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Halloween Dirt Cake

This dirt cake is a playful dessert made with layers of chocolate pudding, cookie crumbs, and gummy worms, resembling soil with creepy crawlies. It has a crumbly, creamy texture with a messy, earthy appearance that is fun and interactive to serve, especially at Halloween parties.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 24 oz chocolate instant pudding mix for prepared pudding
  • 3 cups milk to prepare pudding
  • 1 package chocolate cookies (e.g., Oreos) for crumbs, remove filling before crushing
  • 1 cup gummy worms for crawling through the soil-like mixture
  • for garnish additional gummy worms and cookie crumbs

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer
  • Rubber spatula
  • Serving dish
  • Plastic wrap

Method
 

  1. Refrigerate the chocolate pudding mix and milk, then whisk together in a mixing bowl until the mixture thickens and is smooth, about 5 minutes. Let it set in the fridge while preparing the other components.
  2. Place the cookies in a plastic bag and crush them finely using a rolling pin or your hands until they resemble soil or dirt. This will add texture and visual interest.
  3. Carefully fold the cookie crumbs into the prepared pudding using a spatula, combining until the mixture is evenly textured and looks like dark, moist soil.
  4. Spoon half of the chocolate soil mixture into your serving dish, spreading it evenly and smoothing out the surface with the back of a spoon.
  5. Nestle a handful of gummy worms into the soil layer, pressing them slightly so they appear to crawl through the dirt.
  6. Add the remaining chocolate pudding mixture on top, spreading it out evenly over the gummy worms and smoothing the surface again.
  7. Sprinkle more cookie crumbs on top to resemble freshly turned soil, and scatter a few gummy worms for extra creepy effect. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap.
  8. Chill the dirt cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and textures to set. When ready, remove the plastic wrap and serve in scoops for a messy, fun presentation.

Notes

For a more realistic soil look, sprinkle crushed cookies generously on top. Use gummy worms sparingly for best visual effect. Be sure to chill the pudding thoroughly to achieve the right consistency.