Chocolate Dirt Cake Cups
A velvety-smooth chocolate pudding is layered between crushed Oreos and topped with gummy worms—the perfect back-to-school snack or dessert!
I have vivid memories of myself in elementary school, chowing down on some dirt cake, and I’ve recently had the urge to make it a recipe of my own!
You know how much I love making things from scratch, so of course I had to make a homemade chocolate pudding. But if you want to keep it easy and use store-bought pudding or instant pudding mix, that’s always fine—you’ll still end up with a delicious dessert that’s perfect on a hot summer day.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Dirt cake has three main elements: the chocolate pudding, the Oreo crumb, and the gummy worm topping! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Whole milk
- Kosher salt
- Granulated sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Cornstarch
- Instant coffee (optional)
- Eggs and egg yolks
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Whipped cream (optional)
- Oreos
- Gummy worms
How Do You Make Dirt Cake?
The hardest part of this recipe is making the custard, but I think even that is do-able. After that, it’s simply a matter of assembly!
- First, make the custard. In this step, you’ll pour heated milk into an egg mixture, then cook it on the stove until thick. That’s it! Let the pudding cool for a few hours, then it’s ready to be assembled.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Completely optional, but if you’re in the mood for a lighter and more mousse-like pudding, fold in some whipped cream before assembling.
- Layer the pudding. In a serving glass, alternate layering the Oreos, chocolate pudding (and whipped cream, if desired), until full. Finish it off with a good dusting of Oreo crumbs and gummy worms, then you’re done!
Dirt Cake FAQ
- Can I substitute or exclude the instant coffee? Of course! Coffee is often used in chocolate desserts to enhance and deepen it’s flavor, but it’s completely optional.
- What is tempering eggs? Making custard involves pouring a small amount of hot liquid into eggs, which gradually allows them to increase in temperature. If you were to add the liquid all at once, your eggs would scramble and make the pudding curdle.
- Why is there whipped cream in the recipe? I added whipped cream as an optional ingredient so you can customize the recipe to what you’re in the mood for. If you want a richer pudding, leave the whipped cream out, but if you want a lighter dessert, fold it into the prepared pudding. Or, if you’re in the mood for more of a trifle, you can also add the whipped cream as a separate layer.
- Can I make the dirt cake in a pan instead of cups? Yes! I’ve never personally tried this, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work. If I had to guess, I think an 8×8 pan would do the job.
- How long will dirt cake last? Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.
Chocolate Dirt Cake Cups
A velvety-smooth chocolate pudding is layered between crushed Oreos and topped with gummy worms—the perfect back-to-school snack or dessert!
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Servings: 6 (8 ounce) cups
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt*
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee optional
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces whipped cream optional
- 1 14.3 ounce pack Oreos**
- Gummy worms to serve
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, mix together the milk and salt and heat on medium-low until just beginning to ripple under the surface.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and instant coffee (if using) in a bowl until evenly combined. Add the egg yolks and egg to the sugar and whisk until thick and ribbon-like (around 1 to 2 minutes).
- Temper the eggs by gently stirring a bit of the hot milk into the egg mixture little by little until 2/3 of the milk has been incorporated. Pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, then place the pan onto the stove over medium-low heat.
- Whisk the custard constantly until it begins to thicken, scraping the sides and bottom so it cooks evenly. After a few minutes, it will begin to boil. Once you see the first bubble, whisk for 10-15 more seconds, then immediately scrape the pudding into a separate bowl to cool. While the pudding is still hot, stir in the butter and vanilla until well incorporated. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until cool.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the surface of the pudding and whisk well to break up any lumps. If you wish to have a lighter pudding, fold in the 8 ounces of whipped cream, or you can use it as an extra layer in the dirt cake.
- Crush the Oreos in a food processor until pulverized into a fine crumb. If preferred, you can leave the Oreos in larger pieces for more texture.
- To layer the pudding, spoon around 1 tablespoon of Oreo crumbs into the bottom of a serving cup, then scoop 2-3 tablespoons of pudding on top. Smooth the pudding into an even layer, then continue the alternating the Oreo crumbs and pudding until the cup is full. Finish the cups with a layer of Oreos and gummy worms. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve (the pudding will last up to 3 days in the fridge).
Notes
*Kosher salt is half as strong as Morton's salt---if you use Morton's, halve the salt accordingly.
**To make this dessert gluten-free, use gluten-free Oreos
