This Hostess ding dong cake combines moist chocolate cake, creamy ermine vanilla filling, and chocolate ganache icing to create an upgraded version of classic chocolate snack cakes!
If you loved my oatmeal cream cake or Reese’s pieces cake, you’re in for a treat with this ding dong cake! Drawing inspiration from the classic Hostess cookies, this cake layers rich ganache cake with a creamy filling and shiny chocolate glaze.
It’s the perfect dessert for anyone who loves a modern twist on a childhood favorite!
Table of Contents
Tips for a Perfect Cake
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip! If your cake is turning out dense and crumbly, it’s almost always due to using too much flour.
Mix the frosting slowly. You may be tempted to add all of the milk mixture to the butter all at once but adding it too quickly will curdle the frosting and make it separate!
Slice when chilled. Unlike my other chocolate cake recipes, this one is best sliced when chilled because of the soft cream filling.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Cocoa powder: For a rich chocolate flavor, use unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder. It takes any chocolate cake, like my raspberry chocolate cake, to bakery-quality deliciousness!
Sour cream: The acidity is a must to provide proper leavening and extra moisture, resulting in a super tender and moist texture.
Gelatin: Gelatin is crucial for a shiny and elegant chocolate glaze. You can use any type of unflavored powdered gelatin!
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
How to Make Ermine Frosting
In pastry school, we called this boiled milk frosting. This creamy frosting combines roux (boiled milk and flour) with butter. It’s simple to make and less sweet than regular buttercream.
Step 1: Make the roux. In a small pot, make the roux mixture. Whisk constantly so you don’t have any lumps! (Image 1 below)
Step 2: Cool the milk mixture. Place a piece of plastic wrap to touch the surface of the roux. This will prevent any dry skin from forming on top while it cools. (Image 2 below)
Step 3: Cream the butter. Cream the butter in a stand mixing bowl until light and fluffy. (Image 3 above)
Step 4: Beat in the cooked milk mixture. Add a small spoonful of the cooled milk mixture to the butter and beat well before adding the next. Do not attempt to add too much or add it too quickly, or the frosting will curdle! (Image 4 above)
Cake Instructions
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients and cubed butter until it looks sandy. (Image 1 below)
Step 2: Mix in the wet ingredients. Add in the whisked wet ingredients and mix until just combined. (Image 2 below)
Step 3: Bake the cake. Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared pans and bake! Cool the pans on a wire rack, then remove the layers and let them cool completely. (Image 3 below)
Step 4: Fill the cake. Spread 2/3 of the ermine filling on top of the first cake layer, then chill until firm. Then, place the second cake layer upside down. Use the remaining frosting to fill in any gaps between the layers. Chill until the ganache is ready. (Image 4 above)
Step 5: Make the chocolate ganache. Combine the glaze ingredients. Boil, then stir in the bloomed gelatin. Do not whisk or stir vigorously, or the glaze will have tiny bubbles. (Image 5 below)
Step 6: Cool the ganache. Strain the ganache through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl with a spout. Cover with cling wrap and let it cool to 86 F/30 C (about 2 hours). (Image 6 above)
Step 7: Pour the ganache over the cake. Once cool, place the cake on a wire rack with a pan below. Starting pouring at the center, moving outwards so that the ganache drips off the sides. (Image 7 above)
Step 8: Decorate! Use a piping bag to pipe the classic white swirl with the reserved frosting on top of the ding dong cake. (Image 8 above)
Time-Saving Tips, Storage, and Freezing
Make ahead: Bake the cake layers, wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Store the cooked milk mixture in the fridge, too. The next day, bring both to room temperature before assembling!
Storage: Keep any leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Store the cake as a whole or as slices (wrapped in plastic wrap) in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month.
FAQs
Definitely! I would halve the cake batter and start checking them after 18-20 minutes.
Yes! I recommend choosing a denser chocolate cake mix (like devil’s food cake) for a similar texture and flavor to the homemade chocolate cake.
This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which relies on a low-protein flour like cake flour. Using “homemade cake flour” or all-purpose flour will result in a tough and dense cake.
If your frosting is loose, it might be due to warm butter. Check your butter’s temperature; it should be between 64-68°F. Overmixing can also make it overly fluffy; mix it just enough to incorporate the boiled milk.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Ding Dong Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Ermine Frosting
- 1 cup granualted sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups cake flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 1/2 tablespoon cubed unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- 2 1/2 tbsp water
- 4 tsp powdered gelatin
- 2/3 cup water
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, milk, flour, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Cook over medium heat, whisk constantly until it is a very thick pudding. Pour into a container, and cover the surface with plastic wrap (directly to touch the surface). Cool to room temperature.1 cup (200 g) granualted sugar, 5 tbsp (40 g) all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 cup (224 g) whole milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper on the bottoms and set them aside.
- In a stand mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix in the cubed butter on low for 3 minutes until it resembles coarse sand.2 cups (230 g) cake flour, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 6 1/2 tablespoon (90 g) cubed unsalted butter
- In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. In another bowl, whisk together the hot coffee and cocoa powder.1 cup (228 g) sour cream, 2 (100 g) large eggs, 1/2 cup (113 g) whole milk, 1/4 cup (45 g) vegetable or canola oil, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (220 g) hot coffee, 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- Add the egg mixture and coffee/cocoa mixture to the bowl. Mix on low until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom to ensure thorough mixing.
- Distribute the chocolate batter into the cake pans (740 grams). Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Let the pans cool on a wire rack before assembling. While the cakes cool, finish the ermine frosting.
- Use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter until it is light and fluffy.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- On medium speed, fully beat in one spoonful of the milk mixture. Wait until combined before adding the next. Then add the vanilla. Mix until combined. See notes below for details on this step.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Trim cake domes. Place one layer on a platter. Set aside 2-3 tbsp of frosting for decoration. Spread 2/3 of the frosting on top. Chill until the frosting is firm. Place the second layer upside down. Use remaining filling to fill gaps, aligning with cake layers. Refrigerate until the ganache is ready.
- Bloom the gelatin in the water until it becomes a rubber consistency.2 1/2 tbsp water, 4 tsp powdered gelatin
- Whisk the cocoa, water, and cream in a saucepan until paste-like. Add sugar. Over medium heat, gently stir (avoid vigorous mixing to prevent air bubbles). When it begins to boil, remove it from the heat, and gently stir in gelatin to dissolve.2/3 cup (150 g) water, 2/3 cup (150 g) heavy cream, 1 cup (100 g) unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Strain the ganache into a bowl with a spout. Cover with cling wrap, pressing it onto the surface to prevent skin from forming. Cool at room temperature for 2 hours until it reaches 86°F/30°C.
- When the glaze is ready, remove the cake from the fridge and place it on a rack with a tray underneath to catch the excess glaze.
- Pour the glaze on the top center of the cake, moving out to the edges so it falls down the sides of the cake. Pour confidently in a thick stream to avoid quick setting and drips!
- Let the glaze firm up for 10 minutes. Once set, use the rest of the ermine frosting to pipe a line of white swirls across the middle center of the cake. See the post for a visual example.
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
Can you bake and assemble the cake portions ahead of time and freeze then it? Then on the party day take the cake out and add the chocolate ganache? Or would it be okay to freeze the completed cake and just take it out a few hours before the party to thaw?
Hi Deanna, I recommend making and assembling it beforehand and then finishing it with the ganache the day of.
I made this for an office birthday party, it came out beautiful and everyone raves about it!
Absolutely perfect. Incredible texture, just the right amount of sweetness, and I loved the ermine frosting. 10/10
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that, thank you SO much for coming back to leave a 5 star review! 🙂