Greatest Ding Dong Cake Recipe (Copycat Hostess)

Calling all chocolate lovers! This Ding Dong cake is made with a moist chocolate cake, ermine frosting layered within the center, and topped with chocolate ganache.

Welcome to the upgraded model of your favourite snack muffins. This home made Ding Dong cake is my new favourite dessert. Let’s simply say there have been no leftovers to freeze or making a gift of any of this cake to family and friends. Sorry not sorry. However this cake was too good to share. 

This recipe begins by making a straightforward chocolate cake. Then I layered in my ermine frosting. For those who’re new to this frosting it’s a frosting that’s historically paired with purple velvet cake. This a boiled milk frosting made on the stovetop after which completed within the stand mixer till it’s gentle and fluffy. This creamy filling pairs splendidly with the wealthy chocolate cake! 

And to amp up the chocolate taste, I poured a wealthy chocolate ganache excessive similar to your favourite Hostess snack cake. 

Subsequent time you want a cake that may wow everybody, then it’s a must to do that Ding Dong cake recipe!

Why This Recipe Works

• Tastes similar to a hostess ding dong snack muffins solely higher!
• Straightforward chocolate cake recipe that’s straightforward to combine up
• Nice make forward dessert

Elements Wanted

• All-purpose flour 
• Granulated sugar
• Dutch processed cocoa powder – I want Dutch cocoa powder as a result of it’s much less acidic and has a extra pronounced chocolate taste. Learn my tutorial on how pure cocoa vs. Dutch course of cocoa powder.
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Vegetable oil – Any impartial oil will work. You can even use canola oil, avocado oil, or safflower oil.
• Vanilla extract
• Massive eggs – Be sure your eggs are at room temperature. Learn my full tutorial on find out how to convey eggs to room temperature quick.
• Buttermilk – For those who don’t have any, you may make your personal home made buttermilk.
• Boiling water – Can substitute with scorching espresso. Simply omit the added espresso powder.
• Espresso powder – You received’t style it but it surely simply ramps up the chocolate taste. Instantaneous espresso also can work but it surely’s not as sturdy so you could need to add an additional teaspoon.
• Milk – I like to recommend and used entire milk however a low-fat milk or non-dairy milk can even work.
• Butter – I used unsalted butter however salted butter can even work.
• Semi-sweet chocolate – I don’t suggest chocolate chips as they don’t soften easily, until you utilize a top quality chocolate chips, like Guittard or Ghiradelli. Use 4-ounce baking chocolate bar that you simply chop first. You can even use bittersweet chocolate.
• Heavy cream

How To Make This Ding Dong Cake

Make the chocolate cake:

Preheat and put together the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180^oC). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Put aside.

Mix dry elements. In a mixing bowl, whisk collectively flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Mix moist elements. In a second mixing bowl whisk collectively oil, vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk.

Add dry elements. Utilizing a rubber spatula, stir the dry elements into the moist combination simply till integrated. 

Add espresso/scorching water. Stir the espresso powder into the boiling water. Rigorously stir within the boiling water into the chocolate batter. The batter will probably be skinny.

Bake. Divide the chocolate cake batter between the 2 pans. Bake 30-35 minutes till the toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear. Take away cake from the oven and permit it to chill for five minutes, then flip it out onto a rack to chill fully

For the ermine frosting:

Over medium warmth, whisk flour, milk, and sugar in a saucepan and warmth to a simmer. Whisk often till it turns into very thick (virtually like pudding) about 4-5 minutes 

Take away from warmth, whisk in vanilla and salt. Pour right into a bowl to permit it to chill fully. Put plastic wrap on the floor to maintain a pores and skin from forming.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter till gentle and fluffy, scraping the edges of the bowl often, about 5 minutes. 

With the mixer on medium, add the cooled milk combination (it needs to be at room temperature and never chilly) just a little bit at a time. Proceed to beat till the combination turns into gentle and fluffy. The buttercream will resemble whipped cream. Relying on how delicate it’s or how heat of a day it’s you could need to refrigerate the frosting for 15-20 Minutes earlier than utilizing.

For the ganache:

Add chopped chocolate to a small mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, warmth heavy cream within the microwave for 1 minute till very heat. Pour over the chocolate in and let stand for 3 minutes. Stir till clean. Let sit for 10-Quarter-hour to agency up barely. Ganache needs to be thick however nonetheless spreadable.

To assemble the cake:

Be sure muffins are fully cooled. Degree the highest of the muffins if want be. 

Prime with all of the ermine filling. Unfold into a good layer. 

Prime with a second layer. 

I like to put the cake on a cooling rack whereas pouring the ganache however you are able to do this on a cake stand. I wish to line with parchment paper to make it simpler to scrub up.

Pour ganache excessive of your entire cake and use an offset spatula to unfold the ganache excessive and sides of the cake.

Any ganache that drips off you may then scoop up and re-use on the cake. Refrigerate till set, about 20 minutes then slice and serve.

Recipe Ideas

• Remember to measure your flour appropriately. I like to recommend measuring by weight utilizing a kitchen scale for greatest accuracy. But when measuring by quantity, then make sure you spoon the flour into your cup and degree it off. Do NOT pack it down or shake the cup which can trigger extra flour to settle into the cup.
• You need room temperature elements so your elements mix collectively simply and create a clean batter. For the eggs, I place mine in a bowl of heat water for 10 minutes earlier than baking and they’re able to go! Learn my full tutorial on find out how to convey eggs to room temperature quick.
• Be sure the ermine custard is at room temperature earlier than mixing. You can also make the boiled milk custard forward of time, however simply make sure that it comes again to room temperature earlier than mixing into the butter. 

Storage Directions

Retailer the cake within the fridge, lined, for as much as 5 days. I wish to cowl flippantly in plastic wrap.

Sure you may freeze the chocolate cake for as much as 3 months. I wish to freeze particular person slices wrapped in plastic wrap. And retailer in a plastic bag. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than serving.

Recipe FAQs

Extra Recipes To Attempt

For those who’re craving extra muffins, then make sure you attempt my berry Chantilly cake! It’s higher than Entire Meals! Or attempt my strawberry pound cake, Sock It To Me cake, or peach cobbler pound cake for a straightforward bundt cake!

For those who’re in want of a brilliant straightforward cake dessert, then attempt my cherry dump cake recipe made with simply 4 elements.

Make the chocolate cake:

• Preheat and put together the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Put aside.

• Mix dry elements. In a mixing bowl, whisk collectively flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar ¾ cup (63 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt

• Mix moist elements. In a second mixing bowl whisk collectively oil, vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk. ½ cup (120 mL) vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 massive eggs 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

• Add dry elements. Utilizing a rubber spatula, stir the dry elements into the moist combination simply till integrated.

• Add espresso/scorching water. Stir the espresso powder into the boiling water. Rigorously stir within the boiling water into the chocolate batter. 1 cup (240 mL) boiling water 2 teaspoons espresso powder

• Bake. Divide batter between the 2 pans. Bake 30-35 minutes till the toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear. Take away cake from the oven and permit it to chill for five minutes, then flip it out onto a rack to chill fully

For the ermine:

• Over medium warmth, whisk flour, milk, and sugar in a saucepan and warmth to a simmer. Whisk often till it turns into very thick (virtually like pudding) about 4-5 minutes. 5 tablespoons all objective flour 1 cup (240 g) entire milk 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

• Take away from warmth, whisk in vanilla and salt. Pour right into a bowl to permit it to chill fully. Put plastic wrap on the floor to maintain a pores and skin from forming. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt

• Use a mixer to cream butter till gentle and fluffy, scraping the edges of the bowl often, about 5 minutes. 1 cup (227 g, 2 sticks) unsalted butter

• With the mixer on medium, add the cooled flour combination just a little bit at a time. Proceed to beat till the combination turns into gentle and fluffy. The buttercream will resemble whipped cream. Relying on how delicate it’s or how heat of a day it’s you could need to refrigerate the frosting for 15-20 Minutes earlier than utilizing.

For the ganache:

• Add chopped chocolate to a small mixing bowl. 8 ounces semi candy chocolate

• In a small bowl, warmth heavy cream within the microwave for 1 minute till very heat. Pour over the chocolate in and let stand for 3 minutes. Stir till clean. Let sit for 10-Quarter-hour to agency up barely. Ganache needs to be thick however nonetheless spreadable. 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

To assemble the cake:

• Be sure muffins are fully cooled. Place one layer in a serving platter or cake stand. Degree the highest of the muffins if want be.

• Prime with all of the cream filling. Unfold into a good layer.

• Prime with a second cake layer.

• Pour ganache excessive of the cake and use an offset spatula to unfold the ganache excessive and sides of the cake. Refrigerate till set, about 20 minutes then slice and serve.

• Storage: Retailer the cake within the fridge, lined, for as much as 5 days. I wish to cowl flippantly in plastic wrap.
• Freezing: You’ll be able to freeze the chocolate cake for as much as 3 months. I wish to freeze particular person slices wrapped in plastic wrap. And retailer in a plastic bag. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than serving.
• Espresso powder: You’ll be able to omit this and as a substitute of scorching water simply use scorching espresso as a substitute. Or you may swap the espresso powder for immediate espresso but it surely’s not as sturdy so you could need to add an additional teaspoon.
• Totally different pans: Sure you may bake the cake right into a 9×13 pan or right into a bundt pan. The baking occasions will enhance. For the 9×13 baking pan, the cake will bake for about 35-40 minutes, and the bundt pan will take about 50-60 minutes. For cupcakes, fill 2/3 full and bake about 18-20 minutes.

Energy: 646kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 8g | Fats: 34g | Saturated Fats: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 9g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 896IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 3mg