Dirt Cake

This evening I’m baking a cake.  It will be safely stored in the freezer until Sunday, at which time it will emerge to become an exquisite Dirt Cake: voila!

That’s correct, Dirt Cake. D-I-R-T cake.  When decorated, it will appear to be very dirty – sort of like a miniature garden plot waiting to be tilled in the spring.  On the top of the cake, picture slithery worms crawling out of rock piles and loose dirt.  The grandkids love this 4^th of July tradition!

Here’s the secret.  First I bake a 9x13” chocolate cake, and then I smear it with chocolate buttercream frosting.  The grandkids help sprinkle on crushed oreo crumbs (dirt) and form rock piles (chocolate covered cashews) – and THEN they stick red and green gummy worms here and there as if they’re crawling in and out of the cake!!! 

Mmmmmmmm.  Delicious!  Usually we also make homemade peppermint ice cream to accompany the Dirt Cake and thus a classic chocolate-mint treat (with neon gummy worms for garnish).  A fun way to celebrate a summer evening that hopefully will also create lasting memories.