PEPPERMINT OREO CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and dust with flour two 8 inch round cake pans. I only used half a recipe and two 6 inch cake pans.
• In a mixing bowl, add the butter and granulated sugar. Mix until light and fluffy about 3 minutes.
• Add in the vanilla bean paste and each egg separately and mix until incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine.
• Alternately add the flour and buttermilk always starting and ending with the flour. I did 3 parts flour and 2 parts buttermilk. Scrape down the sides and mix to combine.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until done. Place a skewer into the center of the pan, if it comes out clean or with moist crumbs it's done. If it still has batter, let it bake a while longer and test again.
• Let it cool for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a mixing bowl, add in the butter and mix until creamy.
• Add in the peppermint extract, powdered sugar and milk. Mix on low until just incorporated.
• Add in the drop or two of gel paste color and mix for another minute or two until light and fluffy.
• Add 6 cookies into a food processor or storage bag. Pulse until the cookies form a crumb. If you're using a storage bag, crush the cookies using a rolling pin.
• If the cake has a dome, cut it so it's even. Place it on a cake stand.
• Add a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake.
• Place the frosting in a piping bag with a straight tube. Add a ring of frosting around the edge of the cake.
• Fill the center of the cake with all the Oreo crumbs.
• Trim the top layer of cake if it's domed. Place it on top of the Oreos.
• Add a thin layer of frosting to the outside of the cake. Any frosting that comes out of the center, push it around to fill in any spots.
• Place the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up slightly.
• After the crumb coating has set up, cover the cake with a layer of pink frosting.
• Add a red strip of gel paste color to the piping bag. Fill it with about ½ cup of pink frosting. Pipe peaks around the cake.
• Cut the 4 Oreos in half using even pressure. The even pressure will prevent the Oreos from breaking all apart.
• Add the Oreos to the top of the cake for garnish.