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Red Velvet Oreo Cake

Red velvet and Oreo truly are a match made in heaven, and that’s why I’m so excited to share this red velvet Oreo cake!

From its tender red velvet Oreo cake layers to its Oreo cream cheese frosting, this cake recipe is sure to be a new favorite!!

image of a red velvet oreo cake frosted with an oreo cream cheese buttercream

What Food Coloring Should I Use to Make this Red Velvet Oreo Cake?

When you make any type of red velvet cake, you expect it to have that gorgeous, deep red color when you cut in. I’ve found that it’s a lot easier to achieve that using gel food coloring.

I prefer Americolor, but any red gel food coloring will work! If you don’t have gel food coloring on hand, you can also use liquid food coloring.

image of red velvet oreo cake batter in a 6-inch cake pan ready to be baked

I’ve found that you need to use an entire bottle of liquid food coloring to get the deep red color, so be sure you have a full bottle if you go this route.

The Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting

This red velvet Oreo cake recipe would taste great with just about any frosting, but I wanted to stick with the classic pairing of cream cheese frosting and red velvet cake.

My cream cheese buttercream is a dream when it comes to decorating cakes.

image of oreo cream cheese frosting piped on top of a cake

It’s thick, has great structure and is wonderful for layer cakes because it is stiff enough to support the weight of the cake layers.

Throw in some crushed Oreos and you have one epic frosting!!

Substitutions & Swaps – Red Velvet Oreo Cake Layers

Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make in this recipe.

  • Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!
  • Eggs – If you have an egg allergy you can use flaxseed eggs or an egg replacer.
  • Buttermilk – You can also use full fat yogurt, additional sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
  • Sour Cream – You can also use full fat yogurt, additional buttermilk, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
  • White Vinegar – The vinegar in this recipe is crucial, because it activates the baking soda and helps the cake layers rise! Most types of vinegar should work, including apple cider, or white wine vinegar.
  • Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract, or you can omit it if you don’t have any on hand.
  • Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
  • All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend or cake flour if that’s all you have on hand. I don’t recommend using straight almond flour though!
  • Gel food coloring – Natural food coloring (either liquid or powder) or liquid food coloring can be used if needed.
  • Chopped Oreos – If you don’t want to add chopped Oreos into the cake layers simply omit them.
image of ingredients laid out to make a red velvet oreo cake

Substitutions and Swaps – Cream Cheese Oreo Frosting

  • Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
  • Cream Cheese – If you don’t like cream cheese frosting, use additional butter in place of the cream cheese.
  • Vanilla Extract – Vanilla helps enhance the flavor of this frosting! However, other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract, or you can omit it if you don’t have any on hand.
  • Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe too.
  • Crushed Oreos – If you don’t want to add chopped Oreos into the buttercream you can omit them.
image of oreo cream cheese buttercream frosting made in a glass bowl

Decorating This Red Velvet Oreo Cake

While I love making challenging cake designs, sometimes it’s nice to just make a classic layer cake.

I kept things simple with this cake and used crumbled cake tops and crushed Oreos to decorate the base of the cake.

This cake decoration screams red velvet and Oreo and gives the cake such a classic look.

image of a red velvet oreo cake decorated with crushed oreos and red velvet cake crumbs

Tips for Making Best Red Velvet Oreo Cake

  • Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
  • Use red gel food coloring to make your cake layers a deep, beautiful shade of red.
  • Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
  • Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!
  • I highly recommend that you use a food processor or blender to crush the Oreos for this frosting! If there are any large bits of cookie it will make the frosting challenging to smooth or pipe with.
image of a red velvet oreo cake slice being pulled out of a cake

Making This Red Velvet Oreo Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

I highly recommend making the cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

You can also make the frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Wait to fold in the crushed Oreos until the buttercream has thawed and been stirred to a smooth consistency again, or else the Oreos can lose their texture and shape and turn the frosting gray.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist. It can be stored in the fridge like this for up to a week.

image of a red velvet oreo cake slice placed on a plate in front of the full cake

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this red velvet Oreo cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets if you share on social media so I can see all your amazing creations!

image of a slice of red velvet oreo cake that's frosted with an oreo red velvet cream cheese frosting

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 24

Red Velvet Oreo Cake

image of a red velvet oreo cake frosted with an oreo cream cheese buttercream

From its tender red velvet Oreo cake layers to its Oreo cream cheese frosting, this cake recipe is sure to be a new favorite!!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 18 minutes

Ingredients

Red Velvet Oreo Cake

  • 1 cup vegetable oil (225g)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (240g)
  • 1/2 sour cream, room temperature (125g)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature (170g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)
  • 1 tsp white vinegar (4g)
  • red gel food coloring or 1 Tbsp liquid food coloring
  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (500g)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (12g)
  • 1 tsp baking soda (6g)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (4g)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
  • 1 cup chopped Oreos (90g)

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups or 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (339g)
  • 1 cup full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (226g)
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract (12g)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (3g)
  • 7 cups powdered sugar (875g)
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream or whipping cream (15g)
  • 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs, pulverized in a food processor or super finely chopped (45g)

Optional Filling

  • 3/4 cup Oreos, roughly chopped (68g)

Additional Tools / Equipment

  • Electric Mixer
  • small piping bag
  • small French frosting tip
  • mini Oreos

Instructions

Red Velvet Oreo Cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line and grease 3, 8-inch pans. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp white vinegar, and a generous squirt of red gel food coloring. Mix until combined and the batter is evenly colored.
  3. Add 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar and whisk for 30 seconds to help dissolve the sugar.
  4. Then mix in 3 cups flour, 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Whisk until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of roughly chopped Oreos.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 27-30 minutes.
  6. Remove pans from oven and let them cool in the pans for 15 minutes.
  7. Carefully flip the layers out of the pans, and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
  8. Level the cake tops with a serrated knife once they're fully cooled. Use a fork to crumble the cake tops. Cover and set aside. If you're making these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.

Oreo Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:

  1. Beat 1 1/2 cups of butter and 1 cup cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
  2. Add in 1 Tbsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp salt. Beat on low until combined.
  3. Slowly mix in 7 cups powdered sugar on a very low speed. About halfway through add in 1 Tbsp of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
  4. Mix until the frosting reaches the right consistency. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
  5. Then mix in 1/2 cup of Oreos crumbs on a low speed, mixing just until they're evenly distributed throughout the frosting. If you mix the Oreos in for too long, it can make your frosting look kind of gray.
  6. Cover the Oreo cream cheese frosting with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming until you're ready to use it. This frosting can sit at room temperature for a few hours, but if you make this in advance refrigerate it.

Red Velvet Oreo Cake Assembly:

  1. Stack and frost the red velvet Oreo cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  2. Add an even layer of Oreo cream cheese buttercream between each cake layer, and top with 1/4 cup of chopped Oreos.
  3. Add a thin coat of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  4. Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper.
  5. Carefully press the reserved red velvet crumbs and remaining chopped Oreos along the base of the cake with your hand.
  6. Place the remaining cream cheese buttercream into a frosting bag fit with a small French frosting tip.
  7. Pipe a border around the top of the cake, add mini Oreos, and enjoy!

Notes

Tips for Making Best Red Velvet Oreo Cake:

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Mix the cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated once you add in the flour. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
  • Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. It will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
  • Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
  • Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!
  • Use gel food coloring to create brightly colored cake layers. It works best because it doesn't throw off the consistency of the batter or give it a bitter taste.
  • I highly recommend that you use a food processor or blender to crush the Oreos for this frosting! If there are any large bits of cookie it will make the frosting challenging to smooth onto the cake and pipe with.
  • If your cake layers don't turn out quite how you'd hoped, check out my cake troubleshooting guide to see what might have gone wrong.

Making This Red Velvet Oreo Cake in Advance & Storage Tips:

I highly recommend making the cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

You can also make the frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months! Wait to fold in the crushed Oreos until the buttercream has thawed and been stirred to a smooth consistency again, or else the Oreos can lose their texture and shape and turn the frosting gray!

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist. It can be stored in the fridge like this for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 590Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 70mgSodium 371mgCarbohydrates 81gFiber 1gSugar 62gProtein 5g

Samantha

Wednesday 27th of March 2024

Could I make this recipe as an 8in 3 layer red velvet without the oreos? Love your regular 6in recipe but need an 8in! Thanks!

Allison

Friday 2nd of February 2024

Made this cake for my daughter 's birthday and its a winner. Both of her favorite flavors in one cake

Chelsweets

Sunday 4th of February 2024

Hi Allison,

So happy to hear that!! It really is such a delicious combination :) Happy belated birthday to your daughter!!

Jaimie

Thursday 19th of October 2023

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?

Chelsweets

Sunday 22nd of October 2023

Hi Jaimie,

I haven't tried it, but it should work as cupcakes too. However, I'd probably recommend adding oreos to my red velvet cupcake recipe! Here's the link: https://chelsweets.com/red-velvet-cupcakes-with-buttermilk/

Hope that helps, happy baking!

Sara

Sunday 27th of August 2023

I’ve made this recipe twice now. It’s amazing. The cake is so moist and the frosting is delicious. It’s a heavy cake but the oil and sour cream makes it so chewy and fresh. I would highly recommend. It’s absolutely perfect. I really don’t write reviews but I had to give credit here. It also stays fresh for days.

Paige

Friday 9th of June 2023

Hi Chelsea, I’m wanting to bake this cake for a birthday party coming up and I need it to be gluten free. Can I just swap out the AP flour for a gluten free flour blend or are there other steps I have to adjust? Thanks

Chelsweets

Sunday 11th of June 2023

Hi Paige,

I haven't tested this recipe with gluten free flour, but in theory it should work. I’d recommend also letting the batter rest for 30 minutes before baking, and giving the batter an extra minute of mixing once it’s made to help give the right structure. Other than that you should be good to go! I hope it turns out delicious ? I’d love to hear how it goes! Happy baking!

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