There are certain recipes that just bring on a wave of nostalgia without a second thought. For me, this dirt cake does just that. If you’re wondering, “What the heck is dirt cake?” – I’ll fill you in. It’s a no-bake, cold cake made with a sweet pudding mixture layered between crushed Oreo cookies, and if desired, gummy worms sprinkled throughout. I actually find the consistency closer to a pudding than a traditional cake, as it doesn’t use any flour or have a true cake texture.
Needless to say, dirt cake was one of my favorite cakes growing up. For my birthday, my mom would place it in a flower pot with faux flowers. It was always so special being able to dig into this unconventional cake, and did I mention how insanely delicious it is? Since I developed lactose intolerance in my adolescent years, I’ve learned to “vegan-ize” cakes with a lot of dairy, such as this one, to eliminate discomfort and avoid stomach aches. For this recipe, I’ve taken my mom’s classic recipe and turned it vegan for all of my non-lactose friends out there. For those that are still looking for the legacy recipe, I’ve included options for that below as well so you can still enjoy my mom’s cake in its purest form.
“Dirt cakes are believed to be a spin on the Mississippi mud pie, a popular chocolate dessert from the 1960s.”
– simply recipes
Flower Pot Cake (Mom’s Oreo Dirt Cake)
Ingredients
- 18 oz Oreos (family size pack)
- 8 oz Violife Vegan Cream Cheese (or Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
- 18 oz So Delicious CocoWhip (or 16 oz Cool Whip)
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 cup Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks (melted)
- 2-3 cups Vegan Gummy Worms (gelatin-free)
For Pudding
- 5 oz Instant Vanilla Pudding
- 2 cups Almond Milk (or 1.75 cups Whole Milk)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
Equipment
- 8" Flower Pot/Planter (see notes for larger pot sizes)
- 2-3 Bouquets of Flowers (fresh or faux; see recipe for details)
Instructions
- Begin by making the pudding; combine instant pudding mix with almond milk and vanilla. Whisk vigorously for approx. 2 minutes until consistency has thickened. Set aside.
- Cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and melted butter in a large mixing bowl using a stand mixer; with a KitchenAid, mix at speed 6-8 until well-combined.
- Gently fold in CocoWhip and pudding mixture into bowl with cream cheese, sugar, and butter. If using vegan options, ensure consistency is smooth and free of lumps.
- Then, add entire pack of Oreos into a food processor. Gently pulse until Oreos are crumbled. Be careful not to over-pulse.
- Wipe down inside of flower pot/planter. Then, begin layering crushed Oreos with pudding/whipped mixture into pot, starting with Oreos at the bottom and ending with Oreos on the top.
- If desired, layer a handful of gummy worms between every other layer.
- If using faux flowers, place into pot in desired arrangement. If using fresh flowers, see steps below.
- Chill filled flower pot in refrigerator up to 4 hours before serving, or overnight to set.
If Using Fresh Flowers…
- Cut stems to desired height inside pot, cutting stems diagonally.
- Then, remove all leaves from stems completely, if needed.
- Using aluminum foil, take a 1-2" piece and wrap the stems of each flower until all portions of the stem that are situated within the cake are covered.
- Add to pot and arrange as desired.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
