Garden Dirt Cake

The first time I had this cake was in the 1st grade when I was learning nursery rhymes. My teacher called it Mary Mary Quite Contrary's Garden. It must be enjoyable for both kids and adults, as I still remember it 16 years later! I've seen 3 other variations of this, but I felt that they needed more substance. This version has layers of chocolate cake to make it almost like a trifle. Add an artificial plant for decoration and serve with a small shovel.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 24 mins
• Total Time: 54 mins
• Calories: 1007 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup water
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 3 ½ cups milk
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• cooking spray
• 1 (15.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 (16 ounce) packages chocolate sandwich cookies with cream filling
• 1 (5 ounce) bag gummy worm candies

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.

Step 2

Combine chocolate cake mix, water, eggs, and vegetable oil in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat batter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide batter between the prepared pans.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 24 to 29 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto the wire rack; cool completely, about 15 minutes. Slice 1 cake into 1/4-inch layers. Reserve second cake for another use.

Step 4

Pulse chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor in batches until finely ground.

Step 5

Combine cream cheese, vanilla pudding mix, and chocolate pudding mix in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in milk until evenly blended. Fold in whipped topping with a rubber spatula.

Step 6

Pour some of the cookie crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch trifle bowl. Top with a layer of pudding, 1 layer of chocolate cake, and some gummy worms. Repeat layers twice more, ending with remaining cookie crumbs on top.