Dirt Cake
Thick layers of chocolate, pudding filling, oreo crust, oreo crumble, and gummy worms on top!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake with Oreo Crust
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 24 Oreo cookies (regular, not double stuffed or skinny)
- 2/3 cup sour cream room temperature
- 3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
- 3 whole eggs room temperature
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix (Duncan Hines or similar brands)
Chocolate Pudding Filling
- 1 box chocolate pudding (smaller box)
- 2 cups whole milk
Cocoa Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
- 2/3 cup cocoa sifted
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 5-7 cups powdered sugar sifted
Garnishes
- 2 cups crumbled oreos
- 1/2 cup gummy worms
Instructions
Chocolate Cake with Oreo Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Convection bake or 350 degrees traditional bake. Prep three 6" cake rounds OR two 8" cake rounds with a swipe of shortening and dust of flour, or 24 cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add in the Oreo cookies and butter and pulse until a crumble forms. Divide crumble evenly between cake pans or cupcakes and press down firmly to make the crust. (Tip: I use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to make an even crust). Set aside while making the cake batter. No pre-baking required for the crust.
- In a medium bowl (not a stand mixer for this step), hand whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, egg white, and vanilla (also the caramel extract, if using) until uniform throughout.
- Sift in the cocoa and cake mix, toss in the chocolate chips. Don't overmix – just whisk until the ingredients are barely combined. Divide evenly between cake pans or cupcake tins and bake for 27-30 minutes for cakes, and 12-15 minutes for the cupcakes. Let cool in the pan for 3 minutes, then flip out onto a cooling rack until room temperature. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least a couple hours or overnight until you're ready to stack the cake.
Pudding filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk for about 1 minute. Let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk again. Store it covered in the fridge until you're ready to add it as a filling.
Cocoa Buttercream
- Remove butter from fridge and let sit out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Add to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Whip up for 2 minutes until butter is light and fluffy.
- Add in the salt, vanilla, cocoa, and heavy cream and whip up until thoroughly combined.
- Slowly add in powdered sugar. Add in a touch more heavy cream if needed. Whip up on high speed for 2-3 minutes until lighter in color and texture.
Assembly
- If making cupcakes, hollow out the inside of the cupcake and add in about 2 tablespoons pudding filling. Frost with a piping tip and top with Oreo crumble and a worm or another Oreo cookie for garnish.
- If stacking a layered cake, using a cake turntable, add on a touch of buttercream to act as glue, then place down the first layer of cake onto a cardboard cake round. Add on a small layer of buttercream, then pipe a dam around the outside rim of the cake round. Add in about 1/2 cup of pudding filling. Place the next cake round on top and repeat with remaining cake layers. Crumb coat the cake, then place into the freezer for 5 minutes to set. Add on your final layer of buttercream and then press the Oreo crumble on the bottom rim of the cake. Add on more of the Oreo crumble on top of the cake, then top with candy worms. Enjoy!