soften up and blend completely into the frosting, turning it grey when it’s mixed again. 
If you don't have 6 inch pans you can bake the cake in 2 — 8 inch pans. 
Refer to the blog post to see step-by-step photos of the cake assembly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1289kcal | Carbohydrates: 159g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 125g | Vitamin A: 1635IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 6mg