Ding Dong Cake

A dense, rich, moist chocolate cake with a thick layer of fluffy cream filling and chocolate ganache icing creates a Ding Dong Cake that’s so much like your favorite snack cake, but also a million times better!

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

1. The Best Cream Filling – When it comes to making cream fillings for cakes, the go-to is usually buttercream frosting. Not today though! We’re making this filled chocolate cake with a filling of ermine frosting that is as fluffy as a cloud and the perfect ding dong cake filling.
2. An Amazing Chocolate Layer Cake – Oh my gosh is this cake divine! It’s dense, rich, moist, and extra chocolatey. The three different elements in the cake are perfectly balanced so that it’s not too sweet, but very flavorful.
3. Gorgeous Presentation – There’s no need for any fancy piping work on this cake. A smooth layer of chocolate ganache is simple and beautiful as it is.
4. Step by Step Instructions –There are quite a few steps to this Ding Dong cake recipe, but I’ve broken them all down into easy to understand directions for you. I’m sharing photos of the process too so you can follow along.

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

1. Get Ready to Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (160°C fan oven), grease and line two 8” round baking pans with parchment paper (I like these pre-cut parchment circles) and set aside.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: Start by beating the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy (use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer in a large mixing bowl). Then add eggs and vanilla and beat for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
4. Alternate Flour and Buttermilk: Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and half of the buttermilk to the bowl, and beat until combined. Then add the remaining flour and buttermilk and mix again.

1. Add Hot Coffee: Pour in the hot coffee and mix again until the batter is smooth.
2. Bake: Divide the batter between two prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Cream Filling

7. Cook Flour and Milk: Whisk the milk and flour together in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until it’s thick like a roux. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to cool completely, stirring every few minutes.
8. Whip Butter and Sugar: Add softened butter and granulated sugar to a stand mixer and whip until pale and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes.
9. Combine: Add the cooled milk mixture to the butter mixture and whip again until white and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Set the filling aside.

Fill the Cake

10. Get Set: Leave the cakes on the wire rack, and place the wire rack on a baking sheet (this will catch any ganache drips later!). If needed, level the cakes.
11. Add the Filling: Add all of the cream filling to one of the cakes and smooth it into a thick, even layer. Top with the other cake layer, and then level off the cream from the sides to create a smooth surface for the ganache.
12. Chill: Allow the cake to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before adding the topping.

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.

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FAQs

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.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

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Ding Dong Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Chill/Cool Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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Homemade Ding Dong Cake has a dense chocolate cake with a fluffy cream filling and chocolate ganache icing – like your favorite snack cake!

12 servings

Homemade Ding Dong Cake has a dense chocolate cake with a fluffy cream filling and chocolate ganache icing – like your favorite snack cake!

Recipe Video

Equipment

• 8" inch cake pans
• Offset spatula
• Electric Hand mixer or Stand mixer
• Mixing Bowl
• Parchment paper circles

Ingredients 

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Cake:

• ▢ 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup (50 g) unsweetend cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ⅔ cup (11 tablespoons) (150 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• ▢ 1 ¾ cup (350 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) hot coffee

Cream filling (ermine frosting):

• ▢ 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) milk
• ▢ ⅓ cup (30 g) all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup (250 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Use clear vanilla for a whiter filling

Ganache:

• ▢ 8 ounces (225 g) semi sweet chocolate bar chopped
• ▢ 1 cup (8 ounces) (240 ml) heavy cream
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) light corn syrup

Instructions 

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (160°C fan oven), grease and line two 8” baking pans with parchment paper and set aside. I like to use the pre cut parchment circles for convenience.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (3 minutes), then add eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until pale and fluffy
• Add half the flour mixture and half the buttermilk and beat, and repeat until flour and buttermilk has been used up
• Add the coffee and mix again until smooth.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
• Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream filling:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until it’s thick like roux. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Allow the mixture to cool completely, stirring every few minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cooled milk mixture and whip again until white and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes; set aside

Ganache:

• Heat heavy cream until steaming (not boiling! As it might separate), add the chocolate to the cream and allow to sit for 2 minutes. I like to use a little jug to easily pour the ganache over the cake.
• Carefully stir until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
• Stir in the corn syrup and allow to cool to room temperature (at least 30 minutes)

Assembly:

• Level the cooled cakes if necessary (but this chocolate recipe makes even cakes, maybe if the temp of the oven is too high, people can get domed cakes), keeping them on the wire rack, place wire rack overtop of a baking sheet
• Add all the cream filling to the top of one cake and smooth it into an even layer, top with the second cake layer, then level off the cream from the sides (this will make the ganache sit nicely and the cake will have smooth edges). and place into fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Pour the cooled ganache over the cake, you can use as offset spatula to gently guide the chocolate to all sides of the cake, and to smooth the sides slightly
• Place cake into the fridge to set the ganache, about one hour. Slice and serve.

Notes:

• 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.
• 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. This recipe shouldn’t dome too much though! 
• 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.
• To Store: Keep Ding Dong cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also store individually wrapped slices of cake for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 753kcal, Carbohydrates: 89g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 124mg, Sodium: 248mg, Potassium: 326mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 65g, Vitamin A: 1203IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 3mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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