Description
Ding Dong Cake offers a delightful chocolate symphony of moist layers and creamy filling. Rich ganache and velvety cream combine to create an irresistible dessert you’ll savor with pure indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 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
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup (112 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 g) freshly brewed hot coffee
Filling and Ganache:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces (340 g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 12 ounces (355 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
Instructions
- Prepare the chocolate cake foundation by meticulously combining dry ingredients in a mixer bowl, ensuring thorough blending of flour, sugar, cocoa, leavening agents, and salt.
- Create a separate mixture of liquid components including buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, whisking until perfectly integrated.
- Gently incorporate wet ingredients into dry mixture, maintaining low mixer speed to prevent overmixing, then carefully fold in hot coffee until just combined.
- Distribute batter evenly between two prepared cake pans, ensuring smooth surface and consistent depth.
- Bake in preheated oven at 350°F, monitoring closely for approximately 35 minutes until a inserted toothpick reveals minimal moist crumbs.
- Allow cakes to rest in pans for half an hour, then transfer to cooling rack for complete temperature reduction.
- Craft ermine frosting by cooking milk and flour together, constantly stirring until achieving a thick pudding-like consistency, then completely cooling the mixture.
- Whip butter and sugar until achieving a light, airy texture, then gradually integrate cooled milk mixture.
- Continue beating frosting, adding vanilla and increasing speed to create an ultracreamy, smooth filling.
- Prepare chocolate ganache by heating cream until barely simmering, then pouring over chopped chocolate and allowing brief resting period.
- Whisk ganache until achieving silky, uniform texture, letting it cool slightly before application.
- Level cake layers if necessary, positioning first layer on serving platform.
- Spread ermine frosting generously and evenly across initial cake layer.
- Position second cake layer carefully atop frosting.
- Elegantly pour chocolate ganache over entire cake, permitting natural drips along sides for artistic presentation.
- Allow ganache to set momentarily before slicing and serving your decadent ding dong cake.
Notes
- Precision is key when measuring ingredients, especially in the cake and frosting stages, to ensure a perfect texture and taste.
- Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor dramatically, transforming the cake from good to extraordinary.
- Cooling the milk-flour mixture completely prevents lumpy frosting and maintains a silky smooth consistency.
- Whisking continuously during the ganache process prevents burning and ensures a glossy, even chocolate coating.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more effectively, creating a more uniform cake batter and creamier frosting.
- Letting the ganache set slightly before serving allows for cleaner, more elegant cake slices.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 573
- Sugar: 47 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 61 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg