Recipe: Sunflower Dirt Cake

In honor of Mary's Sunflower Garden, why not make a Sunflower Dirt Cake with your children this week?  It's a fun and simple recipe you can create together.  Plastic shovels from the dollar store make it even more special when it comes time to eat!  (Who says a shovel can't be used as a spoon?)


Ingredients
1 package Oreo cookies (16 ounces)

• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 packages (3.9 ounces each) instant chocolate pudding
• 4 3/4 cups milk
• 1 16-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 
  
• Directions
• If using a flowerpot with a drainage hole, reserve 1 cookie to place over hole to prevent leaking. Place remaining cookies in the bowl of a food processor. [Instead of using the food processor, we placed the cookies in a ziplock bag and pounded them with our fists.]  Process until mixture resembles dirt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and butter, and stir until creamy. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, whisk together instant-pudding mixes and milk; stir until well blended. Using a rubber spatula, fold pudding mixture into cream-cheese mixture. Fold in whipped cream.

In a flowerpot or bucket with a 5-quart capacity, alternate layers of cookie "dirt" and pudding mixture, starting and ending with cookie "dirt." Chill at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. Garnish with candy worms and/or flowers.

We used shovels to serve our delicious desert.

Note: If you use a terra cotta flower pot, first sterilize the pot by placing it in the oven at 350 degrees for two to three hours. Avoid using any pot that has been glazed.

Original full recipe and image came from Martha Stewart's website   Click here.

Another cute garden cake idea from Martha Stewart - 

The Flower Pot Cake  Click here.  They used a mint sprig

for garnish along with rock shaped chocolate candies.