Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cake

For the cake:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:
6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
+ 10 chocolate sandwich cookies for garnish

To bake the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8″ cake pans.
2. Combine sugar, flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Add milk, oil and vanilla all at once and beat on medium speed of mixer about two minutes. Stir in the boiling water. Divide batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
4. Frost according to below directions and garnish with chocolate sandwich cookies.

To make the frosting:

1. Combine powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla. Stop here. Frost two bottom layers of cake with vanilla frosting. You’ll want about 1/4 – 1/3 of a cup for each layer but for heaven’s sake, don’t measure it.
2. Add crushed chocolate sandwich cookies to remaining vanilla frosting. Frost top and sides of cake with cookies ‘n’ cream frosting.