Thrill Any Kid's Party with a Mud Cake!

No one will disagree that a Mud Cake is the best cake ever - especially for kids in the three- to six-year-old range. I recently created this for my 17-year-old who kept asking, "Remember that cake you used to make?" When I delivered it to the school, the office personnel and the Principal as excited as younger kids would be.

I made this cake from beginning to end in two hours, which included baking both cakes separately. Since everything is prepackaged, it doesn't take long at all. There is a vanilla version (just substitute as you desire) called a Sand cake.

Supplies (for a 10" "planter" or "flower pot") - easily feeds 15-20 youngsters (teenagers take bigger portions)

(1) Terra cotta colored (plastic or clay) flower pot with saucer OR a 10" (size will be on the bottom) plastic window box $2
(2) Plastic (preferably) garden spades ($1.99 each)
(2) or (4) cake pans to bake both cakes. The 13 x 9" size works well, make 2; if you are making in smaller layer pans, make 4
(1) bowl large enough to make a double batch of cake mix
enough tin foil to line bottom of pot or planter

Ingredients:

(2) Packages of Sour or Regular Gummy Worms ($1 each)
(2) Packages of Devil's Food Cake Mix (will yield 4 layers)
(1) Box of Chocolate Teddy Grahams $1
(1) Box of Chocolate Graham Crackers (squares or sticks) $1
(1) Package of chocolate cake shells (similar to vanilla shells used for strawberry shortcake) $1
(2) Tubs of Chocolate Pudding $1-$2 ea.

Step 1: Use PAM for cooking or otherwise grease and flour cake pans.
Step 2: Prepare box cake mixes as described on package
Step 3: Divide cake batter between two or four layer pans (see above)
Step 4: Bake together or separately. If baking separately, cool first cake in freezer while second cake is cooking.
Step 5: Remove second cake, pull out first cake - set to cool in freezer
Step 6: Remove cooled cake - the inside may still be warm
Remove the crusts around the edges
Start crumbling the remaining cake in the pan until it is very loose and fluffy ... don't squish it, just handle it
Step 7: Start crumbling graham crackers into chunks
Step 8: Mix some of the crumbled cake into (1) tub of pudding - transfer to another bowl if needed

Start building layers:

Layer 1: Crumbled Chocolate Cake
Layer 2: Teddy Grahams
Layer 3: Crumbled Graham Crackers
Layer 4: Pudding
Layer 4: Crumbled chocolate shell
Layer 5: Gummy Worms

Don't worry about how much of everything you use; it's all a matter of taste. Keep in mind that you have a lot of cake to crumble, and you want to end up with a top layer of cake, chocolate shell, and worms. Everything else is up to you.

Just before you are to apply the top layer, stick one of the garden spades blade down into the corner of the pot. Create the remaining layer around it.

Once completed, use paint or marker to write your own "Happy Birthday" greeting.

If preparing this cake for school, I generally suggest that the remaining cake be sent to the Teacher's Room and then donate the flower pot and/or equipment to the classroom. It's a great investment in the education of future youngsters.