Vegan Oreo Cake

This Vegan Oreo Cake takes chocolate indulgence to another level. You’ll love the ultra-moist chocolate cake topped with an Oreo frosting and vegan chocolate ganache frosting. It’s my best vegan chocolate cake with the most amazing frosting!

A slice of layered Oreo cake  sits in front of the rest of the cake. There are stacks of Oreo cookies behind it.

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • Adding applesauce to the cake batter makes the cake extra moist while providing the perfect crumb
  • Using coffee extract brings out the flavor of the cocoa in this rich cake
  • An Oreo-infused frosting adds that delicious cookie flavor
  • Chocolate Ganache dollops make this cake visually beautiful while enhancing the rich chocolate flavor in every bite!

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Sugar — Combining granulated sugar and brown sugar creates the best consistency for this cake.
  • Flour — I use all-purpose flour, but you can substitute whole wheat pastry flour (different than whole wheat flour)
  • Cocoa powder — I use natural cocoa powder for this cake, but you can substitute Dutch-process cocoa powder.
  • Baking soda + baking powder — Combining these two creates a light, fluffy cake. Make sure the baking soda and baking powder are fresh.
  • Salt — Table salt will work fine, or you can substitute finely ground sea salt.
  • Plant-based milk — You can use almond milk or soy milk
  • Apple cider vinegar — It may seem strange to add vinegar to a cake, but it helps delay the gluten formation to create a softer cake.
  • Coconut oil — You can use refined coconut oil if you prefer less coconut flavor
  • Applesauce — I use unsweetened applesauce
  • Coffee extract — If you don’t have coffee extract around (it’s easy to make by combining coffee with vodka for several days and then straining), you can substitute a teaspoon of instant coffee
  • Vanilla extract — A little bit of vanilla extract goes a long way.
  • Hot water — I pour it into a pyrex measuring cup and heat it in the microwave for a minute or so to get it good and hot.
  • Oreo frosting — for the frosting, you’ll need vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, soy milk, and Oreo cookie crumbs.
  • Vegan Ganache — It’s optional, but make your cake stand out with plumes of vegan ganache. You’ll need dairy-free chocolate chips and some full-fat coconut milk.
A slice of Oreo cake is on its side and a piece of it is on a fork, showing the frosting. There are cookies stacked in the background.
A stand mixer shows Oreo frosting in a whisk attachment and in the mixing bowl below it.

Frosting the Cake

  • Prepare the cakes using a serrated knife to shave off any dome from the baked cakes. 
  • Place one of the cooled cakes on a serving plate. Spread nearly half of the vegan Oreo frosting on top. Then place the second cake on top of the frosting. Frost the top and sides of the cakes with the remaining frosting.
  • Ganache — Chocolate ganache rosettes are optional, but gorgous. Besides, if you’re making a vegan birthday cake, rosettes are perfect for candles.
  • Cookie Crumbs — Garnish the top of the cake with crumbled cake or crumbled cookies.
  • Oreo Truffles — You can place dairy-free Oreo balls on the sides of the cake!

New to Vegan Baking?

The idea of making cookies, cakes, or muffins without eggs or dairy can seem like a hill too tall to climb. But with the simple tips in my Guide to Vegan Baking, you’ll be baking like a vegan pro in no time!

A hand holds a piping bag, adding chocolate ganache stars on top.

Storage Tips

Cover the whole cake and store it at room temperature for 1 to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can cut individual slices and store these in a freezer-safe container in the fridge where they will keep for up to 2 months.

More Oreo Recipes

Yes, this vegan cake is fantastic, and here are even more vegan Oreo desserts:

A slice of chocolate cake sits on a plate with chocolate sandwich cookies stacked in front and behind it. The rest of the cake is behind it too.

That’s it for this easy vegan Oreo cake recipe. Enjoy!

A slice of vegan Oreo cake has stacks of Oreo cookies around it and the rest of the cake behind it.

Vegan Oreo Cake

Layers of vegan chocolate cake are surrounded by delicious cookie-infused frosting. It's what makes this vegan Oreo cake the best chocolate dessert ever!
5 from 5 votes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Resting time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 498kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plant-based milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • cup coconut oil , melted
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon coffee extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup hot water

Oreo Frosting

Vegan Ganache

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Coat two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Cut parchment paper into two 8 or 9- inch circles. Place the round parchment paper in the bottom of the pans. Spray papers with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside. 
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) mix the sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
    Flour and cocoa powder have been mixed in a mixing bowl in a stand mixer.
  • In a separate bowl, combine, milk, melted coconut oil, applesauce, and extracts. Stir to combine. Pour this into the mixer with the flour mixture. Beat on low until combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Then beat on medium speed for about a minute until combined.
    Wet ingredients are in a bowl and poured into a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with dry flour ingredients.
  • Add the hot water and mix on low until combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then beat on medium for a minute. This batter will be runny.
    Hot water in a pyrex measuring cup is being poured into a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with chocolate cake batter in it.
  • Pour half the batter into each of the prepared pans.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges have pulled away from the sides of the pan and the center of the cake is set. A tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
  • If using a 9×13 cake pan, bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes 
  • Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting.

For the Oreo Frosting

  • Cream the vegan butter and shortening together until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, one cup a time, mixing in between each addition. Then add milk, one tablespoon at a time, mixing in between each addition. You should have a smooth, spreadable frosting.
  • Add the cookie crumbs and mix in short bursts until just combined.

Frosting the Cake

  • Prepare the cakes by using a serrated knife to shave off any dome from the baked cakes.
  • Place one of the cooled cakes on a serving plate. Spread nearly half of the frosting on top. Then place the second cake on top of the frosting. Frost the top and sides of the cakes with the remaining frosting.
  • Optional: Garnish the top of the cake with any crumbled cake or crumbled cookies.

For the Vegan Ganache

  • Chop chocolate (or use chocolate chips) and place them in a bowl. Heat the coconut milk for a minute in the microwave and pour it over the chocolate, cover, and set it aside for several minutes so the chocolate can melt. Then stir it together until creamy. Transfer it to a piping bag with a 1M star frosting tip. Place the bag in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Then pipe chocolate stars around the top edge of the cake.

Recommended Equipment

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Notes

This cake is divided into 12 slices. The nutrition estimation is based on one serving without frosting.
Full fat coconut milk is necessary for the chocolate ganache. The can should indicate it has 12+ grams of fat.
Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

6 Responses to Vegan Oreo Cake

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyAndy Reply

    Hi
    Your recipe looks great, one question: what is shortening? And do I need it or can I make the frosting without it?

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Andy. Shortening is vegetable fat that is solid at room temperature. You can substitute coconut oil (which doesn’t sustain its shape in warm temperatures) or better yet, vegan butter.

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMary Reply

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I cut the ingredients in half to make a smaller cake as we are trying to eat a little less dessert. I wish I hadn’t done that! This was amazing. It reminded me of a cookies and cream cake we would get from one of our favorite restaurants. Thank you so much!

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyLily Reply

    5 stars
    I am definitely gonna use this for my birthday its perfect i am craving it now even though i haven’t eaten oreos for a long time.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Lily. I think this cake is perfect for birthdays!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyLily

      5 stars
      Thanks i am definitely gonna use this one

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