Chopped classic Oreos folded into a soft vanilla pound cake batter, baked in a bundt pan, then finished with a powdered sugar glaze and cookie crumbs. A true cookies and cream cake. You can use any Oreo flavor you want. I have made it as a sheet cake and in layers for a birthday, and it's always a hit.
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Simple flavors
This is a simple idea: adding chopped Oreos to an already good pound cake recipe. They add flavor and crunch, and that makes everyone happy.
We love all things Oreo, from an irresistible cookies and cream cheesecake to this incredible copycat recipe for homemade Oreo cookies.
It's such an uncomplicated, delicious cake, but, as with so many plain ideas turned into recipes, it delivers big time. I have baked it in layers and used it as a birthday cake.
A great vanilla-flavored crumb, not too tight, not too airy, with bits of chopped Oreos (with filling, of course) that lend a crunchy surprise. A cookies and cream pound cake to perk up your collection.
Then there's a simple powdered sugar glaze crowned with more chopped cookies, not just for decoration but as an extra layer of chocolate flavor and crunchiness. You could add more chopped cookies to the filling, but I prefer them on top. Otherwise, the vanilla cake will be too crowded and heavy; not the type of crumb we want.
FAQ
Is this an Oreo bundt cake or an Oreo pound cake?
It's both. It's a vanilla pound cake batter baked in a bundt pan, so you get the rich crumb of a pound cake in a bundt shape. That's why you'll see it called cookies and cream bundt cake or Oreo pound cake.
Is this like the Nothing Bundt Cakes Oreo cake?
The Nothing Bundt Cakes' version is a white cake baked with Oreo pieces and a cream cheese icing. This homemade version follows the same idea, a soft vanilla cake full of cookie chunks, and a lighter powdered sugar glaze with cookie crumbs on top.
This recipe is made from scratch, and I haven't tested it with a box mix. A vanilla or white cake mix with chopped Oreos folded in is a common shortcut, but the texture will be lighter and less pound-cake-like; it might result in the pieces of cookie sinking. You can chop them finely and create a greyish-speckled batter so the small bits don't sink.
Testing notes
Sugar: Regular, granulated white sugar is called for. But you can use light brown sugar also, which will add color and moisture and give it a caramel undertone.
Chop, don't pulverize the cookies. Rough chunks keep the cookies-and-cream look and texture. Very fine crumbs turn the batter gray. I cut each cookie into roughly 4 to 6 pieces.
Fold in the Oreos last. Add them at the end, gently with a spatula, so the batter stays light and the pieces don't break down.
Pans: Use a large bundt pan (10-12 cup capacity) or a large tube pan; make two individual loaf pans or two 8-inch round pans. It is a fairly large cake.
Extra Oreos: I divide the total amount of cookies by roughly ¾ for the batter and ¼ on top as decoration. You can vary that proportion or add a few more cookies to the batter (not too many or it will weight it down), but be sure to top the glaze with crushed Oreos. Besides the crunchiness, it adds another layer of Oreo flavor that goes a long way toward the end result.
Ingredients
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Oreo cookies: choose the flavor or flavors you like. The base of this cake is vanilla, and it pairs well with most flavors. I use regular Oreo cookies for the batter and chocolate creme Oreos for the topping.
- Sour cream: Use the regular type, full-fat sour cream. It adds richness and moisture.
- All-purpose flour or cake flour (softer crumb); both work.
- Baking soda: Make sure it's not expired.
- Almond extract: It's optional, and I usually add it unless the flavor of cookies I'm using does not seem to pair well, like mint Oreos.
Preparing the bundt pan
If you bake bundt cakes often, you've likely had one stick to the pan. It's frustrating, but preventable. Here are three reliable methods:
- Shortening and flour: Coat the pan thoroughly with soft shortening using your fingers or a brush, making sure to reach every corner, including the center tube. Dust with flour, rotating the pan to cover evenly, then tap out the excess over the sink.
- Cake goop (pan-release paste): Mix equal parts shortening, flour, and oil into a paste. Brush it onto the pan. Store leftovers in a jar, 1 month at room temp or up to 3 months in the fridge. This is one of my favorite methods.
- Baking spray with flour: Only use baking spray that includes flour. Regular cooking spray isn't enough and often leads to sticking. I rarely use this anymore.
The recipe matters too: When I find a bundt cake that releases cleanly, even without perfect prep, I hold onto it; it's a keeper.
How to make Oreo pound cake
- Creaming: like other butter cake recipes, this one starts by creaming the soft butter with the sugar and adding the eggs individually. These steps build the structure of the crumb and help it rise during baking. So pay attention to temperatures and beating time.
- What mixer to use: I use the handheld electric mixer or the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Making this cake by hand is too arduous, and you might not get the texture you want, as it's very dense and will take some serious arm muscle.
Sift dry ingredients
Like other butter cake recipes, this one starts by creaming the soft butter with the sugar and adding the eggs individually. These steps build the structure of the crumb and help it rise during baking. So pay attention to temperatures and beating time.
Fill the pan
Fill the bundt cake pan ⅔ of its capacity, or ¾ at the most. More than that means that the pan is too small for the amount of batter.
Baking
Pound cakes are dense and take a while to fully bake.
Remove the pan from the oven when the cake tester comes out clean. Don't overbake it.
What's the secret to getting the bundt cake out of the pan?
Besides properly preparing the pan, what works for me is to let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then invert it onto a rack. Cooling too long lets sugar stick, and too little makes it fall apart.
Glaze and Oreo flavor options
Cream cheese glaze: it's the thinner version of the much-loved cream cheese frosting. Use less powdered sugar so it's more fluid. We use it for the buttermilk banana bundt cake.
Chocolate topping: since this is not a chocolate cake but a white cake with chopped chocolate cookies, you might want to add an extra dose of chocolate flavor. I hear you. My two favorites are this milk chocolate glaze and the popular chocolate ganache glaze.
Oreo cookie flavors
I topped this cake with chocolate-filled Oreos, but the cake is vanilla-based, so you can add any flavor of Oreos.
There are so many that it's really a matter of personal taste. I like to use cookies that contrast in color, so no golden ones for me. It would be vanilla with vanilla, and that doesn't sound as exciting as, say, peanut butter-flavored Oreos, doesn't it?
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, or cake flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 20 Oreo cookies, divided; I used regular ones in the batter and chocolate-filled ones for the decoration
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Grease a 10 or 12-cup bundt cake pan (26cm) with soft shortening, covering every angle, nook and cranny. Dust with flour, shaking off excess. Reserve.
- Beat 1 cup unsalted butter in a large bowl while gradually adding 1 ¼ cups sugar until it is pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes at high speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Add 3 eggs one by one, beating well at medium speed after each addition, and scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon almond extract and mix well.
- Sift together 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda (I have them measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture) and add them in 3 additions alternating with ½ cup sour cream in 2 additions. Do this at low speed. The batter will be dense and thick. Make sure it has no lumps, but don't overbeat.
- Coarsely chop 15 Oreo cookies with a kitchen knife, and fold them into the batter with a spatula. Mix until integrated, trying not to crush the cookie pieces too much.
- Transfer to the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. It varies depending on the type of oven and pan, and can take longer. Don't overbake.
- Let it cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack and unmold carefully. If it doesn't come out easily, let it cool down further and check with a smooth-bladed knife around the center and sides to make sure no cake is stuck to the pan.
- Cool the cake completely on the cooling rack before glazing.
For the glaze:
- Mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk until creamy and no lumps remain.
- Pour on top of the cooled cake and let it run down the sides. Chop the remaining 5 Oreo cookies and sprinkle or place them on top of the glaze before it dries out.
- It keeps for several days at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap.
Notes
Adapted from Maida Heatter's Cakes
Temecula says
I don’t Quebec any sour cream or cream cheese. Do I really need it
Paula Montenegro says
Yes, this recipe uses sour cream for moisture and texture.
Maryann says
This was a great recipe! The only changes I made were replacing unsalted butter with salted butter and regular Oreos with Oreo thins. I like that the cake is not too sweet.
Julie Orr says
I made this cake for my son's birthday because he loves cookies and cream. I was very impressed and everyone loved the cake.The recipe was easy to follow and the tips were very helpful. The cake had great texture and density. I was concerned that it might be overly sweet with all the cookies, but it had a delicious, unctuous flavor. Thanks so much.
Eliane says
Really solid recipe. Thank you for the measurements in grams, I always use my scale for baking. I have made this recipe according to the directions, it is really good! The batter is really thick which helps the Oreo pieces not to sink at the bottom. I personally prefer it with 1 tsp almond extract, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking powder along with the soda (not sure if it is needed but I added it by accident once and kept it since) and 2 full cups of sugar (400g). I have also tried it with birthday cake Oreos, it adds nice specks of colour.
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks for letting me know Eliane! I will try it with the baking powder which I usually use for cakes. Interesting what you say about the amount of sugar because I think it's more than sweet enough as is. Goes to show how different everybody's palate is. Have a great week!
GTA says
Baking soda -- as in the ingredient list, OR
Baking soda -- as in the recipe directions???
Paula Montenegro says
It uses baking soda only. The powder in the instructions is a type. Apologies for that.
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks Amanda!
Paula Montenegro says
Excatly! Thanks Kylie.
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks Jo!
Ginny says
Oh, my word! This is amazing and using the bundt cake mold really makes it looks fancy. Love that topping!
Juliana says
Perfect cake for tea! Maida was such a terrific baker,the queen of cake indeed!
MARY H HIRSCH says
I thought for a minute there you were going to take credit for Oreo Cookies. No. No. No. I'll give you Dulce de Leche but we in the Midwest claim Oreos. (As Liz verifies in her comment.) As a kid growing up we had Cookie Pudding for dessert every Christmas. It was a combo of whipped cream and crushed Oreo cookies. Every so often I want to make that but I resist. I have never thought about just throwing a few into and on a cake - great idea.
Paula Montenegro says
Yeah I know, Oreos rule... I love that they go with almost anything. The no-churn Oreo ice cream is a wonder also, only 3 ingredients. I need to try your pudding Mary!
Liz says
Oreos are a staple at our house. I don't particularly like them unless they're in a dessert! So this cake would make me AND the Oreo loving family very happy!
Paula Montenegro says
hahaha, Oreos took over houses everywhere! So nice to see you here Liz!
angiesrecipes says
What a terrific looking bundt cake! I have never thought of using oreo this way...fantastic, Paula.