Cookies & Cream Cake

It's been ages since I updated this blog, which also means that I have not been baking for the past years.. started baking again since the beginning of this year and so I here I am bloggin again :)

This was one of my recent bakes, for my mum's birthday. 
It was an impromptu decision to bake this and since it was my first time, there's still room for improvement.

What's a birthday cake without any decoration? I frosted the cake with whipped cream and decorated with oreo cookies on the sides and dusted cocoa powder on the surface of the cake. My frosting skills sucks and so this decoration was perfect for hiding the uneven frosting :p  

Cookies & Cream Cake
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 package white cake mix 
(I replaced the cake mix with my own concoction of white cake mix. pls see the other recipe at the end of this post for the cake mix substitute)
1-1/4 cups water
1/3 cup canola oil
3 egg whites
1 cup coarsely crushed cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (i used 8 cookies)

Method:
1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil and egg whites; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Gently fold in crushed cookies.

2. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. (It took me about 50mins to bake this cake)

3. When cake is completely cooled, slice into 2 and spread the whipped cream frosting onto the bottom layer. Put the 2 layers together and frost the whole cake with remaining whipped cream. Decorate as desired.       


Frosting (recipe from Craftsy)
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
4 tsp cold water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sifted icing sugar

1. Combine the gelatin and cold water in a small pan. Stir gently and let the mixture stand until it turns thick.
2. Place the pan over low heat and keep stirring until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and let it cool to warm (do not let it set completely).
4. Whip the cream until soft peak, add the icing sugar and mix till combined.
5. Reduce to low speed and add in the gelatin while continuing to beat
6. Return to high speed until stiff peaks form


Substitute for White Cake Mix:
If you are not too keen on using store-bought ready cake mix like me, try this substitute that I found from Food.com or you can use any other white cake recipe that's available .