Homemade Ding Dong Cake
Recipe adapted from Cakes by Courtney
Dark Chocolate Cake
*1 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
*1 cup Hot Water
*1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
*3 large Eggs, room temperature
*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
*1 and 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
*1 and 3/4 cup All-purpose Flour
*3/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder or Jet Black Cocoa Powder
*1 teaspoon Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
*2 teaspoons Baking Soda
*3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
Instructions for Cake:
*Preheat oven 325*F.
*2 Round 8–inch Cake Baking Pans, sprayed with cooking spray and parchment paper. Set aside.
Wet Ingredients:
In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, on medium-low speed, mix the Buttermilk, water, oil, vanilla and add 1 egg at a time and mixing until combined. Then gradually add the sugar until incorporated.
Dry Ingredients:
In a bowl sift together: Flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer with the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until all the dry mixture is incorporated, scrap down the sides as needed.
Evenly divide the batter in the two prepared baking pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or toothpick test, pock in the middle of cake and toothpick comes out clean or the center springs back when center is touched.
Cool in pans for 15 minutes only. Then remove cake from the pans and allow to cool completely on cooling rack.
Wrap cakes individually in plastic wrap and chill or freeze until ready to use. Note: Wrap cakes again with foil if using another day.
Level cakes by cutting off the tops with a leveling knife or serrated knife making tops flat, if needed when ready to decorate.
Decorating and Assemble Cake:
*Offset Spatula and Regular Spatula, for spreading ganache and filling
*Round Cake Plate or Cake Board
*Rotating Cake Stand for helping apply ganache, very helpful
Place bottom leveled cake, top side up, on your cake board or cake plate. Then add the filling, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick layer.
Place top leveled cake, top side down onto the filling.
Frost with a thin layer of the ganache to the sides, with the straight spatula, moving the cake stand with cake in a circle until sides are covered with the thin layer of ganache. Then with the offset spatula spread a thin layer to the top. Freeze cake for 15 minutes.
Remove from freezer and frost with the remaining ganache.
Store cake covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve, serve chilled.
Whipped Cream Filling
*Chill a Stainless Steel Bowl and Hand Mixer Whisk/Beaters, at least 15 minutes.
*3 tablespoons Cold Water
*1 tablespoon Unflavored Gelatin
*2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream, Cold, set 1/3 cup aside for heating
*1/2 cup powdered Sugar, sifted
*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions for Cream Filling:
In a small bowl add the cold water and gelatin, stir until combined, set aside for 10 minutes to bloom.
In a sauce pan bring the 1/3 cup of cream to a simmer and then remove from heat and add the gelatin mixture. Cool in the fridge, stirring frequently for 5 to 7 minutes. Note: You don’t want the gelatin to set.
Now, using your chilled bowl and whisk/beater, beat/whip the remaining cream, slowly adding the powdered sugar and then add vanilla. Whip/beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Then add the gelatin mixture and continue whip/beating until medium firm peaks form when you lift up whisk/beaters.
Cover cream mixture and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Ganache/Frosting
*2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips, like Ghirardelli
*1 and 1/3 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
Instructions for Ganache/Frosting:
Heat the cream in microwave safe bowl until hot but not boiling or use a double boiler on the stove and heat on medium heat until hot.
Remove bowl of milk from heat and add the chocolate chips, allow to sit 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir until chocolate chips melt and ganache becomes smooth and silky consistency. Allow cooling before frosting cake.
Enjoy!
Lindy
