If you have been craving the classic Ding Dong cupcakes, you are going to love this Copycat Ding Dong Cake recipe. Whether you are looking for the perfect chocolate cake recipe or just want to be able to make your favorite cupcakes you remember from your childhood.
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Copycat Ding Dong Cake
Ding Dong cupcakes are a childhood classic. It is chocolate cupcakes that have a creamy vanilla filling. The cupcake is topped with a chocolate frosting and the trademark white frosting swirl on top. This cake brings all of these elements and makes one delicious cake.
Ingredients
- Flour- All purpose flour is best but self rising flour can be used as well.
- Sugar- All cakes need sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder- Using unsweetened cocoa powder makes this a chocolate cake.
- Baking soda- Baking soda heps to make the cake light and airy.
- Baking powder- If using self rising flour, you do not need to use baking powder.
- Kosher salt- A touch of salt brings out the flavor in a dessert.
- Buttermilk- The buttermilk helps to make the cake have a tender texture.
- Canola oil- Vegetable oil can be used as well.
- Eggs- It is best to use room temperature eggs.
- Vanilla- Pure vanilla is the best choice for the best taste.
- Coffee- Coffee in a chocolate cake will bring out the best flavor.
- Whole milk- Milk is added to the filling.
- Unsalted butter- Always use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in a recipe.
- Semi-sweet chocolate- Milk chocolate can be used as well.
- Heavy cream- Heavy Cream is used to make the chocolate ganache
- White cookie icing- This is used to make the Ding Dong cupcake markings
How to Make a Copycat Ding Dong Cake
Sift the dry ingredients together into a bowl.
In another bowl add the wet ingredients, except the coffee.
Turn the mixer to low speed and combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Then add in the coffee.
Combine well and scrape down the bowl to make sure it is all combined.
Add the cake batter to 2 prepared cake pans.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree over for 30 minutes or until the cake is done.
Remove the cakes and let it cool for 30 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans to cool completely.
Make the Filling
Add the milk and flour to a sauce pan and whisk until it is smooth.
Once the mixture is smooth, heat it over medium low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture becomes thick. If you stop stirring, the milk will scorch on the pan.
Add the vanilla and then remove it from the heat.
Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and beat it on medium high with a mixer. Beat it for about 8 minutes until it is fluffy.
Once the milk mixture is cooled, add it to the butter mixture and beat it together until it looks like whipped cream.
When the cake is cooled, spread the filling over the bottom layer of the cake.
Place the 2nd layer on top of the filling.
Place the cake into the refrigerator to chill.
Make the Ganache
Using a quart size microwave safe bowl, add the heavy cream and microwave it for about 3 to 4 minutes on high.
You want the heavy cream to simmer but not boil.
Add the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes
Pour the heavy cream into the quart sized microwavable bowl.
Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high.
Whisk the chocolate into the cream until it is smooth.
Pour the ganache over the cake.
Once the ganache has set, use the cookie frosting to draw loops across the middle of the cake.
Does a Ding Dong Cake Need to Be Refrigerated?
While most cakes do not need to be refrigerated, this Ding Dong Cake does need to be stored in the refrigerator. There is milk in the filling, so the filling will spoil if it is left out at room temperature for too long.
What’s Ding Dong Filling Made Of?
This filling is made from a combination of milk, sugar, butter, and vanilla. The filling has the same type of that is in the beloved Ding Dong Cupcakes.
More Copy Cat Recipes
- Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Levian Bakery Copycat)
- Copycat Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
- Oreo Shamrock Shake
- Copycat Berger Cookies
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls with Cinnamon Honey Butter
Copycat Ding Dong Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients:
Cake Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 C flour
- 2 C sugar
- 3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 C buttermilk
- 1/2 C canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 C freshly brewed hot coffee
Filling Ingredients:
- 5 TBSP flour
- 1 C whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 C unsalted butter softened
- 1 C sugar
Ganache Ingredients:
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 2 C heavy cream
- 1 tube white cookie icing
Instructions
Cake Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prep the cake pans with a coat of baking spray.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the mixing bowl until blended.
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Continue mixing the ingredients on low adding the coffee,
- Make sure that all of the ingredients are blended and include anything stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the two pans . Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. (Or until a inserted toothpick comes out clean)
- When the cakes have baked remove them from the oven and set aside for at least 30 minutes to cool. Next, remove the cakes from the pans and transfer them to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Filling Directions:
- Add the cold milk into a small saucepan. Add the flour to the milk. Whisk in the flour until smooth. After all of the lumps are blended into the milk turn on the heat to a medium-low. Continue to stir until the mixture becomes thick. Do not stop stirring until you remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside until completely cool.
- Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl beating on medium high speed for about 8 minutes. (Until fluffy)
- Once the milk mixture has cooled add it to the butter/sugar mixture beating until it resembles whipped cream.
- When the cake has cooled spread the filling over the bottom layer of the cake. Add the second cake to the top of the first layer. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator to allow to chill.
Ganache Directions:
- Pour the heavy cream into the quart sized microwavable bowl.
- Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwaving for 3 to 4 minutes on high.
- Continue to check on the cream and don't allow it to boil over.
- Set the ganache aside for at least 2 minutes so that it can thicken. Make sure that it has completely cooled before pouring it on the cake, Just before adding the ganache to the cake whisk it until it is smooth. Pour the ganache over the cake.
- Allow to set before piping on the loops across the middle of the cake to make the signature design on top
- Transfer the cake to a serving platter.
- Makes 12 servings.
Last Step:
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