Easter Dirt Cake

5.0
(1)
1 Review
1 Photo

This easy Easter dirt cake makes a fun, no-bake dessert for the holiday. Your kids will absolutely love decorating this cake! Topping suggestions include: jelly beans, candied eggs, sweetened flaked coconut, marshmallows or Peeps, pink sanding sugar, and desired food coloring to tint coconut.

Submitted by Pam Lolley
Updated on March 25, 2025
Tested by
Allrecipes Test Kitchen
Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen
The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself.
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Easter Dirt Cake
Prep Time:
30 mins
Additional Time:
4 hrs
Total Time:
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
1 (9x13-inch) cake
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 12 servings

  • 14.3 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)

  • ¼ cup salted butter, melted

  • ½ cup salted butter, softened

  • nonstick cooking spray

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided

  • 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix (such as Jell-O®)

  • 3 cups whole milk

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Overhead view of all ingredients needed for Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Process cookies and melted butter in the bowl of a food processor until cookies are finely ground and the mixture is thoroughly combined; reserve 1 ½ cups of mixture for topping cake.

    Overhead view of food processor full of cookies to be processed from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
    Overhead view of food processor full of processed cookie crumbs from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Press remaining mixture into a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 9x13-inch baking dish. Chill while preparing filling, about 20 minutes.

    Overhead view of dish full of pressed cookie crumbs from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. Beat softened butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar and beat until very creamy and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.

    Overhead view of metal bowl in stand mixer mixing butter and cream cheese from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Beat pudding mix, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes until mixture has thickened. Add pudding mixture to cream cheese mixture and beat at medium speed until very smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.

    Overhead view of metal bowl of stand mixer mixing ingredients from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  6. Beat heavy cream and cream of tartar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar and beat on medium-high until medium-stiff peaks form, about 5 to 6 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese-pudding mixture.

    Overhead view of metal mixing bowl while folding whipped cream into pudding mixture from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  7. Spoon cream cheese-pudding mixture on top of chocolate cookie crumb mixture in baking dish; smooth with a small off-set spatula.

    Overhead view of a dish with pudding mixture from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. Sprinkle reserved 1 ½ cups chocolate cookie crumb mixture evenly over top.

    Overhead view of a dish with cookie crumbs on top of the pudding mixture from Easter Dirt Cake recipe

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  9. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours. Decorate top of cake as desired with desired toppings.

    Easter Dirt Cake
    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Recipe Tip

You can skip the step of whipping heavy cream, cream of tartar, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar together in Step 6 and fold 2 cups whipped topping into cream cheese-pudding mixture instead.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

551 Calories
34g Fat
59g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 551
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 34g 43%
Saturated Fat 18g 92%
Cholesterol 84mg 28%
Sodium 561mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 21%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 6g 11%
Potassium 205mg 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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