How to Create An Edible Garden Cake! | Get the Dish

This is the dessert people won't be able to stop talking about! These life-like garden cakes are the cutest sweet treat you're ever going to see, and they're perfect for any of your Summer soirées and beyond.
Edible Garden Cake
From Skylar Thomson, POPSUGAR Food
For the pudding layer:
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups granulated cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons, unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the "dirt" layer:
27 chocolate sandwich cookies, filling removed
1/4 cup vanilla almond granola
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the "carrots":
8 large strawberries
1 1/2 cups orange candy melts, melted
For the "turnips":
4 large strawberries
1 cup white candy melts, melted
1/2 cup purple candy melts
For the "cauliflower" and "broccoli":
12 raspberries
1 cup green candy melts, melted
12 blackberries
1 cup white candy melts, melted
Vegetable oil for thinning candy melts
For garnish:
Mint leaves
Basil leaves
Edible flowers
Mini pretzel sticks
To make the pudding layer: Whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a large heavy-bottom dutch oven or 4-quart stock pot. Whisk in milk and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble and the pudding becomes rich and creamy, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter.
Transfer the pudding to a 9-inch-by-13-inch glass baking dish and apply plastic wrap directly to the surface. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. If making individual cups: Transfer pudding to individual cups, apply plastic wrap to the tops and refrigerate.
To make the "dirt" layer: Meanwhile, add the chocolate cookies, granola, and salt to the jug of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a sand- or dirt-like texture.
Once the pudding has chilled, evenly sprinkle the crushed cookie mixture over the top and create 5 or 6 rows to look like a garden bed. Set aside.
To make the "carrots": Carefully pull back the strawberry stem and dip each strawberry into the melted orange candy melts until it reaches the base of each stem. Coat all 8 strawberries and set aside on parchment paper. If the candy melts are too thick, add a few drops of vegetable oil to thin the mixture.
To make the "turnips": Carefully pull back the strawberry stem and dip each strawberry into the melted white candy melts, coating it 3/4 of the way up. Next using an offset spatula or spoon to create their purple tops. Coat all 8 strawberries and set aside on parchment paper.
To make the "cauliflower" and "broccoli": Use a toothpick to dip the raspberries into the white candy melts and the blackberries into the green candy melts. Coat all berries and set aside on parchment.
To assemble: Once the vegetables cool, add texture using a toothpick and score lines into the root veggies for an extra-realistic-looking garden! Next, arrange the "veggies" in rows in the cookie dirt and garnish with mint, basil leaves, edible flowers, and pretzel sticks. Enjoy right away or keep refrigerated until serving.
To assemble the cups: Sprinkle the cookie mixture on top of each cup and garnish with one fruit "veggie" and some herbs and flowers.
Serves 8-10
Cook time: 45 minutes
POPSUGAR Food shares delicious recipes, tutorials, kitchen tips and tricks, and everything else you need to start cooking ... and eating! Hosted by Brandi Milloy, POPSUGAR Food shares easy-to-follow recipes, demos, and time-saving kitchen hacks on our show Get the Dish, and recreate the latest food crazes and invent new ones on Eat the Trend. Get the scoop on how to make everything from Cronuts to ramen burgers to vanilla cupcakes and beyond!
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