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Drool-worthy Oreo Dirt Cake is an easy chocolate poke cake soaked in chocolate pudding and topped with an Oreo Dirt Pudding. Everyone will love this easy dessert recipe.
A Decadent Chocolate Oreo Cake
This recipe is inspired by a dessert my grandma used to call “dirt” that’s literally only made up of chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos, and Cool Whip. It’s one of those desserts you just can’t put down and everybody loves it. That’s why it’s the perfect topping for this cake. Oreo Dirt Cake is a chocolate cake infused with chocolate pudding and layered with an Oreo dirt topping. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream!
Desserts like this one are sure to impress your friends. In all honesty, it’s one of the easiest recipes to make. Sure it requires a few extra bowls but the bulk of the recipe is quite simple. My chocolate cake is made with oil and not butter, which means it comes togther in a snap, no waiting around for room temperature ingredients.
Every bite is layered with fluffy chocolate cake, rich chocolate pudding and a bit of Oreo mousse. The Oreos soften to a cake-like texture so they just melt in your mouth.
What is a Poke Cake?
A poke cake is exactly what it sounds like: a cake that you poke holes in!
After a cake is baked, you use the end of a wooden spoon (or something similar) to poke holes all over the top. Those holes are then filled with a liquid—in this case instant pudding mix and milk—to add tons of moisture, sweetness, and flavor.
The cool thing about poke cakes is you can make pretty much any flavor variation you want! Check out my other simple and easy-to-make poke cake recipes!
What You’ll Need
For the Cake
- Granulated Sugar
- Vegetable Oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Sour Cream – can be substitued with Greek or plain yogurt.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cocoa Powder – I like to use Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder which is less bitter than other cocoa powders and gives the cake that deep, dark, chocolate-y color. You can also use any unsweetened natural cocoa powder.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda & Salt
- Hot Brewed Coffee – this enhances the flavor of the chocolate, but don’t worry it won’t taste like coffee! If you want an alternative, try using milk
For the Filling
- Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
- Milk
For the Dirt Topping
- Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
- Milk
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Powdered Sugar – You can also use Cool Whip if preferred.
- Hot Fudge Sauce and Crushed Oreos – for garnish.
How to Make Oreo Dirt Cake
This Oreo dirt poke cake is a simple yet decadent recipe that comes together with just 15 minutes of prep!
Make the cake
For the cake, I used my easy chocolate cake. It’s super quick so easy to make, and so worth the bit of extra time!
- Combine and beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla, then add in sour cream and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients followed by half of the coffee and mix until the flour just starts to incorporate. Add the remaining dry ingredients and coffee, then beat until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
- Pour the batter into a 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350ºF for 26-28 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Add the Filling
- Take the end of a wooden spoon or another round object to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Prepare the pudding layer by mixing a package of instant pudding with milk and whisk to dissolve.
- Before the pudding sets, pour it all over the top of the cake and into the holes, then place the cake in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to allow the pudding time to set.
Make the Topping
- Prepare the pudding by mixing a package of instant pudding with cold milk and whisk to combine.. Refrigerate until the pudding has set.
- Chill the bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Once chilled, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until it thickens to soft peaks.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks start to form. Fold in the prepared chocolate pudding until well combined.
- Crush the Oreos in a large plastic bag using a rolling pin or something similar, then add those into the bowl and stir well.
- Spread over the top of the cake, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Time Saving Tips
- Swap out the cake for a boxed mix: although I do love a homemade cake, you can save time by using Chocolate Cake Mix.
- Use Cool Whip: You can also save some time by using Cool Whip instead of homemade whipped cream for the Oreo topping.
- Prepare the cake layer in advance: You can also bake the cake up to 2 days in advance, allowing you to assemble it quickly the day of your party.
Poke Cake Success Tips
- Use a wooden spoon to poke the holes. The handle end of a wooden spoon is the perfect tool for poking the holes in the cake. It creates holes that are large enough for the liquid to really soak in.
- Add the pudding layer before the pudding sets. You want the mixture to be pourable so you can get it into all those holes in the cake. You may want to use a spatula to spread the pudding out evenly. If the pudding has already set it will end up being more of a topping rather than something that soaks in and adds moisture.
- Crush the Oreos well. The smaller the pieces, the easier it is to cut the cake and the better the texture in each bite.
Can I MaKe This Ahead of Time?
Yes! This is the perfect dessert to prepare ahead of time because it really just gets better the longer it sits! A fully assembled cake can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before serving.
You can also bake the cake up to 2 days in advance and store it at room temperature or in the fridge until you’re ready to add the filling and toppings.
How to Store Finished CAke
Once the filling and topping have been added, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator. It will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Oreo Dirt Poke Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 58 minutes
- Yield: 15 slices
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This Oreo Dirt Poke Cake is a decadent, mouthwatering, yet easy-to-make dessert that will have chocolate lovers going for thirds!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups (285g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (118 ml) sour cream
- 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (55 g) cocoa powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons (9 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 ¼ cup (355 ml) hot brewed coffee
For the filling
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant Chocolate Pudding
- 1 ¾ cup (414 ml) milk
For the topping
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant Chocolate Pudding
- ¾ cup (177 ml) milk
- 24 Oreos, crushed
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- Additional Oreos, for garnish
- Hot fudge sauce, for garnish
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the eggs and oil are well incorporated and the batter is lighter in color. Next mix in the sour cream and beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add half the dry ingredients followed by half of the coffee to the wet ingredients, then mix just until the flour starts to incorporate. Add the remaining dry ingredients and coffee. Beat until all of the ingredients are well combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
- Pour the batter into a 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 26-28 minutes. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
For the filling:
- Take the end of a wooden spoon or another round object and poke holes all over the top of your cake.
- Prepare the pudding layer by mixing a package of instant dark chocolate pudding with 1 3/4 cups of cold milk. Before the pudding sets, pour it over the top of the cake and put the cake in the fridge to let the pudding set, about 10-15 minutes.
For the topping:
- Prepare the pudding by mixing a package of instant pudding with ¾ cups milk. Refrigerate until the pudding has set, about 10 minutes.
- Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until the cream thickens to soft peaks.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks start to form.
- Fold in the prepared chocolate pudding until well combined. Crush the Oreos in a large plastic bag with a rolling pin or ice cream scoop, then add the Oreos to the bowl and stir until well combined.
- Spread over top of the cake and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.
Notes
- Oreos: you’ll need one 14oz package of Oreos for this. Any flavor or variety of Oreos will work.
- Prepare ahead of time: The cake can be made and stored at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 days in advance. Once the pudding filling has been added, it must be refrigerated. You can assemble the entire cake up to 2 days before serving.
- How long will this stay fresh? This is best eaten within 3-4 days of preparation.
- Substitutions:
- Swap out the homemade cake with any boxed cake mix and follow the ingredients and baking instructions on the package
- Swap out the homemade whipped cream for Cool Whip
- Sour cream: use plain or Greek yogurt
- Brewed coffee: use milk instead
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Poke Cake, Pudding Cake, Chocolate Oreo cake
I really enjoyed making this cake. It turned out really good and tasted delicious! I think this is the first cake I’ve made from scratch. I love easy recipes, this was a hit for thanksgiving😋. Thanks for posting.
★★★★
That is so amazing Marquita! Thank you so much for sharing, I love these stories!