Oreo Cookie Cake with Chocolate Ganache

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OK, this has reached the point of being completely and totally Pa-the-tic. And, I do mean with a capital P! It's been half a year since I last posted anything.

I haven't given up baking though. In fact, I've done quite a bit. Every student I work with still gets a cake for his or her birthday, and I've baked something for other family gatherings and social functions. I've also taken photos of most of the creations with the intent of someday posting the recipes. But, I don't know what my problem has been. Laziness? Lack of interest? Guilt?

Anyway, I have a few vacation days, so I thought I'd go through my photos and get some posts finished. I found photos of a birthday cake I made back in July, and it was actually my own birthday cake. Quite a few people asked me why I made my own birthday cake. My answer was that way I assured I got something I wanted.

I found this Oreo cake on the Kraft website. I love Oreos even though I know they are totally unhealthy, especially in the amounts I like to eat them. I modified the recipe a little because I only use cake mixes if I absolutely must and I never use imitation whipped cream. I have my standards.

Here is the result, and dang, was it ever good.

Happy birthday to me!

Oreo Cookie Cake with Chocolate Ganache

adapted from Kraft Recipes

Cocoa Fudge Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ⅔ cup cocoa
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 ½ tsps. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs

Heat oven to 350˚. Grease and flour two 9" round pans. Beat all ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Pour into pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on at cooling rack. Invert and remove from pan and cool completely.

Oreo Filling

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 12 Oreo cookies, coarsely crushed

Beat together cream cheese and sugar. In a separate bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in whipped cream and crushed Oreos into cream cheese mixture.

Ganache Topping

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. semi sweet chocolate in small pieces (I prefer Guittard semi sweet chocolate chips.)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Place chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream just until it begins to boil. Pour cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Let cool until it thickens.

Assembly

Place one cake layer on plate. Spread with cream cheese mixture. Top with second cake layer. Spread ganache on top. Let stand until firm. Keep refrigerated.