My Top Picks

Ding Dong Cake

Makes one round cake and an additional half cake.
Tastes just like a Hostess Ding Dong.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate (you can use chocolate chips)
  • 1-1/2 c. brewed coffee
  • 3 c. white sugar
  • 2-1/2 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 t. baking soda
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 1 t. salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 c. canola oil
  • 1-1/2 c. low-at buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 t. vanilla

Cream Filling

  • 5 Tbls. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 1 c. butter
  • 1 c. white sugar

Ganache

  • 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1 Tbls. 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 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 (3) 9-inch cake pans that have been well greased and lined with parchment paper on the bottom. Batter makes one and one-half cakes.

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 milk into a small saucepan and heat on low, to warm just a bit. Whisk in flour so no lumps remain. Turn heat on to medium low, and stirring constantly, 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 a cake plate, top side down. Cover with a thick layer of cream filling then place another layer of cake, top side down, on top of filling gently pressing down to secure layers.

Carefully transfer cake to a wire rack on top of a wax paper lined cookie sheet.

For the 3rd cake, slice in half to make a half cake. Fill accordingly and top with ganache.

GANACHE: Place chocolate chips in a large measuring cup or glass bowl.

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. This cake tastes best chilled, but can be served at room temperature.

NOTE: For cupcakes, bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Makes 48 cupcakes.