Easter Dirt Cake

Ingredients

• 14.3 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)
• 0.25 cup salted butter, melted
• 0.5 cup salted butter, softened
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar, divided
• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix (such as Jell-O®)
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 0.25 teaspoon cream of tartar

Steps

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Process cookies and melted butter in the bowl of a food processor until cookies are finely ground and the mixture is thoroughly combined; reserve 1 ½ cups of mixture for topping cake.
3. Press remaining mixture into a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 9×13-inch baking dish. Chill while preparing filling, about 20 minutes.
4. Beat softened butter and cream cheese at medium speed with a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar and beat until very creamy and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
5. Beat pudding mix, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes until mixture has thickened. Add pudding mixture to cream cheese mixture and beat at medium speed until very smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.
6. Beat heavy cream and cream of tartar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar and beat on medium-high until medium-stiff peaks form, about 5 to 6 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese-pudding mixture.
7. Spoon cream cheese-pudding mixture on top of chocolate cookie crumb mixture in baking dish; smooth with a small off-set spatula.
8. Sprinkle reserved 1 ½ cups chocolate cookie crumb mixture evenly over top.
9. Cover and chill at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours. Decorate top of cake as desired with desired toppings.