Dirt Cake—Ultimate Chocolate Edition

In our family, birthdays means choosing your birthday dessert a birthday dinner. Tomorrow, my older boy turns ten, so this is the perfect opportunity to share his chosen dessert, two years running. Enjoy!

Dirt Cake—Ultimate Chocolate Edition

From the kitchen of Lisa-Marie Duffield

Make a wish!

Ingredients

Layer 1

5 boxes chocolate pudding mix

10 cups whole milk

Layer 2

2 boxes cream cheese (8oz)

2 sticks salted butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Splash Whole milk

2 tubs whipped topping (8oz)

Layer 3

2 boxes cream cheese (8oz)

2 sticks salted butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Splash Whole milk

Layer 4

4 packages original Oreo Cookies

Instructions

A.    Prepare each layer:

1.     Make pudding per package directions and refrigerate to firm while preparing the other layers.

2.     Make the ganache layer (frosting + whipped cream).

                                         a.     Cream the room-temperature butter and cream cheese. Whip in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and powdered sugar, adding just enough milk to make a creamy frosting. Then whip for another 3-4 minutes.

                                        b.     Fold in the whipped topping, blending thoroughly. Set aside.

3.     Make the frosting layer.

                                         a.     Prepare as above. Set aside.

4.     Make the Dirt. Using a food processor (best), mixer, or hammer 😊, crush and completely demolish the cookes, in batches, until it is just crumbs that look like potting soil.

B.    Assemble:

1.     Decide how many rounds you want to do, based on your container. For the full recipe, using a large rectangular basin, I recommend just two rounds. But if you divide up into smaller pots, you could layer differently.

2.     For each layer, first spread out Pudding, then Ganache, then Frosting, then finally a generous layer of Dirt.

3.     Place the container(s) in the refrigerator to set firm and let the flavors blend, preferable overnight.

4.     Serve the next day. It is fun to decorate with gummy worms or plants (real or artificial but clean and not poisonous!).