Ding Dong Cake Recipe!

We had a birthday in the family this week! My four year old has requested this Ding Dong Cake for his birthday two years in a row. He has never had a Ding Dong snack cake (and I don't think I have, for that matter, either). He first saw this cake on a popular YouTube channel: EmmyMade. We tried it for his birthday last year and it was so good that he wanted it again this year!

Here is a link to where I got the recipe: https://www.emmymade.com/ding-dong-cake/#recipe

This is a link to where she got the recipe: https://iambaker.net/ding-dong-cake/

The chocolate cake portion of this cake is very moist. It is not dry, not crumbly. Very spongy, I want to say, tacky, with an open crumb structure.

The filling is rich with butter, fluffy and smooth. The technique used to make the filling is very unique. I have never seen this type of filling in any other recipe. It is not made with powdered sugar. It is not as sweet as an icing, which I think is good. We served this cake without ice cream and I think the filling played the role that ice cream usually does at a birthday party. It is kind of refreshing and palette cleansing.

Ding Dong Cake

1 3/4 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

3/4 cups Cocoa Powder

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1 cup Buttermilk (at room temperature)

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

2 Eggs + 1 Egg White

2 tsp. Vanilla Flavoring

1 cup Strong Hot Coffee

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup Milk

5 TBS. Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla Flavoring

1 cup Butter (room temperature)

1 cup Sugar

Glaze Ingredients:

2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Cake

• In the bowl of your stand mixer whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• On low speed, add the wet ingredients to the dry. Slowly add the coffee and mix until just incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Prepare two, 8 inch by 2 inch round cake pans by greasing and lining the bottoms with wax or parchment paper. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake at 350˚F for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes before turning out.

Filling

• In a small saucepan combine the milk and flour. Whisk well to ensure there are no lumps of flour. On medium-low heat whisk the mixture until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
• Remove from heat and add vanilla. Press a plastic wrap to the surface and allow to cool completely.
• Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 8 minutes.
• Add the cooled milk mixture and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Ganache

• In a large bowl, add the chocolate chips.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a low simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let it rest for 3 minutes.
• Gently stir the chocolate and hot cream together until completely incorporated. The ganache should be glossy and smooth. If any lumps of chocolate remain, microwave for 30 seconds and stir well.
• Allow the ganache to cool for 30 minutes or until ganache has the consistency of pea soup.

Cake Assembly

• Place a completely cooled cake layer on a plate or cake stand.
• Apply all of the frosting to the cake layer and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Add a second layer of cake, gently pressing it into the frosting. Smooth the sides of the cake, filing any gaps with frosting.
• Tuck pieces of parchment paper around the base of the cake.
• Slowly pour the ganache on the top of the cake and use an offset spatula to evenly coat the sides.
• After icing the cake remove the parchment paper to reveal a clean plate.