Cookies and Cream Cake

For my mother's birthday, I decided to try a recipe from the Food Network Magazine (totally recommend getting a subscription).  It is a cookies and cream cake composed of a basic vanilla cake and a white chocolate frosting.

Basic Vanilla recipe:
Makes two 9 inch rounds
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pans
1 tablespoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups whole milk (or 3/4 cup heavy cream mixed with 1/2 cup water)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two 9 inch pans and line with parchment paper.  Butter and flour the paper tapping our the excess.
2.  Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined.  Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 mins.  Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.  (The mixture may look separated at this point.)  Beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
3.  Divide between the two pans.  Bake until lightly golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean, about 30-35 mins.  Place on a rack for ten min to cool.  After 10 mins run a knife around the edges and turn onto cooling rack to finish cooling.  After cooled, trim cakes if desired before stacking or frosting.

White Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped (I just used white chocolate chips)
3 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 cups powdered sugar

1.  Melt chocolate until smooth (I did it in the microwave in 30 second increments).  Beat the butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.  Add melted chocolate and beat until combined.  Beat in sugar until smooth.

Assembly:
Place one layer on platter; spread about 1 cup frosting on top and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of chopped oreo cookies.  Top with second layer and frost entirety.  Place chopped cookies on sides of cake after frosted (can be a little messy).

It turned out pretty cool looking and tasted pretty good too.