Filth Cake Recipe – Enjoyable and Whimsical

Filth Cake is a enjoyable and traditional Midwestern dessert that is beloved by youngsters and adults alike. With the right ratio of creamy filling to chocolate cookie crumbs, it is the right whimsical, no-bake dessert for any big day – particularly summer season BBQs, holidays, and birthdays!

There are numerous recipes right here on IGE that I’ve been consuming since I used to be a child, however none have my coronary heart fairly like Filth Cake.

Filth Cake is a traditional Midwestern dessert recipe that my Mother made for practically each birthday, BBQ, and big day after I was rising up. I can’t inform you ways excited my brothers and I turned anytime she introduced out an enormous bowl of Filth Cake from the fridge embellished with gummy worms on prime.

Nowadays, my youngsters ask for Filth Cake for his or her birthdays. Speak about coming full circle!

With alternating layers of whippy vanilla-cream filling, and crushed chocolate cookies, this no-fuss, no-bake dessert is a complete crowd pleaser, and big hit with youngsters and adults alike.

Watch Learn how to Make It

When to Serve Filth Cake

We get pleasure from Filth Cake at summer season BBQs and birthdays, however this simple dessert, additionally known as “Filth and Worms”, will be made for a wide range of occasions and events like:

Easter
Earth Day
4th of July
Memorial Day
Labor Day
Halloween

You can even swap the chocolate cookies for vanilla sandwich cookie crumbs and switch it right into a sand/seashore cake, adorning with mini drink umbrellas (kicking myself for not doing this for my pal’s current shifting away to Florida social gathering!)

What’s in Filth Cake?

The creamy pudding layer of Filth Cake is made up of some on a regular basis substances, whereas the “dust” layer is simply pulverized Oreos. Right here’s precisely what you’ll want:

Jell-O prompt vanilla pudding: make sure you’re shopping for prompt pudding and never “cook dinner & serve” pudding.
Milk: any form you might have within the fridge (I sometimes use skim milk) — not plant-based milk. Extra on that beneath.
Cool whip: provides creaminess to the vanilla pudding layer.
Powdered sugar: provides sweetness to the cream layer.
Softened butter: provides richness — don’t skip it!
Softened cream cheese: provides extra richness, and balances out the sweetness of the dessert.
Oreos: are pulverized to make up the “dust layer”. I take advantage of Gluten Free Oreos.

ingredients for dirt cake on a countertop

Learn how to Serve Filth Cake

My Mother all the time served Filth Cake layered in a big glass bowl, whereas these photographs present an 8.25″ trifle bowl. Prime the dessert with gummy worms and even pretend or edible flowers for a real backyard appear and feel.

Anytime I make Filth Cake for folk exterior my rapid household, I layer the substances in disposable plastic cups then prime every with a gummy worm or two, which I discover to be the quickest and best strategy to feed a crowd.

Learn how to Make Forward and Retailer

Filth Cake is actually an Ice Field Cake which suggests it’s finest made a minimum of 12 hours forward of while you plan on serving it. The feel and taste will get higher because it sits!

Make-ahead: totally assemble the Filth Cake then cowl the highest with plastic wrap for a minimum of 12 hours forward of time to offer the cookie crumbs time to melt, and the layers time to meld.
Learn how to retailer: retailer any leftovers coated within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Like I mentioned, the dessert simply will get higher and higher by the day.

dirt cake layered in various cups and bowls

Can I Make this Dairy Free?

Sure! My daughter has egg and dairy allergic reactions so I’ve made this recipe vegan many occasions. Right here’s how:

Milk alternative: mix the Jell-O pudding combine with 2 cups almond milk then whisk for two minutes (the pudding might be very thick). Add an extra 1/2 cup almond milk then whisk to mix. Be aware: you should have much less filling then in the event you had been utilizing cow’s milk so plan your layers accordingly. Alternatively, you might use a pudding combine formulated to work with plant-based milk OR make do-it-yourself vegan vanilla pudding.
Cool whip alternative: use SoDelicious Cocowhip, a coconut-based whipped topping, or the non-dairy whipped topping of your alternative.
Butter alternative: use vegan butter. We like Nation Crock vegan butter sticks.
Cream cheese alternative: use plant-based cream cheese. We like Violife vegan cream cheese
Oreos: regardless of having a “cream” filling, traditional Oreos – each common and gluten free – are already vegan!

Learn how to Make Filth Cake

Step 1: Make the creamy vanilla pudding layer.

Begin by including prompt vanilla pudding combine and chilly milk to a big bowl. Whisk for five minutes, or till the pudding is soft-set, then add Cool Whip and fold to mix.

To the bowl of an electrical stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or one other massive glass mixing bowl if utilizing a hand-held mixer, add cream cheese and butter which were softened to room temperature then beat till creamy.

Add powdered sugar then beat once more till easy and creamy.

cream cheese and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl

Add the pudding combination to the bowl with the cream cheese combination then beat to mix. That is paying homage to cheesecake — so good!

Stash the bowl within the fridge when you work on the Oreo cookie crumb layer.

The years have carried out a quantity on the ounces and cookies included in a bundle of traditional Oreo cookies.

Once I was rising up, Oreos had been offered in 20oz packages. Nowadays they’re offered in 18oz “household dimension” packages, whereas gluten free Oreos are offered in 12oz packages.

Make it make sense, Oreo!

At any charge, any quantity between 12 and 20 ounces of Oreo cookies will work with this dessert. Merely add the cookies to a meals processor – creme filling and all – then course of till they change into superb crumbs.

Alternatively you’ll be able to add the Oreos to a gallon-size Ziplock bag then smash them with a rolling pin or meat mallet to attain superb crumbs, as my Mother did within the 80s and 90s. 😉

Step 3: Layer the Filth Cake.

In a 8.25″ trifle bowl (or massive glass bowl, or individual-sized cups) layer the creamy vanilla pudding combination with the Oreo cookie crumbs, beginning with the pudding combination.

If utilizing a trifle bowl, scoop a ~heaping 2-1/2 cups vanilla pudding combination into the underside then unfold into a good layer with the again of a spoon. Subsequent add ~heaping 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs then unfold into a good layer.

Recipe Tip

Use the again of a spoon to push the cookie crumbs up the facet of the Trifle dish, leaving a small indent within the middle, to offer the looks of a thicker “dust” layer.

two layers of dirt cake in a trifle bowl

Repeat the layers two extra occasions, ending with the “dust” layer.

Step 4: Embellish the highest.

Now the enjoyable half — adorning!

Gummy worms are a should, although creepy crawly gummies like spiders, or gummy eyeballs in the event you’re making Filth Cake for Halloween, are all the time so enjoyable. Peeps are cute for Easter!

Flowers – both recent and edible, or fake – are a enjoyable contact too.

Regardless of how or while you devour it, I hope you’re keen on each chunk of this enjoyable and nostalgic Midwestern Filth Cake recipe! Get pleasure from!

Extra Craveable Dessert Recipes

2, 3.4 oz containers Jell-O model Immediate Vanilla Pudding
3-1/2 cups chilly milk, any form (not plant-based milk)
8 oz Cool Whip
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
15 oz Oreos, see notes
gummy worms, pretend or edible flowers, further Oreos reduce in half, optionally available, for garnish

For the Creamy Vanilla Pudding Layer:

To a big mixing bowl add the moment pudding combine and milk then whisk for five minutes, or till the pudding is soft-set. Add the Cool Whip then fold with a spatula to mix and put aside.
To the bowl of an electrical stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or one other massive mixing bowl if utilizing a hand-held mixer, add the softened cream cheese and butter then beat on medium-high pace till easy and creamy, 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, combine on low till simply mixed, then flip the pace up and beat till the combination is easy and creamy, one other 30 seconds. Scrape down the edges of the bowl.
Add the pudding combination to the cream cheese combination then combine on medium-high pace till every part is nicely mixed. Use a spatula to offer the combination one other couple of huge stirs to make sure nothing has caught to the underside of the bowl then refrigerate till prepared to make use of.

For the Oreo Cookie Layer:

Meeting:

Spoon 1/3 of the pudding combination (~heaping 2-1/2 cups) into the underside of a 8.25” trifle bowl (or a big glass bowl) then unfold into a good layer with a spoon. Add 1/3 of the cookie crumbs (~heaping 1 cup) then unfold into a good layer with a spoon. Tip: to make the cookie layer look a bit of taller than it’s, use the spoon to construct up the edges of the crumbs, leaving the middle a bit of extra shallow. Repeat the pudding and cookie crumb layers two extra occasions. Alternatively you’ll be able to alternate layers in particular person glasses or cups. I like utilizing 9oz plastic cups.
Cowl the Filth Cake then chill for a minimum of 12 hours then prime with gummy worms and/or pretend or edible flowers earlier than scooping into bowls and serving. Leftover Filth Cake will hold within the fridge for as much as 5 days.

This recipe has been barely up to date from the unique to account for modifications in product packaging. The unique recipe known as for 12oz Cool Whip, which is now offered in 8oz tubs. You should purchase a second tub and add half of it, although I don’t assume the recipe is negatively impacted through the use of solely 8oz vs 12oz of Cool Whip.
Gluten Free Oreos are offered in 12oz packages, so you should have rather less cookie crumbs if utilizing only one bundle. Just like the Cool Whip, you should buy a second bundle of GF Oreos then add 7 further cookies from it to equal 15oz whole Oreos.

Energy: 625kcal, Carbohydrates: 89g, Protein: 9g, Fats: 27g, Saturated Fats: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g, Monounsaturated Fats: 9g, Trans Fats: 0.3g, Ldl cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 559mg, Potassium: 378mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 66g, Vitamin A: 827IU, Calcium: 214mg, Iron: 7mg