If you grew up unwrapping those little chocolate cakes with the creamy centers, this recipe will hit all the right nostalgic notes—only better. Think tender chocolate layers, a fluffy vanilla cream filling, and a smooth, glossy chocolate ganache on top. It’s bakery-level good without being fussy.
You don’t need special tools, just a couple of bowls and a whisk. And yes, it tastes like the classic snack cake—only richer, fresher, and way more satisfying.
What Makes This Special
- Better texture: Soft, moist chocolate cake that stays tender for days.
- Real cream filling: Light and cloud-like without being overly sweet.
- Shiny ganache: A smooth, glossy shell that sets beautifully and slices clean.
- Make-ahead friendly: The flavors improve as it chills.
What You’ll Need
- For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee (or hot water)
- For the Cream Filling:
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- For the Ganache:
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for extra shine), optional
- Pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the pans: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a second bowl, whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine and add coffee: Add wet to dry and whisk just until smooth.
Stir in hot coffee. The batter will be thin—this is right.
- Bake: Divide batter between pans and bake 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks.
Cool completely.
- Make the cream filling: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cold cream to stiff peaks.
Fold the whipped cream into the cream-cheese mixture until light and uniform. Chill 15 minutes to firm up.
- Assemble layers: Level cake tops if needed. Place one layer on a plate.
Spread the cream filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch border so it doesn’t squish out. Top with the second layer and press gently.
- Chill before glazing: Refrigerate the stacked cake 20–30 minutes to set the filling.
- Make ganache: Heat cream until steaming (not boiling). Pour over chocolate, add butter and salt, and let sit 2 minutes.
Stir from the center outward until glossy and smooth. Cool 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Glaze the cake: Pour ganache over the chilled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Chill 30–45 minutes until the ganache sets.
- Slice and serve: For clean slices, use a warm knife (dip in hot water, wipe, slice).
Keeping It Fresh
- Refrigerate: Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The filling is dairy-based, so keep it chilled.
- Freeze: Freeze slices wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Make ahead: Bake cake layers a day ahead; wrap well and refrigerate.
Fill and glaze the next day.
Benefits of This Recipe
- Familiar flavor, upgraded: All the nostalgia with richer chocolate and fresher cream.
- Simple method: No complicated techniques—just basic baking steps.
- Customizable sweetness: Adjust sugar in the filling or use darker chocolate for a less-sweet finish.
- Reliable results: Moist cake that doesn’t dry out and a ganache that sets smoothly.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Rushing the chill: If the cake isn’t chilled before ganache, the filling may ooze out.
- Overmixing: Mix the batter just until smooth to avoid a tough crumb.
- Too-hot cream for ganache: Boiling cream can split the chocolate. Warm until steaming only.
- Warm kitchen: If it’s hot, keep the cake chilled longer so the filling stays firm.
Recipe Variations
- Mini Ding Dong cupcakes: Bake batter in lined muffin tins (16–18 minutes). Core, fill with cream, and dip tops in ganache.
- Chocolate-on-chocolate filling: Fold 2 tablespoons cocoa into the cream filling for extra chocolate punch.
- Peppermint twist: Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract to the ganache and sprinkle with crushed peppermint.
- Gluten-free: Use a quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and ensure other ingredients are GF-certified.
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free milk, plant butter, and coconut cream for ganache; swap in a dairy-free whipped topping.
FAQ
Can I skip the coffee in the cake?
Yes.
Replace it with hot water. Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee, but water works fine.
My ganache is too thin. What should I do?
Let it cool a few more minutes to thicken, or stir in a small handful of extra chocolate.
It should flow slowly, not run like syrup.
How do I keep the filling from squeezing out?
Leave a border when spreading the cream, then chill the stacked cake before adding ganache. Leveling the layers also helps.
Can I use boxed cake mix?
You can. Prepare two 9-inch rounds from a chocolate mix, then follow the filling and ganache steps for a faster version.
Do I need Dutch-process cocoa?
It’s preferred for a smoother, deeper chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa works.
Just keep the recipe as written for leavening balance.
Final Thoughts
This copycat Ding Dong cake brings the best parts of the original—soft cake, creamy center, glossy chocolate—without the waxy coatings or artificial aftertaste. It’s simple enough for a weekend bake but polished enough for a birthday. Chill it well, slice with a warm knife, and enjoy a nostalgic favorite made truly from scratch.
Copycat Hostess Ding Dong Cake Recipe That Tastes Better Than the Original - Rich, Creamy, and Easy
Ingredients
- For the Chocolate Cake: 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee (or hot water)
- For the Cream Filling: 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- For the Ganache: 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for extra shine), optional
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep the pans: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a second bowl, whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine and add coffee: Add wet to dry and whisk just until smooth. Stir in hot coffee. The batter will be thin—this is right.
- Bake: Divide batter between pans and bake 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks. Cool completely.
- Make the cream filling: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cold cream to stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream-cheese mixture until light and uniform. Chill 15 minutes to firm up.
- Assemble layers: Level cake tops if needed. Place one layer on a plate. Spread the cream filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch border so it doesn’t squish out. Top with the second layer and press gently.
- Chill before glazing: Refrigerate the stacked cake 20–30 minutes to set the filling.
- Make ganache: Heat cream until steaming (not boiling). Pour over chocolate, add butter and salt, and let sit 2 minutes. Stir from the center outward until glossy and smooth. Cool 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Glaze the cake: Pour ganache over the chilled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Chill 30–45 minutes until the ganache sets.
- Slice and serve: For clean slices, use a warm knife (dip in hot water, wipe, slice).
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