Blondie Oreo Buttermilk Pound Cake

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Decadent Oreo Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe: A Blondie Twist on a Classic Treat

There is something undeniably comforting about a heavy, dense slice of pound cake, but this recipe takes that nostalgia and turns the volume up. Imagine the buttery, caramel-like notes of a classic blondie bar merged with the tender, tight crumb of a traditional Southern pound cake. That is exactly what you get with this Blondie Oreo Buttermilk Pound Cake. It smells like butterscotch and vanilla while it bakes, filling the kitchen with an aroma that feels like a warm hug.

The magic here is in the texture. You have the velvet softness of the cake, which stays incredibly moist thanks to the buttermilk and sour cream, interrupted by the pleasant crunch of Golden Oreos. It is sweet, certainly, but the tang of the cream cheese glaze cuts through that sugar just enough to keep you coming back for “just one sliver” more. It’s the kind of cake that sits perfectly on a counter for guests to graze on, looking unassuming until that first bite changes everything.

Why You’ll Love This

Incredible Moisture: The combination of buttermilk, sour cream, and pudding mix ensures this cake never suffers from the dryness that plagues many pound cakes.
Textural Contrast: The Golden Oreos soften slightly during baking but retain a bit of bite, offering a lovely contrast to the smooth, dense crumb of the cake.
Butterscotch Depth: Using butterscotch pudding mix doesn’t make it taste like pudding; rather, it deepens the flavor profile, giving it that signature “blondie” taste without needing brown butter.
Forgiving Glaze: The cream cheese glaze is rich and thick, easily covering any imperfections on the surface of the cake while adding a creamy finish.

The Unexpected Fan

I once brought this cake to a neighborhood potluck where I knew the host was a die-hard chocolate lover. He usually bypassed anything that didn’t involve cocoa powder or dark chocolate ganache. I watched him politely take a slice, expecting him to take a courtesy bite and move on. Instead, he stopped mid-conversation, looked at the cake, and finished the whole slice in silence. He later told me he loved that it wasn’t just “vanilla” but had a complexity he couldn’t put his finger on. Now, he requests this specifically over my brownies. It’s the Golden Oreos and the butterscotch undertones—they convert even the strictest chocolate loyalists.

What Makes It Special

Golden Oreos: These provide a vanilla-forward crunch that blends beautifully with the batter without overpowering the delicate butterscotch notes like a chocolate cookie might.
Instant Butterscotch Pudding: This is the secret weapon. It acts as a stabilizer for the structure and injects a distinct, warm flavor that mimics the brown sugar goodness of a blondie.
Buttermilk & Sour Cream: This duo is non-negotiable. The acidity breaks down gluten strands for a tender bite, while the fat content keeps the cake fresh for days.
Cake Flour: Lower in protein than all-purpose flour, cake flour is what gives this dessert that silky, melt-in-your-mouth quality.

Making It Happen

Start by setting your oven to 300°F. This low temperature is crucial for pound cakes; it allows the dense batter to rise slowly and bake evenly without burning the exterior. While the oven warms, grab a medium bowl to sift your dry ingredients: the cake flour, the pudding mix (leave it dry, don’t make the pudding!), baking powder, and salt. In a separate cup or small bowl, whisk together your liquid ingredients—the buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract—so they are ready to go.

The most important step happens next. In your mixer, combine the room-temperature butter and sugar. You need to beat this for a long time—about 6 to 8 minutes. You aren’t just mixing ingredients; you are forcing air into the butter, which is the primary leavening agent for a dense pound cake. It should look pale yellow and fluffy. Once that is done, add the eggs one at a time, letting each yolk completely disappear into the batter before cracking the next one.

Now, reduce your mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately. Start with flour, then buttermilk, then flour, and so on, ending with the flour. Be gentle here. Once the last streak of flour vanishes, stop the mixer. Fold in those crushed Golden Oreos by hand so you don’t crush them into dust.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan (greased and floured heavily). Tap the pan firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then bake for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping it out. Finally, once the cake is almost cool, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth and pour it over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Top with extra crushed Oreos for a beautiful finish.

You Must Know

Room Temperature is Law: Your butter, eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, and cream cheese must be at room temperature. Cold ingredients will cause the batter to curdle (look separated) and the cake won’t rise properly.
Don’t Overmix the Flour: Once you add the flour, mix only until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which turns a tender pound cake into a tough, chewy bread.
The Toothpick Test: Because ovens vary, rely on the toothpick test rather than just the timer. The toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, not wet batter.
Cool Before Glazing: If you pour the cream cheese glaze on a hot cake, it will melt into a translucent puddle. The cake needs to be cool to the touch (or barely warm) so the glaze sets as a thick, white icing.

Serving Ideas

This cake is rich, so it pairs best with beverages that cleanse the palate. A hot cup of black coffee or an unsweetened Earl Grey tea is perfect. For a cold option, an ice-cold glass of milk is classic. If you want to dress up the plate for a dinner party, serve a slice with a few tart raspberries or blackberries on the side; the acidity of the fruit balances the sweetness of the glaze and the butterscotch pudding.

Make It Different

Chocolate Twist: Swap the Golden Oreos for standard chocolate Oreos and the butterscotch pudding for chocolate pudding to make a “Cookies and Cream” version.
Lemon Bliss: Use lemon pudding mix, Golden Oreos, and add lemon zest to the glaze instead of vanilla for a bright, summery take.
Glaze Alternative: If you aren’t a fan of cream cheese, a simple vanilla glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract works just fine, though it will be sweeter and less tangy.
Dietary Swap: While difficult to make vegan due to the eggs and dairy, you can use gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour instead of cake flour if you are baking for someone with gluten sensitivity (just ensure your Oreos and pudding mix are GF as well).

Recipe Tips: Storage and Reheating

Because of the cream cheese glaze, this cake is best stored in the refrigerator. Place it in an airtight cake carrier or wrap slices individually in plastic wrap. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. In fact, cold pound cake often has an even tighter, fudgier texture that many people prefer.

To serve it warm, simply pop a slice in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. This will soften the butter in the cake and make the glaze slightly gooey again. You can also freeze this cake. Freeze it without the glaze for best results, wrapping it tightly in plastic and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter before glazing and serving.

Success Tips

The number one reason pound cakes fail is improper measuring of flour. If you scoop the flour directly with the measuring cup, you pack it down and end up with too much flour, leading to a dry cake. Instead, fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into the measuring cup, and level it off with a knife. Also, make sure your bundt pan is thoroughly greased. Use a baking spray containing flour, or use the old-fashioned butter-and-flour method to ensure the intricate designs of the cake release perfectly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

Yes, but the texture won’t be quite as soft. If you only have all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour from each cup and replace it with cornstarch. Sift them together to create a DIY cake flour.

Why did my Oreos sink to the bottom?

Heavy mix-ins can sink if the batter is too thin or if they are too large. Crushing the Oreos into smaller chunks helps. The thick nature of this pound cake batter usually holds them well, but you can also toss the crushed cookies in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in to give them “grip.”

Do I make the pudding before adding it?

No! This is very important. You add the dry pudding mix powder directly into the flour mixture. If you make the pudding with milk first, the batter will be far too wet and the cake will not bake through.

Can I skip the food coloring in the glaze?

Absolutely. The yellow food coloring is purely aesthetic to match the “blondie” golden hue. The glaze will taste exactly the same without it; it will just be white instead of pale yellow.

My cake looks done on top but is raw in the middle. What do I do?

If the top is browning too fast, tent a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the pan. This protects the crust while allowing the interior to keep baking. Keep the temperature low at 300°F to prevent this.

Recipe Card

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 50 minutes (plus cooling)

Servings: 12-16 slices

Category: Dessert

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 1 Bundt Cake

Equipment

Bundt Pan or Tube Pan
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Mixing Bowls
Sifter
Cooling Rack

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 cups cake flour
3 cups sugar
4 sticks salted butter (room temperature)
5 eggs (room temperature)
8 oz buttermilk (room temperature)
2 tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz instant butterscotch pudding (dry mix)
20 golden Oreos, crushed

For the cream cheese glaze:

12 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 stick butter (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
3 cups powdered sugar
2-3 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Instructions

Cake:

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Sift cake flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix buttermilk, vanilla extract, and sour cream; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (approximately 6-8 minutes).
Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until the yolk disappears before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Reduce mixer speed to low. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined; do not overmix.
Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the crushed Oreos by hand.
Spray your Bundt pan generously with baking spray (or grease with butter and dust with flour). Pour the batter evenly into the pan.
Drop the pan on the counter flatly a few times to remove air pockets and settle the batter.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick near the center; it should come out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. Check every 5 minutes after the initial time if needed.

Glaze:

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and free of lumps.
Add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Adjust consistency if needed: add a splash more heavy cream to thin it out, or more powdered sugar to thicken it.
Stir in the yellow food coloring until the desired shade is reached.

Assembly:

Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes after removing it from the oven.
Carefully flip the cake onto a plate or cooling rack.
Pour the glaze over the cake while it is still slightly warm (but not hot) or wait until fully cool for a thicker glaze appearance.
Garnish the top with extra crushed Oreos.
Let cool completely before slicing and storing.

Notes

Ensure you use instant pudding mix, not the “cook and serve” variety. The heavy cream in the glaze creates a rich finish, but milk can be substituted in a pinch (use less quantity as milk is thinner).

Nutrition

(Nutrition is an estimate per serving based on 16 servings).