Ding Dong Cake Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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Ding Dong cake is the upgraded version of your favorite snack cakes, featuring a moist chocolate cake with a creamy ermine filling and a mouthwatering chocolate ganache on top! It’s a seriously tasty dessert you won’t be able to resist!

If you love chocolate cake, then this post is for you! A few more desserts to add to the lineup are: classic chocolate cake, chocolate icebox cake, and Coca Cola cake!

Ding Dong Cake Recipe - The Recipe Critic (1)

Ding Dong Cake Recipe

Calling all chocoholics! If you haven’t tried Ding Dong cake yet, you’re seriously missing out on a slice of heaven. It’s a luscious, moist chocolate cake that practically melts in your mouth, generously filled with a creamy, dreamy ermine frosting. Even better than a Hostess Ding Dong! As if that’s not delicious enough, it’s got a layer of chocolate ganache on the outside to seal in all of that goodness. Trust me, once you’ve had a taste, you won’t want to stop. It’s just so good!

So what is ermine frosting? Ermine frosting, also known as boiled milk frosting, is a creamy and light frosting made by cooking sugar, flour, and milk together, then mixing it with butter. It’s not too sweet and has a lovely hint of vanilla. This fantastic frosting pairs perfectly with Ding Dong cake, boosting its rich chocolate flavor and adding a fluffy and delightful touch to every bite. It’s a match made in dessert heaven!

Cake and Frosting Ingredients

Here is everything you will need so you too can create a Ding Dong cake! Thankfully, it uses a lot of basic pantry staples, so you can whip it up without spending a fortune. Note: exact measurements are in the recipe card below.

Ding Dong Cake

  • Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake super moist and tender, no dry bites here!
  • Warm Coffee: Gives the chocolate a serious flavor boost, making it extra rich and irresistible.
  • Large Eggs: Holds everything together and keeps the cake nice and fluffy.
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds that yummy aroma and makes the cake even more tasty.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Acts as the base of the cake.
  • Granulated Sugar: Sweetness to the max, making each bite a treat.
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (not Dutch process): The star ingredient, delivering intense chocolate goodness.
  • Baking Powder and Soda: So the cake has a perfect rise.
  • Salt: A pinch of flavor enhancer, balancing the sweetness.

Ermine Frosting

  • Granulated Sugar: The sweet stuff that makes ermine frosting taste just right, not too sugary but perfectly delicious.
  • Flour: The secret ingredient that, when mixed with milk, creates the smooth and creamy base of ermine frosting.
  • Milk: The liquid magic that combines with flour to give ermine frosting its velvety texture.
  • Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and creaminess to the frosting.
  • Vanilla Extract: A splash of flavor that makes ermine frosting extra yummy and aromatic.
  • Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness and bring out all the tasty flavors.

Ganache

  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate: For that deep chocolatey flavor. Either semi-sweet chocolate chips or a baking bar will work. You can also use dark chocolate if you prefer!
  • Heavy Cream: Adjusts the consistency of the ganache and makes it nice and smooth. Trust me, it’s the best addition to Ding Dong cake.

Let’s Make Ding Dong Cake!

Now that your ingredients are ready to go, here’s how to turn them into a tasty chocolate cake. I’ve separated the instructions into a few different groups so you can prepare your Ding Dong cake like a pro!

Cake

  1. Preheat Oven, Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Add parchment rounds to the bottom of the pans and spray the parchment with cooking spray. Then set aside.
  2. Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, warm coffee, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
  3. Combine With Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl sift together the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk together until fully combined.
  4. Bake: Fill the two pans evenly and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back lightly when pressed on, or a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the Ding Dong cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting the pan on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Cream Filling

  1. Milk Mixture: Add the flour, sugar, and milk to a pan. Cook over medium heat while whisking constantly until thick and pudding-like, about 10 minutes.
  2. Chill: Remove from the heat and add to a heat-proof bowl or quarter sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the top of the mixture and prevents a film from forming. Chill in the fridge for 40 minutes
  3. Whip: Add the room-temperature butter to a stand mixer and whip with the whisk attachment for about 8 minutes, until the butter is light and fluffy.
  4. Add in Flour: Add the flour mixture to the butter one scoop at a time until it is all incorporated
  5. Add in Vanilla: Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and switch to the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on medium-high for 10-13 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.

Ganache

  1. Melt and Combine: Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave until steaming but not boiling, about 1 minute and a half. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. Use a whisk to combine the chocolate and cream until smooth. Set aside to cool while the cake chills.

Assembly

  1. Layer: Place one layer of cake on an 8’ cake board. Mound the cream on top of the cake and then top with the second layer of cake, preferably upside down so the top of the cake is very flat.
  2. Chill: Use an offset spatula or a clean bench scrape to smooth the cream between the layers, making sure there are no gaps or holes. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Transfer to Cooling Rack: Once the Ding Dong cake has chilled, remove it from the fridge and place it on a cooling rack with parchment underneath to catch any drips.
  4. Pour on Ganache: Carefully pour the cooled ganache on top of the chilled cake and use an offset spatula to spread the ganache so it spills down the sides of the cake. Carefully use the spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the whole cake, letting the excess drip onto the parchment.
  5. Allow to Set: Let the Ding Dong cake chill in the fridge for an hour or so before serving.
Ding Dong Cake Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2)

Tips and Variations

Here are a few simple tips to ensure your Ding Dong cake turns out perfectly! This has quickly become one of my favorite chocolate desserts and I know you’ll love it just as much!

  • Cake Mix for Easy Prep: You may use chocolate cake mix instead for a quicker, easier recipe.Regular chocolate cake or Devil’s Food cake both work great!
  • Keep the Oven Closed: Try to avoid opening the oven early to check the cakes. This can cause a drop in temperature, which in turn can cause the center of the cakes to sink.
  • Level Cake: If the cakes come out domed, it is best to use a serrated knife to level it before assembling.
  • Slice When Chilled: Slice this cake while it is still well chilled. Once it has thawed a bit the cream will start to run out if you try to slice it.
  • Coffee Substitute: The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor of the cake, but if you don’t want to use coffee go ahead and replace it with buttermilk.
Ding Dong Cake Recipe - The Recipe Critic (3)

Storing Leftover Ding Dong Cake

If you have leftover Ding Dong cake, trust me, it won’t last long! My kids and I are always fighting over who gets the last piece.

  • In the Refrigerator: This cake is best stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.Store in an airtight cake container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
  • In the Freezer: Individual Ding Dong cake slices can be wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in a ziplock bag and frozen for up to 3 months. Let the slices thaw overnight in the fridge before unwrapping them.
Ding Dong Cake Recipe - The Recipe Critic (4)

Other Chocolate Desserts to Indulge In

Whenever I’m craving something rich and sweet, these recipes are my go-to! I know you’ll love them too. They’re perfect for special occasions, potlucks, or just when a sweet tooth hits! You can also find my full list of chocolate desserts here for more dessert inspiration.

Desserts

Chocolate Trifle

1 hr 50 mins

Pie

German Chocolate Pie

2 hrs 20 mins

Desserts

Better than ANYTHING Cake

45 mins

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Ding Dong Cake

4.50 from 4 votes

Ding Dong cake is the upgraded version of your favorite snack cakes, featuring a moist chocolate cake with a creamy ermine filling and a mouthwatering chocolate ganache on top! It's a seriously tasty dessert you won't be able to resist!

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

Cake

Cream Filling (Ermine Frosting)

Ganache

  • 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate
  • cup heavy cream

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Add parchment rounds to the bottom of the pans and spray the parchment with cooking spray. Set aside.

  • In a large bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, warm coffee, eggs, and vanilla until combined.

  • In a medium bowl sift together the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk together until fully combined.

  • Fill the two pans evenly and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back lightly when pressed on, or a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting the pan on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Cream Filling

  • Add the flour, sugar, and milk to a pan. Cook over medium heat while whisking constantly until thick and pudding-like, about 10 minutes.

  • Remove from the heat and add to a heat-proof bowl or quarter sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the top of the mixture and prevents a film from forming. Chill in the fridge for 40 minutes

  • Add the room-temperature butter to a stand mixer and whip with the whisk attachment for about 8 minutes, until the butter is light and fluffy.

  • Add the flour mixture to the butter one scoop at a time until it is all incorporated

  • Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and switch to the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on medium-high for 10-13 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.

Ganache

  • Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave until steaming but not boiling, about 1 minute and a half. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. Use a whisk to combine the chocolate and cream until smooth. Set aside to cool while the cake chills.

Assembly

  • Place one layer of cake on an 8’ cake board. Mound the cream on top of the cake and then top with the second layer of cake, preferably upside down so the top of the cake is very flat.

  • Use an offset spatula or a clean bench scrape to smooth the cream between the layers, making sure there are no gaps or holes. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes.

  • Once the cake has chilled, remove it from the fridge and place it on a cooling rack with parchment underneath to catch any drips.

  • Carefully pour the cooled ganache on top of the chilled cake and use an offset spatula to spread the ganache so it spills down the sides of the cake. Carefully use the spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the whole cake, letting the excess drip onto the parchment.

  • Let the cake chill in the fridge for an hour or so before serving.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 669kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 8gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 376mgPotassium: 365mgFiber: 5gSugar: 55gVitamin A: 899IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Ding Dong Cake Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

What is ding dong filling made of? ›

What Is Ding Dong Cake Filling Made Of? Usually known as ermine frosting (sometimes called flour frosting or boiled milk frosting), the marshmallow-esque filling is an old-fashioned cooked frosting made of flour, milk, and granulated sugar.

What is a ding dong snack? ›

A Ding Dong is a chocolate cake produced and distributed in the United States by Hostess Brands and in Canada from Vachon Inc. under the name King Dons; in some U.S. markets, it was previously known as Big Wheels. With the exception of a brief period in 2013, the Ding Dong has been produced continuously since 1967.

Why does wacky cake work? ›

Yet, despite these 'wacky' differences, the cake is a delicious dessert. Why does wacky cake work? An eggless cake batter relies on the gluten structure of the flour and the lift provided by vinegar and baking soda.

What are the ingredients in Ding Dongs? ›

Ingredients: SUGAR, WATER, ENRICHED FLOUR (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE OR REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), PALM OIL, CORN SYRUP, SOYBEAN OIL, COCOA, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: GLYCERIN, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, NATURAL FLAVOR, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, BAKING ...

What does it mean when someone says "ding dong"? ›

1. : to make a ding-dong sound. 2. : to repeat a sound or action tediously or insistently.

What does Ding Dong mean in Chinese? ›

ding dong jingling of bells clanking sound.

Did they change the Ding Dong recipe? ›

I looked online to verify what I was experiencing and yes, Ding Dongs have shrunk by two ounces. The recipe has been altered, and the treats don't arrive in the store fresh, but frozen, only to be thawed out in the store.

What are Ding Dongs called in Canada? ›

Hostess Ding Dongs has been under a couple of different names depending on where you lived, but mostly Ding Dongs. In Canada, they were called King Don's. In other parts of America, they were also known as Big Wheels.

Why is it called a depression cake? ›

Depression Cake, also known as Wacky Cake or War Cake (among other names), originated in the Great Depression. It is a cake made without milk, eggs, or butter. These were all ingredients that were hard to come by during the Great Depression and at wartime.

What is a cake without cream called? ›

Oil Cake. Oil cakes follow the same principles as butter cakes, but use oil as the source of fat. Because oil is liquid at room temperature, oil cake recipes skip the step of creaming the fat and sugar; usually the oil is incorporated into the wet ingredients, which are whisked or folded into the dry ingredients.

Can I use coffee instead of water in cake mix? ›

Try Adding Coffee to Boxed Baking Mix

Or try a more flavorful liquid than water. For chocolate treats, coffee or espresso is the best addition. "A fun trick that I love to do in homemade or boxed chocolate cake recipes is trade out the water ingredient for coffee!

What is Hostess cream filling made of? ›

You only need 4 simple ingredients for the filling of a Hostess cupcake. You'll need softened unsalted butter, marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.

What is the sound ding dong made by? ›

1[uncountable] used to represent the sound made by a bell I rang the doorbell. Ding-dong!

What is Niangao made of? ›

In the Southern region of Fujian, nian gao, natural amber, is mainly used for the New Year ritual and gifts. It is made of glutinous rice and taro, which are then usually sliced and cooked before eating. It can also be wrapped in egg or cornstarch (corn flour) or sweet potato to fry.

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