Oreo Cookie Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This oreo cookie pound cake is a dense, buttery cake with a tender, cream-colored crumb and big chunks of chocolate sandwich cookies in every slice. It starts like a classic pound cake: a full pound of butter, three cups of sugar and six eggs. Buttermilk, heavy cream, sour cream and a little cookies and cream pudding mix keep it moist and soft. A cream cheese frosting and a handful of cookie crumbs finish it. It is made in one Bundt or tube pan and easily feeds a crowd.

Why You’ll Love This Oreo Cookie Pound Cake

• Rich, moist crumb. Heavy cream, buttermilk and sour cream give you a cake that stays soft instead of turning dry.
• Cookies in every bite. 24 crushed cookies are folded in at the end, so you get real chunks, not just a gray tint.
• Classic method. If you have made a pound cake before, nothing here will surprise you.
• Tangy cream cheese frosting. It balances the sweet cake and holds the cookie crumbs on top.

Oreo Cookie Pound Cake Ingredients

Everything here is a pantry or fridge staple. Take the butter, eggs, cream, buttermilk and sour cream out of the refrigerator ahead of time so they come to room temperature.

For the Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 375 g)
• 3 cups granulated sugar (about 600 g)
• 4 sticks salted butter (1 lb / 454 g), softened
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 oz heavy whipping cream (1/2 cup / 120 ml)
• 4 oz buttermilk (1/2 cup / 120 ml)
• Half of a 3 oz box cookies and cream instant pudding mix (about 1.5 oz)
• 2 oz sour cream (1/4 cup)
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 24 chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting is made by eye, so treat the quantities as a starting point and adjust to taste.

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick salted butter (4 tablespoons / 2 oz), softened
• About 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream to start, plus more as needed

For Decorating (Optional)

• A few extra crushed cookies, ground fine, for the top
• Small pieces of chopped cookies-and-cream white chocolate

How to Make Oreo Cookie Pound Cake

You will need a standard 10-inch Bundt or tube pan, a stand or hand mixer and a large bowl for folding.

Make the Cake

1. Heat the oven and prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan well, getting into every groove, then dust it with flour and tap out the extra.
2. Crush the cookies. Break the 24 cookies, filling and all, into rough pieces. Leave plenty of large chunks, because the fine crumbs will mostly disappear into the batter. Set a spoonful of the fine crumbs aside for the top if you like.
3. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, the pudding mix and the salt in a medium bowl.
4. Mix the wet ingredients. Stir together the heavy cream, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla in a measuring cup or small bowl.
5. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and 3 cups of sugar together for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
6. Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until each one disappears into the batter.
7. Alternate dry and wet. With the mixer on low, add the dry mixture in three parts and the wet mixture in two, starting and ending with the dry. Mix only until you no longer see streaks of flour.
8. Fold in the cookies. Use a spatula to gently fold in the crushed cookies by hand. Do not use the mixer, or the chunks will break up and turn the batter gray.
9. Fill the pan. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter once or twice to release large air bubbles.



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Bake and Cool

1. Bake at 325°F. Start checking at 1 hour. Most ovens need 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Insert a long toothpick or skewer into the thickest part of the cake. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. Cookie chunks may leave dark smears, so test in a few spots.
2. Cool in the pan. If the top browns too fast before the center is done, loosely tent the cake with foil. Once baked, cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
3. Turn it out. Invert the cake onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let it cool completely, which takes at least 2 hours, before frosting.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat the base. Beat the cream cheese and butter until completely smooth with no lumps.
2. Add the sugar. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla. Mix until smooth.
3. Adjust the texture. Beat in 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Add more, a teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is soft enough to spread or drizzle. For a thicker frosting, add a bit more powdered sugar.
4. Frost the cake. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and let it fall down the sides. Press the fine cookie crumbs and white chocolate pieces onto the top while the frosting is still soft.

Tips for the Best Oreo Cookie Pound Cake

• Use room-temperature ingredients. Cold eggs, cream or buttermilk can make the batter look curdled and affect the texture.
• Keep the chunks big. Large pieces give you the “cookies and cream” look when you slice the cake.
• Do not overmix. Once the flour goes in, mix only until combined to keep the crumb tender.
• Grease the pan thoroughly. Cookie pieces can stick, so get shortening or butter into every ridge and add flour.
• Check early, but do not open the oven too often. Start testing at 1 hour, then give it 10 minutes between checks.
• Cool fully before frosting. Warm cake melts the frosting and makes it slide off.

Variations

Simple Glaze Instead of Frosting

Whisk powdered sugar with a little cream until pourable, then drizzle it over the cooled cake for a lighter finish.

Extra Chocolate

Add a handful of chopped semi-sweet chocolate to the batter with the cookies, or drizzle melted chocolate over the frosting.

Loaf Pans

You can divide the batter between loaf pans for gifting. Smaller pans bake faster, so begin checking much earlier and use the toothpick test.

Storage

• Refrigerator: Once it is frosted with cream cheese, cover the cake and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let slices sit out for 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the crumb softens.
• Freezing: Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then frost. Individually wrapped slices of frosted cake also freeze well.
• Frosting: Keep leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and stir it before using.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when my oreo cookie pound cake is done?

Start checking at 1 hour. A toothpick pushed into the thickest part should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Most cakes take 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Can I use a regular cake pan instead of a Bundt pan?

This recipe is written for a standard 10-inch Bundt or tube pan. The batter is thick and plentiful, so other pans change the baking time. If you try one, watch it closely and rely on the toothpick test.

Do I have to use buttermilk?

Buttermilk adds tang and tenderness. If you do not have it, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1/2 cup of milk, let it sit for 5 minutes, and use it in the same amount.

Can I make the cake ahead of time?

Yes. Bake and cool the cake a day ahead, wrap it well and keep it at room temperature. Frost it on the day you plan to serve it, or refrigerate it once it is frosted.