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
Some 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!
Ding Dong Cake
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 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
FILLING
- 5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) butter
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
GANACHE
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped fine (can use milk chocolate)
- 16 oz (2 cups) heavy cream room temperature
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 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 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 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.
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 mixture resembles a whipped cream.
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.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
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Like this cake? Check out my Peanut Butter Ding Dong Cake!
The ganache in this recipe is way too runny
I made this for my mom’s 75th birthday party and it was a big hit. The taste was so delicious. The recipe was easy that my sons (12 and 10 year old) made most of the cake. The video was very helpful too. Thank you! We will make this again.
Delicious cake but I had problem with filling. It had great consistency. Then I refrigerated to solidify ganache. Even after I took it out and let it stand over an hour, the filling remained solidified instead of creamy. Thoughts?
I saw this recipe on facebook and have been making it for at least the last 5 years. It is the favorite birthday cake in my family. The filling tastes heavenly and the ganache and cake are perfect! Not too sweet and just delicious. I have never had a problem with the filling or the ganache and both have always turned out plenty thick. It makes a lot of ganache! Today, I made this for the July birthdays. I used 3 8″ cake pans and all rose up to totally fill the pans. I usually make this a triple decker because of that. You will need time to bake and cool the cakes and make and cool the ganache so this cake is not quick but it’s definitely worth the time and effort. It’s amazing and I love so many of the cakes on this site. Thanks!
Love that Sonya!
Great cake, we really enjoyed the deep chocolate taste and the filling is the best!
I am a Christian. I’d like to invite you to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house.” Acts 16:31
I made this cake and I used 2 9 inch pans I did not have any 8 inch ones nor could I find any to buy. I took the cake to a sick uncles house and everyone there loved it. Also they all wanted the recipe so now I am in the process of making one at home for my husband. I also put a little dark chocolate cocoa powder in with the regular cocoa powder and I bought dark chocolate for the ganache. The dark chocolate made the ganache a little bitter so I added about a 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar. They all loved it.
Has anyone made the ganache/filling dairy free ? The butter or milk that’s cooked off in the cake is manageable, but my boyfriend doesn’t eat dairy. Wondering if just subbing non-dairy milk/heavy cream is sufficient ?
I will add that this is one of the only cakes I’ve made multiple times in my life and, of the dozens I’ve made, this is my favorite chocolate cake. So rich and moist and delicious!
Best cake I have ever made and I have made TONS! I made a milk chocolate ganache because that’s what my hubby likes, but didn’t change anything else! Cake is soooo moist!! Filling is light and fluffy! Don’t leave out the coffee because you will NOT taste it. It just makes the cake delish!
So, hate to rain on this parade, but mine turned out awful! The filling did not taste like the filling in a Hostess ding-dong, & never really solidified…the ganache was runny! It was an epic fail for me!:(