Making this Dong Dong Cake was a recreation of my favorite childhood treat! Rich chocolate cake, creamy filling and a heavenly chocolate coating on the outside. If you love cakes, be sure to check out my 50 Best Cake Recipes!
Ding Dong Cake
What is a Ding Dong? It is a treat that we were often given as kids. Basically a chocolate whoopie pie with a glorious cream filling. I have modified it to be a cake and it’s heavenly!
This cake is one of those cakes that works perfectly as one. The ganache on its own is a bit bitter (when using semi-sweet chocolate), the filling is light and wonderful but does not stand alone like a pudding or sweet frosting, and the cake is just chocolate perfection. But these three elements work together in perfect harmony to create a cake that you will never forget.
How to Make a Ding Dong Cake
Chocolate Cake
Start by making the chocolate cake. (Full directions in the printable recipe card below.) You will sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. In the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Pour the batter into two 8-inch x 3-inch round prepared pans (and 8-inch pan with short sides may cause an overflow in your oven! Be sure you have the proper pans.) and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°F, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet). Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Ding Dong Cake Filling
Ding Dong Cake FillingSome of you experienced bakers recognized this filling immediately! It’s also known as an Ermine frosting. This frosting has a few extra steps compared to a traditional American buttercream, but the result is well worth it. Subtle and creamy, it is the PERFECT filling for this beyond rich cake.
To Make the Filling:
Pour cold milk into a small saucepan. Before turning on the heat, whisk in flour so no lumps remain. Turn heat on to medium-low and heat until mixture is thick, like a roux, stirring the whole time. 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 the mixture resembles whipped cream.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer. Be careful not to allow the cream to boil over! Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand for at least 2 minutes so that it can thicken. (Ganache should be cool when pouring over cake)
When ready to pour over chilled cake, whisk the ganache until smooth and then pour. You may have some ganache left over! Feel free to use the remaining on ice cream or brownies.
Tips for Ding Dong Cake
The chocolate cake in this recipe is my Perfect Chocolate Cake. The batter is very runny and it is designed to be made in two 8-inch by 3-inch round cake pans. A few of you have commented that when you made this Ding Dong Cake the batter spilled over, and I have never been able to replicate that in my kitchen. If you prefer you can use 9-inch round cake pans but the layers will not be as thick as you see in my pictures.
I just want you to know that I absolutely read comments and try to address all concerns! The majority has had no issues with the recipe and therefore I am not making any changes to it at this time.
Can you freeze Ding Dong Cake?
Yes! I recommend slicing the cake into individual pieces and then wrapping them in plastic wrap. That can get messy, so one way to make it easier is to chill the entire cake prior to cutting and wrapping. Then place pieces in freezer-safe storage bags and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to thaw, remove the slice from the refrigerator and remove from plastic. Allow to come to room temperature on the counter.
This is a fantastic Ding Dong Cake and a lovely way to celebrate with friends and family!
Making this Dong Dong Cake was a recreation of my favorite childhood treat! Rich chocolate cake, creamy filling and a heavenly chocolate coating on the outside.
- 1 3/4 cup (210g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cup (400g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (90g) good unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup (240g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (112g) vegetable oil
- 2 extra-large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp. McCormick pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237g) freshly brewed hot coffee
- 5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) butter
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped fine (can use milk chocolate)
- 16 oz (2 cups) heavy cream room temperature
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Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined.
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In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
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Pour the batter into two 8-inch x 3-inch round prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°F, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet).
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Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
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Pour cold milk into a small saucepan. Before turning on the heat, whisk in flour so no lumps remain.
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Turn heat on to medium-low and heat until mixture is thick, like a roux, stirring the whole time.
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Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool completely.
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Cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed, until fluffy, about 8 minutes.
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Add in the milk mixture and beat again until mixture resembles a whipped cream.
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Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer. Be careful not to allow the cream to boil over. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand for at least 2 minutes so that it can thicken.
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(Ganache should be cool when pouring over cake)
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When ready to pour over chilled cake, whisk the ganache until smooth and then pour. You may have some ganache left over.
Recipe Video
Like this cake? Check out my Peanut Butter Ding Dong Cake!
You could make half the ganauche and have enough!
can you use this recipe for cupcakes?
Hi, Shelly! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. We have not tried making this cake into cupcakes, so I can’t say what adjustments would need to be made. Have a great day!
Could I sub something else for the coffee? Love your recipes but hate coffee.
Hi, Connie! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. You can use hot water in place of coffee, but you may not get as rich a chocolate flavor. Have a great day!
How would you alter this recipe for high altitude?
Hi, Cindy! I work with iambaker and am happy to help with questions. Here are some high-altitude tips that you could try. Have a wonderful day!
I love this cake! Making again this week! I also LOVE your green ribbed cake stand!❤️ Do you think I can find?
Can you make any of this cake ahead of time? Days ahead???
Is it possible to double the recipe to make an even taller cake? Or will it not stack well since it’s so moist? I’m scared it will fall over.
Does this cake need to be refrigerated??
I would store leftovers in the refrigerator.
I cannot wait to try this!!! I think I’ll make it for my Grandkids!!! Thanks for the recipe!!
This is a dream of a cake. I’m the desert person for our weekly Bible study/rosary and my ladies were cutting the cake before they had lunch and if that’s not a compliment I don’t know what is. I will be making this cake as a surprise for my husband for thanksgiving dinner as he says he never gets any of the treats I make, he’s my cookie tester so he’s not completely unfortunate but I love him so and he works so hard so he gets a cake and it has to be this one. Everyone just loves this gorgeous cake. Thank you Miss Amanda you are a total gem!
Jen
I Never got so many compliments! I made this for a friend for her birthday and she couldn’t stop eating it! Love love love ❤ 😍
I made this cake And it was delicious. The only thing was the
Ganauche was to runny. I need to thicken it up.
Hi! And thank you for the recipe. I’ve been wanting to try this for a couple years. We can really taste the flour in the ermine frosting. I tried folding whipped cream into it and then it tasted milky and floury. Any suggestions? My son can’t tolerate much sweet at all.
This cake is a show stopper!!! Soooo good!
The filling didn’t do as it was supposed to. Very thin and not very tasty.
I made the Ding Dong Cake for a friends birthday and everyone loved it. For anyone making this recipe, you need time on your side and you don’t want to rush anything. To the ganache, I was running short on chocolate pieces so I added some Herseys Dark Chocolate Cocoa powder and it turned out great. You will have extra ganache but that can be used on cookies or whatever.
My cake keeps sinking in the middle. I’m not under baking, i am adding the right measurements, I’m not over mixing, and I’m not leaving it out. Is it suppose to be a little sunk? In the video it does look like it might be sunk in a little bit but mine is quite a lot. Really yummy though!
The only part of this cake that came out was the cake..The filling didn’t come out right nor did the frosting..
Hi, Make this cake for Mother’s Day. My mom Loved the Ding Dong cake! It was out of this world. Thank you so much for putting this recipe online with the video, it was so helpful for a beginner like me!