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Monday, May 12, 2025

Grime Cake Recipe – Enjoyable and Whimsical


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

trifle dish of dirt cake

There are a lot of 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 Grime Cake.

Grime Cake is a traditional Midwestern dessert recipe that my Mother made for almost each birthday, BBQ, and special day once I was rising up. I can not inform you ways excited my brothers and I turned anytime she introduced out a large bowl of Grime Cake from the fridge embellished with gummy worms on high.

Today, my children ask for Grime 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 large hit with children and adults alike.

dirt cake layered in glassesdirt cake layered in glasses

When to Serve Grime Cake

We take pleasure in Grime Cake at summer season BBQs and birthdays, however this simple dessert, additionally known as “Grime and Worms”, may be made for quite a lot of occasions and events like:

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

It’s also possible to 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 latest transferring away to Florida social gathering!)

dirt cake layered in various cups and bowlsdirt cake layered in various cups and bowls

What’s in Grime Cake?

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

  • Jell-O on the spot vanilla pudding: make sure you’re shopping for on the spot pudding and never “prepare dinner & serve” pudding.
  • Milk: any type you’ve gotten within the fridge (I usually use skim milk) — not plant-based milk. Extra on that under.
  • 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 “filth layer”. I exploit Gluten Free Oreos.
ingredients for dirt cake on a countertopingredients for dirt cake on a countertop

Serve Grime Cake

My Mother at all times served Grime Cake layered in a big glass bowl, whereas these images present an 8.25″ trifle bowl. Prime the dessert with gummy worms and even faux or edible flowers for a real backyard feel and look.

Anytime I make Grime Cake for folk exterior my instant household, I layer the components in disposable plastic cups then high every with a gummy worm or two, which I discover to be the quickest and best approach to feed a crowd.

Make Forward and Retailer

Grime Cake is basically an Ice Field Cake which implies it’s finest made no less than 4-6 hours forward of whenever you plan on serving it.

  • Make-ahead: absolutely assemble the Grime Cake then cowl the highest with plastic wrap for no less than 4 hours and as much as 1 day forward of time to provide the cookie crumbs time to melt, and the layers time to meld.
  • retailer: retailer any leftovers coated within the fridge for as much as 5 days. The cookie crumb will soften because it the Grime Cake sits.

Can I Make this Dairy Free?

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

  • Milk substitute: mix the Jell-O pudding combine with 2 cups almond milk then whisk for two minutes (the pudding will likely be very thick). Add a further 1/2 cup almond milk then whisk to mix. Be aware: you should have much less filling then when you have been utilizing cow’s milk so plan your layers accordingly. Alternatively, you could possibly use a pudding combine formulated to work with plant-based milk OR make do-it-yourself vegan vanilla pudding.
  • Cool whip substitute: use SoDelicious Cocowhip, a coconut-based whipped topping, or the non-dairy whipped topping of your selection.
  • Butter substitute: use vegan butter. We like Nation Crock vegan butter sticks.
  • Cream cheese substitute: 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!
scoop of dirt cake on a spoonscoop of dirt cake on a spoon

Strive Gluten Free Angel Meals Cake

Make Grime Cake

Step 1: Make the creamy vanilla pudding layer.

Begin by including on the spot 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.

dirt cake pudding fillingdirt cake pudding filling

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

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

cream cheese and powdered sugar in a mixing bowlcream 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.

dirt cake filling in a mixing bowldirt cake filling in a mixing bowl

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

Once I was rising up, Oreos have been bought in 20oz packages. Today they’re bought in 18oz “household measurement” packages, whereas gluten free Oreos are bought in 12oz packages.

Make it make sense, Oreo!

At any fee, any quantity between 12 and 20 ounces of Oreo cookies will work with this dessert. Merely add the cookies to a meals processor then course of till they grow to be high-quality crumbs.

Alternatively you possibly can add the Oreos to a gallon-size Ziplock bag then smash them with a rolling pin or meat mallet to attain high-quality crumbs, as my Mother did within the 80s and 90s. 😉

pulverized oreo crumbspulverized oreo crumbs

  

Step 3: Layer the Grime Cake.

In an 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 aspect of the Trifle dish, leaving a small indent within the heart, to provide the looks of a thicker “filth” layer.

two layers of dirt cake in a trifle bowltwo layers of dirt cake in a trifle bowl

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

dirt cake layered in a trifle bowldirt cake layered in a trifle bowl

Step 4: Enhance the highest.

Now the enjoyable half — adorning!

Gummy worms are a should, although creepy crawly gummies like spiders, or gummy eyeballs when you’re making Grime Cake for Halloween, are at all times so enjoyable. Peeps are lovable for Easter!

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

Regardless of how or whenever you devour it, I hope you like each chew of this enjoyable and nostalgic Midwestern Grime Cake recipe! Get pleasure from!

Dirt Cake recipe in a trifle bowlDirt Cake recipe in a trifle bowl

Extra Craveable Dessert Recipes

  • 2, 3.4 oz bins Jell-O model Prompt Vanilla Pudding
  • 3-1/2 cups chilly milk, any type (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, faux 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 velocity till clean and creamy, 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, combine on low till simply mixed, then flip the velocity up and beat till the combination is clean and creamy, one other 30 seconds. Scrape down the perimeters of the bowl.

  • Add the pudding combination to the cream cheese combination then combine on medium-high velocity till every part is effectively mixed. Use a spatula to provide the combination one other couple of massive 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 slightly taller than it’s, use the spoon to construct up the perimeters of the crumbs, leaving the middle slightly extra shallow. Repeat the pudding and cookie crumb layers two extra occasions. Alternatively you possibly can alternate layers in particular person glasses or cups. I like utilizing 9oz plastic cups.

  • Cowl the Grime Cake then chill for no less than 4 hours, ideally in a single day, then high with gummy worms and/or faux or edible flowers earlier than scooping into bowls and serving. Leftover Grime Cake will preserve within the fridge for as much as 5 days.

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

Dietary values are estimates solely. Please learn our full diet data disclaimer.

photo collage of dirt cakephoto collage of dirt cake

Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin

 

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