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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Theresa @DearCreatives says
Hi Joan, This looks amazing! I wish you could just pass the plate.
Jan says
When do you add the butter for the cream filling?? At step 9 or 11?? I don’t see where it is added, only that it calls for a cup of butter for the filling, and a tablespoon of butter for the ganache.
Joan Hayes says
It’s step 10, cream together butter and sugar, then add milk/flour mixture.
Melissa @ The Happy Idiot says
Staring at this cake alone is amazing – I can’t imagine how good it tastes.
amy says
Should I store this overnight in the fridge?
Joan Hayes says
Yes, I would store this in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Enjoy!
Anita at Hungry Couple says
OK, I think I have no choice but to make this, or at least the filling. 🙂
Nancy says
I made this for the family on Labor day and they loved it. I do not like chocolate,but I will eat a sliver of cake if I have a huge glass of milk.WELL, this cake is not overly sweet and was absolutely wonderful! I had two pieces of this tasty treat.Everone needs to make this.Thank you
holly ortberg says
I made this cake…But the Filling did not whip up? Cake tasted good…but will try another cream filling recipe.
JoAnn says
I just made this today! So good! Very rich. Next time I make it I might use half milk chocolate and half semisweet for the ganache. But the filling is pretty spot on even though it seemed like an odd concept. It was almost too buttery (if that’s even possible) so next time I’ll try half butter half shortening. All in all an awesome recipe and an impressive looking cake!
Kim James says
I have made the Twinkie Cake several times…it is always a huge hit. Just made another one yesterday for a birthday party today. Looking forward to adding this cake to our weekly rotation of sweets for my family. Keep the hits coming.
Stacie says
Looks great, pinning!! As for sharing … ? 😉
Tara says
Can the AP flour be substituted with cake flour? If so, how much?
Joan Hayes says
For the cake, I’d recommend sticking with All Purpose flour, Cake flour has added corn starch and will behave differently in recipes.
Tara says
Can the AP flour be substituted with cake flour for the filling?
Joan Hayes says
For the filling yes, you can use cake flour. The flour is a thickener for the filling. The added corn starch in cake flour will help with this.
Diane says
I intend to make this delicious looking cake this weekend. Any high altitude tips for cooks like me in Denver? Thanks!
Joan Hayes says
I don’t know much about High altitude cooking but my friend Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks has some great tips for adjusting recipes https://www.mountainmamacooks.com/high-altitude/ hope this helps!
Linda Wright says
I am currently making this, for the second time. The first time I took it to work and everyone raved about it. One of my co-workers was still talking about it days later! As a matter of fact, she said it would be her request now for her birthday cake! The second one is going to my mom’s house for her ladies luncheon tomorrow. This is a great, and very rich, cake! Yes, it does require a lot of measuring and a few different steps, but it is WELL worth it!
Joan Hayes says
So glad you are enjoying this recipe. It does fill up the sink with dishes but it’s worth it. Hope your mom and her friends enjoy it!
Beth says
We had a “ho-ho” cake for our wedding. I have been looking for a comparable recipe ever since. Thanks for this – I can make it just in time for our ten year anniversary!!
Joan Hayes says
Hope you enjoy it and Happy Anniversary!
chelsey says
I don’t have all the ingredients to make the cake from scratch but i do have 1 box of devils food cake mix would it still work? Im planning on making this cake for our church bingo this weekend. I might have to make two so that i can leave one at home =)
Joan Hayes says
Go ahead and use your box mix, I won’t tell if you don’t!
Betty Meyer says
It does make a huge difference what type of pans you use apparently. I used two 9-inch cake pans, and I had cake dripping all over my oven….should have used 3 pans. This is for my daughter-in-law’s birthday tomorrow….hope it tastes as good as everyone says.
Kentucky Lady 717 says
OMG…..this is the best looking mouth watering cake I have seen on any cooking blog…..I do want to make this cake….always loved Ding Dongs….funny I just was shopping at BIG LOTS today and picked up a box of Hostess chocolate fun size twinkies can’t wait to try one in the morning with a cup of coffee :)…..I think they just came out……..at Big Lots they are almost $1.50 cheaper than in the grocery stores….these are the next best things to a ding dong…..but I will be making this cake for sure…..thanks for such a great recipe……
Kentucky Lady 717 says
I just posted this on PINTEREST, TWITTER, AND FACEBOOK…..I sure want this recipe to get around…..
it is the best one ever 🙂
Joan Hayes says
Thanks for sharing, this cake is amazing!
meghan says
For the beating of the eggs, do I beat the whole eggs til frothy or just egg whites?
Joan Hayes says
You beat the whole eggs until frothy. Enjoy.