Ding Dong Cake – Sugar Spun Run

Ding Dong cake is sort of a large model of the traditional snack cake! It’s made with wealthy chocolate cake layered with a creamy snow-white filling and a chocolate ganache topping, and it’s more likely to be your new favourite cake! It’s extremely satisfying with out being too candy! Recipe features a how-to video tutorial.

A Childhood Deal with, Reimagined

Permit me to introduce you to the cake that I’ll be utilizing for all birthdays within the foreseeable future (together with my very own): Ding Dong cake! Impressed by the beloved childhood deal with, the cake is completely chocolatey and paired with probably the most luxurious cream filling. It’s enjoyable, the textures are wonderful, and it’s simply so satisfying.

And sure, it has a brilliant foolish title, however let’s simply look previous that as a result of this cake actually is a star 😉

The three parts of this Ding Dong cake:

• Chocolate cake base that’s tender, chocolatey, and melts in your mouth. It additionally holds up effectively to refrigeration, which is vital since this cake ought to be refrigerated.
• Silky clean filling produced from quaint ermine frosting. That is not too candy and completely emulates the filling in Ding Dongs! In contrast to conventional buttercream frosting, ermine frosting really begins on the stovetop with granulated (not powdered!) sugar. It may be bit tough to make, so try my troubleshooting part earlier than beginning to keep away from any points.
• Fudgy chocolate ganache frosting which, once more, completely emulates a Ding Dong.

As a result of ermine frosting generally is a bit finicky and the chocolate ganache generally is a little tough to gauge, I wouldn’t essentially name this Ding Dong cake an “simple” recipe to make. Nevertheless, it’s additionally not a tough recipe both, so I’d say it’s intermediate. Actually although, I feel anybody might make this cake in the event that they comply with the directions carefully. 

Personally, that is considered one of my favourite truffles (it’s proper up there with carrot cake!), and I can not wait so that you can strive it! Let’s dig in!

What You Want

For the Cake

Let’s first go over the important thing substances within the cake layers for this Ding Dong cake. Then I’ll spotlight just a few substances for the filling and frosting.

• Buttermilk. Buttermilk makes this cake is extremely moist, tender, and flavorful. For those who don’t have the true stuff readily available, my simple buttermilk substitute will work–however I extremely advocate getting the true factor if you happen to can.
• Sizzling espresso. The reasoning behind including scorching espresso is twofold; first, including a scorching liquid will assist “bloom” the cocoa powder and intensify its taste. Second, including espresso particularly may even up the chocolate taste (with out making the Ding Dong cake really style like espresso!). For those who don’t have any espresso readily available although, highly regarded water will work. I preserve on the spot espresso readily available particularly for utilizing in my truffles.
• Cocoa powder. It’s vital that you just use pure cocoa powder since we’re solely utilizing baking soda on this recipe. Dutch course of cocoa might trigger rising points. For those who’d wish to study extra about this distinction, learn my put up on pure vs. Dutch course of cocoa.
• Sugar. I like to make use of each granulated and light-weight brown sugar in my chocolate cake; this not solely provides depth of taste, but it surely additionally makes the cake extremely moist too!
• Egg + egg yolk. Including an additional egg yolk to the batter makes this cake supremely tender and melt-in-your-mouth. For those who don’t wish to throw away the egg white, put it aside for meringue cookies or candied pecans.

For the Filling & Topping

• Granulated sugar. Utilizing only one cup of granulated sugar as an alternative of a number of cups of powdered sugar means this ermine frosting is way much less candy than your traditional buttercream frosting. It additionally means the frosting have to be cooked on the range to dissolve the sugar–extra on this beneath!
• Flour. This may appear to be a wierd ingredient for a frosting, however flour is a traditional ermine frosting ingredient. It thickens the filling base right into a pudding-like consistency, which we are going to let cool after which whip into butter.
• Butter. It’s crucial that your butter is softened to room temperature (however not melty) earlier than combining it along with your cooked filling base. If it’s not, your filling might curdle OR prove too runny. I exploit unsalted butter.
• Vanilla. I really want to make use of clear synthetic vanilla extract for the filling to imitate the intense white coloration and synthetic taste of the filling in actual Ding Dongs. Be at liberty to make use of common vanilla extract although!
• Chocolate. Use semi-sweet chocolate, both from a chopped baking bar, couverture chocolate, or chocolate chips. Personally, I are likely to keep away from making ganache with chocolate chips, however they will nonetheless work.

SAM’S TIP: Be certain to whisk your flour effectively (or sift it, after measuring) earlier than including the milk; in any other case, you would find yourself with a lumpy filling.

Bear in mind, that is simply an summary of the substances I used and why. For the complete recipe please scroll right down to the underside of the put up!

Make Ding Dong Cake

Make the Filling Base

For those who’ve ever made my whoopie pies or frosted a pink velvet cake, you’ve doubtless made this old style frosting earlier than. It seems to be a bit totally different from among the frostings I’ve shared up to now and is barely extra difficult, but it surely isn’t tough and is price the additional effort. Earlier than you’ll be able to whip this into what actually resembles a frosting, we begin with a easy roux as the bottom:

1. Whisk collectively the flour, salt, and sugar in a saucepan, then regularly pour within the milk whereas nonetheless whisking. Whisk till clean, then place over medium warmth.
2. Cook dinner over medium warmth, whisking continually, till the combination reaches a thick, pudding-like consistency. Pour the pudding right into a heatproof container, press a chunk of wax paper in opposition to the floor, and let cool fully.

Make the Cake Layers

1. Whisk the dry substances and sugars collectively in a big bowl.
2. Stir within the melted butter and oil till all the pieces is mixed–the combination might be thick.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla, then stir effectively till the batter is uniform and effectively mixed (scrape the edges and backside of the bowl now too!).
4. Drizzle within the buttermilk and stir effectively to mix.
5. Regularly and thoroughly add the new espresso, then stir till you may have a uniform batter. Scrape the edges and backside of the bowl once more as effectively.
6. Portion the batter into two lined/greased/floured 8″ cake pans and bake till a toothpick inserted within the middle comes out clear or with just a few moist crumbs (preferable!). Let the truffles cool of their pans for Quarter-hour earlier than inverting onto a cooling rack to chill fully.

Make the Filling

Solely begin this step as soon as your filling base has cooled fully! Don’t rush this course of, or you’ll find yourself with a greasy, runny filling.

1. Beat the butter with an electrical mixer on excessive pace till it’s mild and fluffy, then cut back the mixer pace to medium.
2. Add the cooled filling base one heaping spoonful at a time, ready till every addition is absolutely integrated earlier than including the subsequent. Don’t add it too quick or suddenly or the frosting will curdle.
3. Scrape the edges and backside of the bowl, then add the vanilla extract. Set the mixer to medium excessive and whip the frosting till clean. Use a spatula to work out any air bubbles.
4. Place the filling within the fridge to relax for 10-20 minutes whilst you put together the ganache. Don’t chill the filling too lengthy, although, or it would develop into too agency and tough to unfold.

Make the Ganache Frosting

1. Microwave the heavy cream and chocolate for 25 seconds, stir effectively, then microwave once more.
2. Whisk till fully clean, then put aside till it reaches a spreadable consistency.

Meeting

1. Stage your truffles then place the primary cake layer on a cake plate. I embody a hyperlink to my cake leveler within the “tools” part of the recipe card (it’s very cheap and was a worthwhile buy, I present how I exploit it in my “find out how to adorn a cake” tutorial!), however when you’ve got a gentle hand you should utilize a pointy serrated knife, as an alternative.
2. Add all the filling and clean the highest with an offset spatula or knife. It’s loads of filling and can spill out the edges some! Make the filling as stage as you’ll be able to (some will nonetheless squish out, that is superb!).
3. Place the second cake layer on high and use an offset spatula to clean the edges, utilizing any frosting that’s squished out to make a naked-cake layer coating across the exterior of the cake. Place the cake within the freezer for 10-Quarter-hour.
4. Unfold the cooled chocolate ganache over the edges and high of the cake and clean with a spatula. Let the cake sit within the fridge for not less than Quarter-hour for the ganache to set earlier than slicing and serving. Longer is healthier, the cake will develop into sturdier the longer it sits within the fridge.

SAM’S TIP: Leveling your truffles is all the time a good suggestion, but it surely’s particularly vital with such a tender frosting/filling because the ermine frosting we’re utilizing for this Ding Dong cake. If the truffles are too domed, they’re more likely to slide off each other!

Troubleshooting: Ermine Frosting

Ermine frosting just isn’t a very difficult frosting, however it may be a bit fussy and curdle (however don’t fear, it may be mounted). Listed here are my ideas for excellent ermine frosting:

• Have persistence. Don’t attempt to rush the cooking course of for the roux. Equally, don’t rush the cooling course of both…extra on this subsequent.
• Cool the roux. For those who combine the roux and the butter whereas the roux continues to be heat, it would create a greasy mess. Let it cool fully to keep away from this situation.
• Beware the butter. Soften the butter, however don’t let it get so tender that it’s melty or oily. Whether it is, your frosting might be far too runny. However, if the butter is simply too cool, your frosting might break up. Ideally, each the butter and the roux ought to be the identical temperature (close to room temperature).

Crucial factor you are able to do is to make it possible for the butter and roux/base are the identical temperature earlier than combining! In any other case, your frosting might be liable to curdling.

In case your comply with these guidelines and nonetheless run into points, strive these fixes:

• For frosting that appears too tender, strive letting it sit within the fridge for 20-Half-hour.
• For frosting that has curdled, merely preserve whipping till it comes collectively. If it seems to be prefer it’s simply getting worse, place the bowl within the fridge for about 20 minutes, then strive once more. More often than not, this does the trick!

Regularly Requested Questions

For those who’re searching for extra distinctive birthday truffles, strive my pistachio cake or snickerdoodle cake subsequent!

Get pleasure from!

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