Dirt, Worm and Spider Cake!

My son recently turned 4 years old. Where did time go?! It seems like just yesterday his entire little body could fit on my lap. Now his long arms and legs fight for space on the couch with his older sister while they watch Scooby Doo or get ready for story time. Four years ago, I wrapped my arms around him, but now just as often he wraps his around me and offers a big kiss and "I love you, Mommy" - of course, the kiss often comes with peanut butter and jam smears on his lips. Yes, I do miss having babies around but I have realized every stage of our kids development is worth savouring - especially the ones that come with a side of pb & j.

I try to make birthday cakes from scratch every year for the kids and they get to choose whatever design they want. Between my son and daugther there have been princess castle cakes, Barbie cakes, car cakes, jungle cakes, and aquarium cakes. This 4th birthday was a Dirt Cake. And with dirt come worms and tarantulas.

It was fairly simple to prepare. I used a ten inch cake pan and one side of a Wilton ball pan. You could use any a 9 inch pan though if a 10 isn't available. If you don't have a ball pan just make a couple of extra layers and cut/sculpt it into something that looks like a hill.

You'll also need your fave cake recipe, chocolate icing, gummy worms and tarantulas, crushed oreos or other chocolate wafer or grated chocolate would work too. I added some "grass" with a bit of green icing (I used commercially prepared vanilla frosting with some green dye), and the wall is made out of chocolate rock candy.

Once you bake your cakes, frost the bottom layer with chocolate icing and place the rock candy around the outside of the cake to make a stone wall. Add some icing to the bottom of the "hill" layer and position on the bottom layer. Frost the hill. Sprinkle oreos crumbs over the hill to make your dirt pile. Add your worms, and spiders as desired on the cake. To make the worms come out of the cake just cut one in half, poke a hole in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon and stick the part of the worm inside. Repeat with the other half. If desired add some "grass" with green icing (I use a Wilton tip #233 for the grass). If you have left over rocks, place those on the dirt too!

This cake was a hit with all the kids at the party - what 4 year old isn't excited about being allowed to eat dirt!?