Oreo Streusel Ribbon Cake

Overcoming Challenges

After a challenging month it is time to count my blessings! I want to celebrate friends and family, people who have gone out of their way to help me figure out how to overcome limitations and provide for the necessities. I am repeatedly amazed by the power of encouragement and prayer along with the faithfulness of those who have offered both and contributed to my comfort and progress in healing.

I am also eager to celebrate the doctor and other health care professionals who had the knowledge and ability to repair my crushed forearm and get me out of a confining splint and back to a significant use of my left hand within a few short weeks. I simply never imagined that was possible and am so thankful for what has been accomplished on my behalf since I broke me radius in several places a few short weeks ago.

More Reasons to Celebrate

What’s more, this past week has marked the 100th birthday of Oreo Cookies. It would also have been my Aunt Hen’s 98th birthday. More compelling reasons and further inspiration for a cake to mark the occasion and contribute to the celebration!

When you have a reason to celebrate but are facing limitations, whether in time, ability, energy or resources, a coffee cake makes a wonderful choice. Not only does a coffee cake require fewer steps but, in my family anyway, it is often more fondly greeted as well as more quickly and appreciatively consumed.

My family loves coffee cakes and this one is no exception. It consists of sweet buttery cake layered with an Oreo cookie and cream cheese ribbon and topped with an Oreo crumb streusal. No more explanation is needed to recommend it. Simply try it and savor the sweet results!

Oreo Streusel Ribbon Cake

Oreo Streusel Topping

10 Oreo cookies

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

¼ cup butter

Place Oreos in a quart sized Ziploc freezer bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the top, Crush the Oreos using a rolling pin. 10 crushed Oreos should equal approximately 1 cup of crumbs.

In a small bowl, combine the crushed Oreo crumbs with the sugar and flour. Add the butter in several slices and mix to a crumbly streusel with your fingertips or with a fork, if you prefer. Set aside.

Oreo Cream Cheese Ribbon

10 Oreos, diced

6 ounces cream cheese

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 Tablespoon flour

In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese until softened. Add the egg and sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add the flour, beating until well combined. Stir in the diced Oreos.

Cake

2 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt with a wire whisk.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the white sugar and melted butter blending until smooth.

Add the milk and vanilla, whisking until well combined.

With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture until smooth and well combined.

Pour half (or a little more) of the batter into a prepared 9-inch baking pan. Spoon the Oreo Cream Cheese Ribbon on top avoiding the edge of the pan. Cut it in to the batter slightly using a butter knife. Pour the rest of the batter on top of the ribbon carefully smoothing the batter over the top as much as possible. Scatter the Oreo Streusel topping crumbs on top of the batter.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree for 30 – 35 minutes, or until the cake tests done.

Cool on a wire rack.

When cake is cooled, top with a powdered sugar icing made from 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon of vanilla and enough water (2 to 3 teaspoons) to make a drizzling consistency.

Or

Eat the cake while warm from the oven.

Enjoy!