Easter Dirt Cake

Your kids will absolutely love this fun Easter dirt cake and you can let them go wild with the decorations. Topping suggestions include: jelly beans, candied eggs, sweetened flaked coconut, marshmallows or Peeps®, pink sanding sugar, and desired food coloring to tint coconut. The cake itself is a perfect balance of creamy sweet vanilla with chocolate cookie crumbs. 

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 551 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• nonstick cooking spray
• 3 cups whole milk
• ¼ cup salted butter, melted
• ½ cup salted butter, softened
• 14.3 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided
• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix (such as Jell-O®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Process cookies and melted butter in the bowl of a food processor until cookies are finely ground and mixture is thoroughly combined. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of mixture for topping cake. Press remaining mixture into a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 9x13-inch baking dish. Chill while preparing filling, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Beat softened butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and beat until very creamy and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Beat pudding mix, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes until mixture has thickened. Add pudding mixture to cream cheese mixture and beat at medium speed until very smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.

Step 4

Beat heavy cream and cream of tartar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar and beat on medium-high until medium-stiff peaks form, about 5 to 6 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese-pudding mixture. Spoon cream cheese-pudding mixture on top of chocolate cookie crumb mixture in baking dish; smooth with a small off-set spatula. Sprinkle reserved 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumb mixture evenly over top.

Step 5

Cover and chill at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours. Decorate top of cake as desired with desired toppings.