How to Make an Edible Volcano

Imagine an exploding volcano at you child's next birthday party. Make an edible volcano cake and turn imagination into reality. Use this science project, involving Mentos and Diet Coke, at your next birthday celebration for the most memorable party of the year.

Things You'll Need

• 1 two-liter of red soda or Diet Coke
• Mentos candies
• Index card
• Rolled paper tube
• 10 boxes of brownie mix
• Eggs, oil and water
• Measuring cup
• 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish
• Butter
• 10 packages of frosting
• Frosting knife
• Plastic wrap
• Heavy duty serving tray
• Party plates and napkins
• Paper towels

Instructions

Make a Volcano

1. Butter two 9 by 13 inch glass baking dishes. Follow the instructions on two boxes of brownie mix and bake two pans of brownies. Remove the brownies, uncut, from the pans and place side by side on a large serving platter.

2. Remove a small circle from each large brownie to accommodate a two-liter bottle of diet soda. Place a bottle of diet soda between the two large brownies. Save all cut brownies for later use.

3. Bake the rest of the brownie mixes. Frost the brownie volcano base while baking the remaining mixes.

4. Cut the brownies into squares or shapes that can be stacked on top of your volcano base. Frost each layer before you stack the next layer of brownies. Create a mountain shape as you stack your brownies. Repeat until you have layered the brownies to the top of the soda bottle.

5. Frost the sides of the volcano. Use extra brownie bits to fill in any large gaps or crevices. Leave the top of the soda bottle clear of frosting and brownies.

6. Place plastic wrap around your entire edible brownie volcano. Frost the plastic wrap lightly to disguise its presence.

Initiate the Eruption

1. Take the volcano outside. Roll a tube with paper that fits into the opening of the soda bottle.

2. Place four or five Mentos in the tube.

3. Position the tube on top of the soda bottle with an index card placed over the open soda bottle to prevent the candies from dropping into the bottle.

4. Remove the index card and step back.

5. Watch the lava flow.

6. Unwrap the plastic wrap from your brownie volcano. Serve the volcano to you guests on party plates.

Tips & Warnings

• The volcano is edible even if left unwrapped by plastic wrap.

• Practice initiating the eruption before your event.

• Do not eat Mentos and drink Diet Coke or other artificially sweetened carbonated beverages at the same time. Significant fizzing may occur.

Resources

• EepyBird.com for Information on the Diet Coke and Mentos Experiments
• More on Edible Volcanos on the Parent Dish Website