Ding Dong Cake-rich devil’s food cake, a vanilla cream filling and smothered in chocolate ganache!
Ding Dongs, Ring Dings, Swiss Rolls, Hostess Cakes. They are all pretty much the same snack. Chocolate Cake, a cream filling and then covered in chocolate.
As a kid, we always begged for mom to buy them for our school lunches. It didn’t happen too often, but when it did..yeah, we were happy kids! It’s been years since I had one. What good memories.
I shared a Twinkie Cake on FB a few days ago. Made from scratch. It was perfect and I can’t wait to make one myself.
One reader asked for a recipe for a Ding Dong Cake. I decided I needed to fill that request. I took it as a challenge.
Don’t let the recipe scare you off. This is a really easy recipe! You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry. Bake your 2 cake layers, then stack them with all the cream filling. You want all that filling in there. Then the Ganache.
Get a close up look at that chocolate ganache.
This is a “sloppy” cake. No fancy icing. Pouring the ganache over the top of the cake and letting it drip down the sides is FUN!
And when the ganache is set…You’ve got a perfect cake. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to top this cake. Moist, rich, deep flavored chocolate cake. The cream filling is like whipped cream but thicker (it’s made with milk not cream) the best way to describe it is a cross between a buttercream and a whipped cream.
And of course the ganache. That soft chocolate outer coating that seals everything together.
Don’t let the photos deceive you. This is a huge cake! Make sure you have people to share it with.
Connect with Chocolate Chocolate and More!
Cake adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Ding Dong Cake
Ingredients
for the cake
- 3 ounces semi sweet baking chocolate (you can use chocolate chips)
- 1 1/2 cups brewed coffee
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
for the cream filling
- 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
for the ganache
- 1 12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
for the cake
- Chop chocolate so no pieces are larger than a chocolate chip. Place chocolate in a medium bowl or a 2 cup measuring cup and pour hot coffee over chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes then stir, making sure all chocolate is melted and well combined with coffee. Set aside to cool.
- Sift all dry ingredients together-sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the a large mixing bowl (or the mixing bowl of your stand mixer) beat eggs on medium speed until frothy.
- Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and chocolate-coffee mixture to eggs, beating well to blend.
- Add in sugar/flour/cocoa mixture, one cup at a time, mixing just to combine after each addition.
- Pour batter into 2 9 inch cake pans that have been well greased and lined with parchment paper on the bottom.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, using toothpick to test for doneness.
- Let cakes cool completely in pan. Using a plastic knife, run knife around edges to loosen before turning out onto rack or plate.
for the cream filling
- Pour cold milk into a small saucepan. Before turning on the heat, whisk in flour so no lumps remain. Turn heat on to medium low, and stirring, heat until mixture is thick, like a roux. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool completely.
- Cream together butter and sugar on medium high speed, until fluffy, about 8 minutes.
- Add in the milk mixture and beat again until mixture resembles a whipped cream.
to assemble
- Place one layer of cake on an 8 inch cake circle, top side down. Cover with a thick layer of cream filling then place top layer of cake, top side down, on top of filling gently pressing down to secure layers. Place cake on a wire rack on top of a wax paper lined cookie sheet.
ganache
- Place chocolate chips in a large measuring cup.
- Heat cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until boiling, careful not to scorch.
- Pour heated cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir chocolate to make sure completely melted and smooth.
- Slowly pour ganache over top of cake, letting it drip down the sides. If needed use a spatula to help spread ganache on top over sides.
- When ganache is set, cake can be transferred to a serving plate.
- Chill cake for 4 hours before serving.
Notes
For cupcakes, bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes 48 cupcakes.
This cake tastes best chilled but can be served at room temperature.
recipe source ChocolateChocolateandmore.com
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Lora says
This cake looks wonderful! Just wish I would have read the comments before baking!! It is in the oven right now… Overflowing!!! :-(. So much wasted cake and mess! Next time I know to use 3 pans! I can’t wait to try it though! Filling is yummy!!!!
maryanneh says
This was insanely rich and delicious! I’m glad I read through the comments about it being a lot of batter, so I buttered two mini bread pans, mixed some walnuts into the extra batter and wow they were awesome too! I brought the cake to a Christmas party and everyone loved it. There was only crumbs left on the plate. I thought the Ganache was great but maybe just a little to heavy, I had a lot left over, maybe because my cakes were smaller too. I even put some on the mini’s. Next time ( and there will be a next time) I will use a bit less. I was also deathly afraid I would ruin the cream, but it came out perfect, whew! Thanks for this great recipe.
Diane R. says
This is perfect for my Weight Watchers diet. ha ha! Well, life is too short and I will just HAVE to make this. Thanks for your great blog!
Allana R says
Next time, I will us a different filling. This was way too greasy which cause the top of my cake to slide off. I think the cake smelled amazing though before it met it’s demise.
Tim D says
Hey Ms Joan–
I’m a Southerner living and working in Saudi Arabia (with my family). Made this cake and took to a dinner last night. Delish!!! Everybody loved it. Instead of traditional layer cake I made a budnt cake…cut off the top, put the filling, replaced the top and then poured the ganche all over it.
Tim
Joan Hayes says
That’s a great change up! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Beth M says
Made this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday and our 4th of July cookout – amazing! The cake is like my mom’s mayonnaise cake and the cream is the same as her whoopie pie filling. Together, with the ganache – amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Larry Barnett says
Can you explain the cupcake recipe with regards to frosting and ganache. Do you put the frosting on top and cover with the ganache?
Joan Hayes says
You can do it that way or you can spoon out a small hole on top, fill that with the filling, then drizzle the ganache on top to cover. Enjy!
Clairlyn says
I don’t drink coffee so can’t brew any. Is there some other way to put coffee it, or a substitute?
Gail Dickinson says
I don’t drink coffee either so I buy instant and make just enough for recipes that call for coffee.
Joyce Weatherly says
When I was younger my mom would buy these off the stromens truck & other stuff when he’d stop @ the house. I When I saw this cake it brought back a good memory. I can’t wait to try & make this.
Rehoboth says
Mouthwatering recipe
Thanks
Nora Tenorio says
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Rehoboth says
Excellent post.
Thanks
TheFlowersPoint says
I really like your recipe. I always order cakes online via bakery but after reading you I will definitely try it out at home.