Remember how exciting it was to find a Hostess Ding Dong cake in your lunch box as a kid? A tiny, snack-sized dessert filled with the most delicious vanilla cream and covered in chocolate glaze was the perfect lunchtime dessert! Ding Dongs, Ring Dings, Big Wheels, these tasty cakes have been known by a few names. The flavors and elements are also similar to Hostess cupcakes, Ho-Ho’s, or the Little Debbie varieties. Well now, you can enjoy that same excitement after your meal, with this homemade Ding Dong Cake recipe. Forget about pre-packaged cakes for now! We’re making this cake from scratch starting with the most decadent layers of chocolate cake. A handmade ermine frosting is our sweet and fluffy ding dong cake filling, and a shiny chocolate ganache glaze is the perfect final touch. You will also love my Honey Bun Cake! It’s another snack cake makeover, and super simple to make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients In this Ding Dong Cake Recipe
Here’s what you need to make this decadent cream-filled chocolate cake! I’ve split the recipe into three distinct parts: The Cake, the Filling, and the Frosting. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
For the Cake:
Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt: The dry ingredients for this cake are pretty standard cake-making necessities. Unsalted Butter: This cake uses softened butter rather than oil. Butter makes a chocolate cake that is rich and moist. Eggs: Let the eggs come to room temperature. This might not seem important, but it truly does help to make a smooth, well-mixed cake batter. Vanilla Extract, Buttermilk, and Hot Coffee: These add moisture to the cake batter, but also lots of flavor. Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate so well, and using it hot will help to dissolve the cocoa powder in the batter.
For the Filling:
Flour and Milk: This fluffy filling starts with a roux! These two ingredients are cooked together on the stove. Butter, Vanilla Extract, and Granulated Sugar: Cream these together in your mixer. Then we’ll add the flour and milk mixture to combine it all into the best ermine frosting ever.
For The Chocolate Ganache Topping:
Semi-Sweet Chocolate: You don’t want the ganache to be overly sweet, so semisweet is perfect. Chop up an 8-ounce bar of chocolate so that it melts easily. Heavy Cream: We’ll heat the cream before combining it with the chocolate to make the ganache. Corn Syrup: This makes the ganache shiny and smooth.
How To Make Ding Dong Cake
Bake the Cake
Make the Cream Filling
Fill the Cake
Make the Ganache
Heat the Cream: Heat the cream in a small saucepan until steaming, but not boiling. Then add the chocolate to the cream and allow it to sit for 2 minutes. I like to do this in a glass measuring cup so it’s easy to pour later. Stir: Stir carefully until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. Stir in the corn syrup, and allow the ganache to cool to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Cover: When the cake and ganache are both properly cooled, pour the ganache over the cake, using an offset spatula to slightly smooth the sides. Chill: Place the cake into the fridge for at least one hour to set the ganache. Slice while the cake is cold, and allow slices to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
Slice After Chilling: If you try to slice this cake when it’s not chilled, the cream filling will run out! Slice it after it’s been chilled. Serve at Room Temp: While you should store this cake in the refrigerator, and slice it while it’s cold, wait to serve the slices until they have sat at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Measure Correctly: When following a cake recipe, it’s important to properly measure all of the ingredients. See all of my measuring tips and tricks if you need a reminder. Avoid Overmixing: an overmixed cake batter will turn into a tough cake after baking. Mix ingredients just until combined. Use a scale: To be sure that your layers are all the same size, use a kitchen scale to weigh the three bowls of batter. Level if needed: If your cakes come out domed you may need to level them using a serrated knife. The Best Cake Pans: The best cake pans for layer cakes are straight sided round pans. They will make removing the cakes easier, and the layers will rise evenly when baking. I use these non-stick pans and get great results every time. When Making Ganache, be sure not to stir it too vigorously. This can create air bubbles and keep you from getting the super smooth coating you’re looking to create. It’s also important to let the ganache cool to room temperature. It’s too liquidy when it’s hot. An Offset Spatula will help you to evenly spread the cream filling and the ganache for this delicious filled chocolate cake.
Storing Tips
Store homemade Ding Dong Cake in the fridge. It should stay fresh this way for at least 3 days if stored in an airtight container.
You can freeze ding dong cake as well! I suggest freezing individual slices, wrapped with plastic wrap, and then placed into a zip-top bag. When ready for a slice of cake, pull one out and let it come to room temperature on the counter.
Ding Dong Cake is SO good, you should definitely make this recipe right away! If you can’t make it right away, be sure to Pin it so you can find it later.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
