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halloween dirt cake

This Halloween Dirt Cake is a fun and spooky dessert, perfect for any Halloween party. It features a rich chocolate cake base, colorful pudding layers, a creamy whipped topping, and crushed Oreos that create a graveyard effect. Decorate with gummy worms, candy pumpkins, and cookie tombstones for a truly haunting treat!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 34 minutes
Total Time 54 minutes
Servings: 12
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1 box devil's food cake mix
  • 1.25 cups water
  • 0.5 cup oil
  • 3 large eggs
Pudding Filling
  • 1 box instant white chocolate pudding mix 3.3 oz
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 drop green food coloring or as needed
  • 1 drop orange food coloring or as needed
Topping & Decoration
  • 1 container whipped topping 8 oz, e.g., Cool Whip
  • 30 cookies Oreo cookies including cream center
  • 0.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3 cookies Milano cookies for tombstones
  • 1 package ghost, pumpkin, and black cat Peeps candy assorted
  • 1 package candy pumpkins for decoration
  • 1 tablespoon Halloween sprinkles or as desired
  • 1 package Gummi worms for decoration

Method
 

Cake Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Prepare the cake according to the package directions. Typically, this involves combining the cake mix with water, oil, and eggs and mixing well with a whisk.
  3. Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9x13 inch baking dish.
  4. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the cake aside to cool completely.
Pudding Filling
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the instant pudding mix and milk, then whisk until smooth. Place the pudding in the refrigerator to chill until the cake is cool.
  2. Once the cake is cool, remove the pudding from the refrigerator and separate it into two different bowls. Add orange food coloring to one bowl and green food coloring to the other, then stir each to achieve desired colors.
  3. Using the end of a wooden spoon or a chopstick, poke holes throughout the entire cooled cake, leaving a little space between each hole.
  4. Carefully use a spoon or a clean cooking syringe to insert the colored puddings into the holes. Create a pattern of alternating colors so that each slice has a section of each color.
Assembly and Decoration
  1. Place all of the Oreo cookies, including their cream centers, into a food processor and pulse until you achieve fine Oreo crumbs. These will be your 'dirt'.
  2. Finish off the cake with an even layer of whipped topping, spreading it over the pudding-filled cake. Then, generously top with the Oreo crumbs, ensuring the entire layer of whipped topping is covered.
  3. Break off the bottoms of the Milano cookies to make them more flat, resembling tombstones.
  4. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then microwave for additional 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
  5. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or a zipper-top plastic bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Use the chocolate to write spooky sayings or dates on the Milano cookies to complete their tombstone look.
  6. Decorate the top of the Halloween dirt cake to resemble a spooky graveyard. Arrange the Milano cookie tombstones, Peeps ghosts and cats, candy pumpkins, gummy worms, and other Halloween candies as desired. Finish with a sprinkling of Halloween sprinkles for extra festivity!
  7. Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
  8. Slice and serve your haunted Halloween Dirt Cake!

Notes

For an extra touch, you can add crushed candy corn or mini chocolate chips to the 'dirt' layer. This cake is best when chilled for at least 2 hours, allowing the pudding to set and the flavors to meld.