Ding Dong Cake is a decadent treat that is a recreation of the classic Ding Dong, a chocolate whoopie pie with a creamy filling. My cake version combines rich chocolate cake, a light and creamy filling, and a heavenly chocolate ganache to create a dessert that will leave you wanting more. Perfect for chocolate lovers and cake enthusiasts, this recipe is sure to be a hit. You will also love my Ding Dong Sheet Cake! Make sure to try my 50 Best Cake Recipes for even more dessert inspiration!
Ingredients & Substitutions
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. You could also use a boxed chocolate cake mix.
Coffee: Adding brewed hot coffee to the cake batter enhances the chocolate flavor of the cake. The cake will not have a coffee taste. If you don’t have coffee, you can substitute it with hot water.
Filling: The creamy filling is known as an Ermine frosting (also known as Roux frosting or boiled milk 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.
Ganache: To make the chocolate ganache, you can use either semi-sweet or milk chocolate. If you don’t have a chocolate bar, chocolate chips can be used as a substitute. I also have a Chocolate Ganache Made with Butter recipe you could use.
How to Store Ding Dong Cake
First, place the cake in an airtight container to prevent air exposure and keep it fresh. This will help the cake last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Before serving, let the cake come to room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
Can I Freeze Ding Dong Cake?
Yes, you can freeze Ding Dong Cake. To freeze the cake, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a freezer-safe container. (I prefer to cut and wrap the cake into individual pieces before freezing.) The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat the cake, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or on the counter for a couple of hours, then bring it to room temperature before serving. Freezing the cake may affect the texture and taste, so it’s best to eat it as soon as possible for the best experience.
More Chocolate Cakes
Ding Dong Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (90 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup (112 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons McCormick pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 g) freshly brewed hot coffee
Filling (Ermine Frosting)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
Ganache
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 12 ounces heavy cream, room temperature
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 2, 8-inch x 3-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. (8-inch cake pans with shorter sides may cause an overflow in your oven.) Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- With the 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 the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean with no wet batter.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes. Then, turn them out onto a cooling rack to let them cool completely.
Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk and flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3-5 minutes, or until no lumps remain and the mixture thickens and resembles a very thick pudding. It should coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the cooled milk mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy (2-3 minutes), pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Switch to the whisk attachment. Add vanilla and mix on high for 7-8 minutes, or until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Ganache
- Place the chocolate into a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl aside as you heat up the cream.
- To a quart-sized, microwave-safe bowl, add the heavy cream. Microwave for 3-4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer, being 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.
- When ready to pour over the cooled cake, whisk the ganache until smooth and then pour. You may have some ganache left over.
Assembly
- If needed, level the cakes. Then, place one cake round onto your work surface.
- Spread the filling over the cake. Top with the second cake round.
- Pour the ganache over the cake, including the sides. Let it set for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Can or should the ding dong cake be refrigerated when it’s kept overnight? I made it exactly to your recipe Amanda
My sister made this cake and gave me 1/4 of it. Lord, it was SOOOoooo good and very rich! She is a great baker and cook! Great job, Rochelle!
I ended up making “Ding Dong Drops” from this recipe. I poured the batter into a 24 mini muffin pan 3/4 full for each muffin. Baked it at 350° for 15 minutes. After calling for 10 minutes I removed them from the muffin pan.
I took the filling and put it inside a cake decorating bag with a star tip. I put the tip into the top of the mini dingdong drops and squeezed the filling into the middle. Once cool, I then picked up the dingdong drop and dipped it upside down into the Ganache frosting with a quick swirl on top.
Perfect little bite-size yummy’s for our guests. What a HIT they were.
I am a Baker and know what to do about cake assembly but for those who are beginners your recipe gives No instructions on cake assembly just that the cake needs to be refrigerated before Ganache is added, also adding instructions that the cake should be placed on a wire rack that sits inside a cookie sheet so the Ganache can drip down and not puddle around on a cake plate and over the sides should be added. Also one final note is Ganache should be slightly warm for easment of the pour and should start the pour in the center of the cake and then as it cascades over the side use a spatula to smooth, the top should be smooth, in your picture it does not look smooth it looks like it cooled to much and it was spread like regular frosting but a Ding Dong is smooth.
An amazing yummy cake from the moist chocolate cake to the creamy whipped middle to the surroundibg velvety chocolate ganache!
This is the perfect cake. I made it for a gathering last year and everyone was amazed how delicious it was, now it is my most requested cake for any party. Thank you for this recipe, it is perfect just as published. Please don’t change a thing!
Please add 5 stars to my comment.
Have you ever made minis?
Should the Ding Dong cake be refrigerated if it is not being eaten until the next day
Sure, you can refrigerate it. 🙂
Dont like coffee, what can i substitute it with? thx