Chocolate Oreo Cake

Chocolate Oreo Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18 ounce) boxes Betty C rocker devil's food cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 8 ounces whipped topping, thawed if frozen
• 12 Oreo cookies or 12 other chocolate sandwich style cookies, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chocolate frosting ( from a can is fine)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare the cake mix with the oil, water, and eggs. Bake in two 9-in cake pans per directions on the box.
3. While cake is baking, cream the sugar and softened cream cheese together until fluffy. Fold in the cool whip and crushed cookies. Set aside.
4. Cool cakes completely.
5. To assemble, place one cake, top side down, on the plate. Spread cream cheese "middle" on the top. Top the middle with the second cake, top side down. Place the one cup of chocolate frosting in the microwave just long enough to soften to make it easier to spread. Let cool just a second if too runny. Spread on the top of the cake, but not the sides.
6. NOTE: You can omit the crushed cookies if you don't have them on hand. Then the cake itself becomes as a true Oreo cookie. YUM!

TOPPING:

2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. whipping cream, whipped

In small bowl, fold powdered sugar and vanilla into whipped cream. Spread about 2 1/2 cups over cooled cake. Pipe or dollop remaining whipped cream down center of cake. If desired, garnish with mandarin oranges. (Dip drained mandarin oranges in 1/2 square melted unsweetened chocolate. Place on cooling rack until chocolate is firm.)

Store in refrigerator. 12 servings.