Indulge Your Inner Child

I still remember the first time I tried dirt cake as a kid. I was at a friend’s pool party. As they served what I thought would be regular birthday cake, all I could think was “What is this amazing goodness and why have I never had it?” With layers of crushed Oreo’s, chocolate pudding and a sweet cool whip and cream cheese mixture, dirt cake is an irresistible treat.

It’s been years since I’ve had dirt cake. So, when I stumbled upon a picture of dirt cake on Pinterest, I knew I had to make one. And with Easter right around the corner, I had the perfect opportunity to create a festive version of this classic dessert.
Seriously though, how cute is this easy Easter dirt cake? G’s 2nd birthday is right around Easter (Two years old! How did that happen?) and I may have to let her help make one of these for her birthday party. She’s been an enthusiastic kitchen helper lately. She snuck a few Oreo’s while watching me create this one!

Easy, No-Bake Goodness

It’s probably pretty evident by now that I am all for simple, no-bake treats. With just a few simple steps, and no cooking, this Easter dirt cake was even easier to make than I anticipated. A little mixing, whisking and layering creates the base of the cake. For the finishing touches, mix food coloring with frosting and coconut, and pop on some marshmallow and candy treats! So, so easy.

Make it Gluten-Free

Making a gluten-free Easter dirt cake is so simple. Just swap the Oreo’s for gluten-free sandwich cookies. All of our local grocery stores carry Glutino Chocolate Vanilla Creme Sandwich Cookies and they’re also available on Amazon. I’ve swapped regular Oreo’s for the Glutino version in recipes like my 3 Ingredient Valentine Oreo Truffles, and no one has been able to tell the difference! Any gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookie should do. The Glutino cookies come in a 10.5 oz package, so you will need two to make the full recipe.

Peeps or Burrowing Bunny

There are two adorable options for bunnies when making this cake. For the easiest option, just stick a couple of Peeps Bunnies onto toothpicks and stick them in the cake.

To make a burrowing bunny, all you need is a marshmallow, some white frosting (optional), and a set of Wilton Bunny Feet Icing Decorations. I bought a set of twelve at Walmart for $5. You can also make your own bunny feet using candy melts (there are even candy molds specifically for that), but for me simplicity won out over frugality this time!

Steps to make a burrowing bunny: Cut the marshmallow in half and place one half, cut side down, on cake. Use a small bit of white frosting to attach feet to marshmallow. You can just prop them up if you don’t have frosting. Tear a small piece of marshmallow off the remaining half, roll into a ball and attach to the other marshmallow half as a tail. It’s that easy!

For more no-bake recipes, click here!

Planning to make this? I’d love to see the finished result! Post a picture on Instagram or Facebook and tag @mypennywiselife.