Delicious chocolate sponge cakes sandwiched together with Oreo buttercream and decorated with extra chocolatey Oreos on top. This vegan Oreo cake is a decadent bake that's ideal for a special occasion.
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My go to vegan celebration cake
Every time there's a special occasion these days I bake this vegan Oreo cake.
All my children have had it as a birthday cake. It disappears disappointingly quickly when kids are around though.
In fact I might make it with three tiers next time. If you want to do this you just need to multiply the quantities below by 50%.
A vegan chocolate cake that won't fall apart
When I first started vegan baking I had some disasters, most notably a coffee and walnut cake which we had to call the splat cake.
It tasted amazing but just fell apart. In the end we ate it anyway with spoons like a kind of pudding.
Things improved in the vegan birthday cake department when I tried this vegan chocolate cake by Veggie Desserts.
This cake was a perfect fluffy sponge cake and it didn't even threaten to fall apart. Perfect.
This is now my go-to chocolate cake recipe and I used it as my starting point when I developed this chocolate Oreo cake recipe.
Are Oreos vegan?
As with so many things in life (particularly vegan life, right?) the answer to this isn't straightforward.
No animal products appear on the ingredients list. So far so good.
However, as Oreos themselves say on their website, there is a risk of cross contamination with milk due to the way they're processed.
Most vegans I know consider them to be a vegan product but it's something you're going to have to decide for yourself.
If you have a milk allergy or intolerance you need to avoid them.
Ingredients
For the chocolate sandwich cakes
For full recipe including ingredients list, quantities and method please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
You will need:
- Almond milk
Other plant milks can be used eg oat milk. - Lemon juice
Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar can be used. - Vegan butter
For best results use vegan block butter eg Naturli. - Maple syrup
Agave syrup also works well. - Coffee granules
I use instant coffee granules. - Vanilla extract
- Self raising flour
Also known as self rising flour. See recipe notes in the recipe card below if you want to use plain flour instead. - Baking powder
- Bicarbonate of soda
Also known as baking soda.
For the Oreo frosting
For full recipe including ingredients list, quantities and method please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- 2 packets of Oreos
One for the frosting and one to decorate (optional) - Icing sugar
Also known as confectioners' sugar. Sift well to remove lumps. - Vegan butter
For best results use dairy free block butter.
Special diets
This cake is suitable for:
- vegans
- vegetarians
- egg free diet
NB: Oreos have a "may contain" warning for milk.
Equipment
To make this cake you will need:
- Weighing scales - I prefer digital*
- Jug*
- Measuring spoons*
- Sieve*
- Saucepan*
- Mixing bowl*
- Wooden spoon*
- Rubber spatula*
- 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins*
- Food processor* or rolling pin* (to break up the Oreos for the frosting)
- Stand mixer* - not essential but helps to make super smooth frosting
- Palette knife* (optional)
Storage
This cake can be stored in an airtight cake tin or covered cake stand in a cool place for 3-4 days.
More vegan baking recipes
- Spiced vegan apple cake with salted caramel drizzle
- Vegan banana blueberry yoghurt muffins
- Gooey vegan flapjacks
- Gingerbread muffins with cashew frosting
- Chocolate cupcakes with raspberry frosting
- Banana bread with molasses
- Ginger cake
- Chocolate chip chickpea cookies
- Vegan mini egg brownies
Pin vegan Oreo cake for later
How to make vegan Oreo cake
For full recipe including ingredients list, quantities and method please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Line two sandwich tins and pre-heat oven.
- Add lemon juice to milk and set aside.
- Melt the vegan butter, syrup, coffee granules and vanilla extract together in a small pan.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- Pour in the milk mixture and the melted butter mixture and stir together.
- Transfer to the tins and bake for 30 minutes in the pre-heated oven.
- Cool in the tin for five minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
For the frosting
- Break the Oreos up into crumbs using a food processor or in a sandwich bag with a rolling pin.
- Beat the icing sugar and vegan butter together.
- Add the crushed Oreos and mix together.
- Spread over one of the sandwich cakes.
- Put the other cake on top and cover the top and sides with frosting.
- Decorate with extra Oreos if you want.
Vegan Oreo cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 300 ml almond milk or other plant milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 150 g vegan butter or dairy free spread*
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 275 g self raising flour*
- 175 g caster sugar
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
For the icing
- 154 g packet of Oreos
- 150 g dairy free spread
- 400 g icing sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- 4 tablespoons cold water
To decorate
- 154 g packet of Oreos
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan)/180°C/gas mark 4.
- Grease two 20cm round sandwich tins and line with baking paper.
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the 300ml milk and set aside.
- Melt 150g vegan butter with 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, a teaspoon of coffee granules and a teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small saucepan over a low heat.
- Sift 275g self raising flour, 175g caster sugar, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda together and mix well.
- Pour in the milk mixture and the melted butter mixture and stir well.
- Divide equally between the two prepared cake tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin for five minutes then cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the icing
- Break up a packet of Oreos in a food processor until crumbs form. If you don’t have a food processor you can do this in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Beat 400g sifted icing sugar and 150g vegan butter together until creamy. Add the water gradually until you have a spreadable consistency - you may not need it all.
- Stir through the Oreo crumbs.
- Spread across one of the cakes, put the other on top and cover the top and sides. You'll get best results if you use a palette knife to do this.
To decorate
- Decorate with extra Oreos. I cut mine in half with a sharp knife, holding them still with the other hand to minimise cracking.
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only.
- For best results use vegan block butter eg Naturli
- If using plain flour add an extra 2 tsp of baking powder and half a tsp of bicarbonate of soda.
Nutrition
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Julia
I baked this cake for a vegan teenager's 16th birthday. I was a bit short of time so didn't want to have to source any obscure ingredients. I'd never baked a vegan cake before and admit I was a bit sceptical about a cake without eggs! This recipe was perfect; it was easy to follow and the end result looked impressive and tasted yummy. I thought I'd try and get ahead and make the butter icing when the cake was cooking, but it was a bit too solid by the time the cake had cooled so I had to re-whisk to try and soften it. Overall I was really pleased how it turned out and would definitely make it again!
Cook Veggielicious
Thank you so much Julia - I am so happy to hear that the cake turned out so well for you