Dirt Cake Dessert is whipped cream pudding cake topped with crushed Oreos and gummy worms. This easy no bake dessert is a kid and adult favorite!
If you love easy no bake desserts, be sure to try our favorite Banana Pudding recipe! Or give our delicious chocolate pudding cupcakes a try next.
Why Make this Dirt Cake Dessert
If childhood were a dessert, I think it would be this Dirt Pudding Cake. While this S’mores Icebox Cake is delicious, and this Eclair cake is amazing, Dirt Cake takes the cake (ha see what I did there?).
Did you ever make dirt pudding cups when you were a kid? You put crushed oreos and gummy worms on top of your pudding snack cup to make it look like dirt crawling with worms.
I’m not sure what about eating something that looks like a pile of dirt is so much fun, but you have to admit it puts a smile on your face.
Even as an adult, I get a kick out of dirt pudding, especially when it’s made in cake form!
This Dirt Cake recipe is easy and ideal for summer. Unlike my pudding cake recipe, this requires no baking and sets up in the fridge for a cool and creamy warm weather treat. Your family is going to go wild for Dirt Cake!
Ingredient Notes
If you’ve never made dirt cake before, it consists of three important elements:
- Pudding and whipped cream layer
- Crushed Oreos
- Gummi Worms
You layer some Oreos in the bottom of a cake pan, pour the pudding mixture over it, then add even more Oreos on top. The finishing touch is the gummi worms, which I like to arrange to look like they’re crawling up through the cake.
Technically, the gummy worms are optional. Dirt cake with just the pudding and Oreos tastes just as good. . . but the worms really sell the whole “dirt” concept, you know?
I suppose if you wanted to be more sophisticated you could just call this an “Oreo Pudding Cake” and leave off the gummi worms. But you only live once! Why not have some fun and feel like a kid again?
How to Make Dirt Pudding
- For the base of this cake, I first made something similar to a cheesecake filling by creaming together butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy.
- Next I added chocolate pudding (made from a mix) to the cream cheese mixture and blended everything together.
- Cool whip goes in next to make the whole mixture light, fluffy and creamy! (you could also use our stabilized whipped cream instead.
Crush Oreos with a rolling pin or by pulsing them in the food processor to your desired size, then you’re ready to assemble your Dirt Cake!
You can serve the dirt cake either in a trifle bowl or a 13 x 9 cake pan.
To arrange dirt pudding cake in a bowl:
- Pour half the pudding mixture in the bowl, top with half the crushed Oreos.
- Repeat with another layer of pudding mixture and a final layer of Oreos. Garnish with gummi worms if desired.
To arrange the dirt cake in a pan:
- Pour 2/3 of the Oreos onto the bottom of the pan, spreading evenly.
- Add all the pudding mixture then top with the remaining Oreos. Garnish with gummi worms if desired.
Put your delightfully dirty looking “cake” in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
Serve cold by using a serving spoon or spatula to scoop portions onto plates or bowls.
Dirt Cake Variations
- Garnish: The gummi worms make a fun garnish fitting with the “dirt” theme. Other additions like chopped up peanut butter cups, mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts would taste delicious here too.
- Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate lovers might enjoy the taste of dark chocolate Oreos in the crumb layer as an alternative to the traditional cookies.
- Gummi worms: Use any kind of flavor and color of gummi worms you want to, or mix and match. Some favorites of mine are cherry, strawberry and orange. I don’t recommend sour gummis here, for obvious reasons.
- Halloween Dirt Cake and Easter dirt cake are fun and festive alternatives!
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Dirt Cake
Ingredients
- 1 package Oreo cookies, crushed (with filling) 15.5 ounce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 ounce
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 ¾ cup milk any variety
- 2 boxes nstant chocolate pudding mix 3.4 ounce each i
- 12 ounce Cool Whip
- gummi worms optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until fluffy. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the milk with instant pudding, until no clumps appear.
- Pour pudding mix into cream cheese mixture. Beat until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in Cool Whip.
- Arrange in a 13×9 dish by ppressing half the Oreos on bottom, topped with the filling and then topped with the remaining oreos. Garnish with gummi worms if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
Notes
- Can also be made with instant vanilla pudding if desired. Be sure you’re choosing INSTANT pudding or you’ll end up with a runny dessert.
- Swap out the cool whip and use our recipe for stabilized whipped cream instead!
- Serve it in a Trifle Bowl by pouring half of the filling in the bowl, topped with half of the Oreos. Repeat layers.
- Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Video
Nutrition
Dirt Cake is a runaway hit with kids and adults will love it too! With a luscious chocolate pudding filling flecked by plenty of Oreo cookies, this easy summertime dessert makes any family meal or celebration more fun.
I made this and it was a hit!!! We used sour gummy worms!
How fun! So glad you enjoyed the cake!
Any idea why mine came out so soupy? I doubled the recipe and followed it to a tee. I beat the pudding mix into the cream cheese and butter and it didn’t thicken up!
I made this cake for Halloween for my grandkids. Now every time there’s a holiday or birthday this is what they ask for ! Easy to make and very good.
I don’t really have a comment just a question I am new to baking and want to make a delicious poke cake in what instance or what’s the effect when you add sweetened condensed milk can you use it in any poke cake prior to puddings or carmels what does it do thank you thinking about making a red white and blue jello poke cake or banana and Carmel what would the condensed milk do or taste like in what cakes and why is the scm appropriate thank you
Can this be prepared a day in advance? Or will the Oreos get soggy?
Can I make this the day before the event?
This is an awesome recipe !
Can you please clarify “1slice”. We are trying to figure out carb count for my diabetic child ! TY
I love making this!
I use dark chocolate instant pudding OR French vanilla instant pudding.
I use less cool whip; 8 oz cool whip.
I add a bit of sour cream into the cream cheese mixture.
Dark Chocolate Oreos are fantastic.
I use sour gummy worms and layer them in the mid-section and the top.
Such Fun!
I always made this in a large flower pot. Planted something on top with the gummy worms.
Of course for Halloween you could make it look like a graveyard with marshmallow treats.
I always made this in a large flower pot then planted something on top with the gummy worms.
Can you put peanut butter in the dirt cake and how much and how would you
I bet you could use 1/2 to 1 cup of Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter added to the pudding mixture. Great idea, Roberta
could you make an adult version with Bailey Irish creme as part of the milk?
Sure!
So yummy and super easy to make!! Just put some gummy worms in it and then you have worms in the dirt cake, haha. 🙂
My kids would absolutely love this! The halloween version would be such a fun treat to celebrate the holiday.
This was a huge hit with my family! It was so fluffy and delicious and really easy to make!