This Earth Day, my son and I made a fun and messy mud cake to celebrate! We used a rich chocolate cake as the base, topped it with smooth chocolate ganache to mimic mud, added crushed Oreos for soil and added gummy worms for a playful, earthy touch. It looked like a little garden patch—and he loved every bit of it!
As a science teacher, Earth Day is close to my heart. It’s more than just a fun project; it’s a chance to teach kids how every part of nature matters, even the worms! While decorating the Earth Day Mud Cake, we talked about soil, composting and the role worms play in helping plants grow.
Making this cake is a sweet, simple way to combine creativity, science and quality time. Watching my son enjoy the process (and the cake) reminded me how learning can happen anywhere. I think this muddy masterpiece may just become a new Earth Day tradition in our home.
Related: Easy Colourful Gumdrop Nougat the Kiddos Will Adore
ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Ganache:
Toppings:
directions
Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and line the sides with parchment strips.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Melt Chocolate Mixture: In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, chopped dark chocolate, hot water and instant coffee powder. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool.
Combine Wet Ingredients: To the cooled chocolate mixture, whisk in the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 75–90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare Ganache: In a heatproof bowl, place the chopped dark chocolate. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium-high heat until very hot but not boiling. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3–5 minutes. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Let the ganache cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Assemble: Once the cake has cooled, use a serrated knife to remove the dome, creating a flat surface. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Decorate: Sprinkle crushed Oreos over the ganache to resemble soil. Add gummy worms on top for a fun, earthy touch—perfect for Earth Day!
