Ding Dong Cake (+Video)
This Ding Dong Cake will take you back to your childhood! A classic chocolate and cream treat turned into a moist and layered cake. Fun, easy and delicious!
A CHOCOLATE TREAT TURNED INTO A CAKE
If you are a fan of Hostess Ding Dong snack cakes then you will absolutely adore this cake! This is a homemade chocolate cake with a creamy sweet layer and covered with a chocolate ganache. You absolutely are in heaven with each and every bite of this recipe. Everything works so well together and really tastes like the real deal (but even better!) So if you are craving a unique but guaranteed amazing dessert, then you must make this Ding Dong Cake recipe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
This cake is out-of-this world delicious, rich chocolate cake topped with super light and fluffy cream, and topped with a rich addictive ganache. You can’t get much better than this! The cream filling is the star of this cake. It is so light, fluffy, and smooth. I highly recommend using the shortening as it helps the cream stay very fluffy. You can use all butter if you want but it may not come out as light.
While this really makes the cake, you can also use a can of chocolate frosting and remove the lid and foil and heat up in the microwave and pour over the cake itself. I do this for my Boston Cream Poke Cake and it still tastes great!
Of course! If you do not want to go through all the trouble of making your own homemade cake you can absolutely use a mix. I really like the Duncan Hines dark chocolate fudge but you can use any chocolate flavor that you like.
You will want to refrigerate the cake for about 45 minutes for the topping to get harder and the filling to thicken slightly more.
While I think the cake flour keeps this cake light and fluffy, you could certainly substitute with all-purpose flour. Just make sure to sift or whisk the all-purpose flour well before using.
This can be stored covered in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 6 days. If you want to freeze it, cut it into slices and then freeze the slices individually. Wrap in plastic wrap then freezer-safe foil. This should keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. To defrost, remove to refrigerator overnight then you can place on countertop to bring slightly to room temperature.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- whole milk
- sour cream
- cake flour
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- light brown sugar
- vegetable oil
- vanilla extract
- eggs
- all-purpose flour
- unsalted butter
- vegetable shortening
- powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces heavy cream
HOW TO MAKE A DING DONG CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray, set aside. Place the chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl. Warm the milk in the microwave until it reaches 180-190°F, watch it carefully. Pour hot milk over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk until combined.
Add the sour cream and whisk until smooth, set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, mix the brown sugar with the oil until combined.
Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time until incorporated.
Add half of the dry mixture, mix to combine.
Next, add half of the chocolate/sour cream mixture, mix to combine.
Repeat with the remaining dry and wet ingredients.
Pour cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, make the filling.
Add the milk and flour to a small saucepan, whisk to combine. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until thickened to a paste. Let this mixture cool to room temperature.
Add the butter and shortening to a large bowl, whip with an electric hand mixer until combined.
Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed in, the mixture will be thick.
Lastly, add the cooled milk/flour paste and vanilla to the bowl.
Stir it in until incorporated and then whip it for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it resembles a whipped cream-like consistency.
Smooth this over the cooled cake. Place the cake into the fridge while you assemble the ganache topping.
Place the chocolate chips into a medium-sized bowl or measuring cup. Warm the heavy cream in the microwave until it reaches 180-190°F, watch it carefully. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Wait 5 minutes and whisk until smooth. Let this mixture stand for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, there may be a little bit leftover depending on how deep your pan is.
Place the cake back into the fridge, uncovered, for 45 minutes to set. Slice and serve.
Enjoy!
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Ding Dong Cake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
For the filling:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the ganache topping:
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 12 ounces heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with baking spray, set aside.
- Place the chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl. Warm the milk in the microwave until it reaches 180-190°F, watch it carefully. Pour hot milk over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk until combined.
- Add the sour cream and whisk until smooth, set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, mix the brown sugar with the oil until combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time until incorporated.
- Add half of the dry mixture, mix to combine.
- Add half of the chocolate/sour cream mixture, mix to combine. Repeat with the remaining dry and wet ingredients.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, make the filling.
- Add the milk and flour to a small saucepan, whisk to combine. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until thickened to a paste. Let this mixture cool to room temperature.
- Add the butter and shortening to a large bowl, whip with an electric hand mixer until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed in, the mixture will be thick.
- Add the cooled milk/flour paste and vanilla to the bowl. Stir it in until incorporated and then whip it for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it resembles a whipped cream-like consistency.
- Smooth this over the cooled cake. Place the cake into the fridge while you assemble the ganache topping.
- Place the chocolate chips into a medium-sized bowl. Warm the heavy cream in the microwave until it reaches 180-190°F, watch it carefully. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Wait 5 minutes and whisk until smooth. Let this mixture stand for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, there may be a little bit leftover depending on how deep your pan is.
- Place the cake back into the fridge, uncovered, for 45 minutes to set. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can use a boxed cake mix, we like Dark Chocolate Fudge but you can use any that you like.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
- You will want to chill this cake for 45 minutes after applying the ganache to set up.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Does this cake need to be stored in the refrigerator?
Yes, I actually answer that question in the FAQ above about storing leftovers 🙂
definitely making but with box cake. I add sour cream and an extra egg to mix.
Yep! I mention that in the FAQ above! I would definitely go with a dark chocolate or chocolate fudge for this.
Instead of mixing up frosting; I was thinking about using the Jet Puffed Marshmallow Creme / Fluff in place of.
You could certainly do that. Might want to heat it up just a tad to make it more spreadable. 🙂