You don't have to be a kid to enjoy this dessert that tastes like a Ding Dong. Make your own for holidays, birthdays or any special occasions. It's chocolate cake with a fluffy vanilla cream filling and a chocolate ganache glaze on top.
Cake:
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetend cocoa powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2/3 c. (11 T.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 c. hot coffee
Cream Filling:
1 1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar
1 t. pure, clear vanilla extract (clear for a whiter filling)
Ganache:
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped
1 c. (8 oz.)heavy cream
2 T. light corn syrup
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line two 8 inch baking pans with parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes; add eggs and vanilla; beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk; beat; repeat until all of the flour and buttermilk has been used. Add the coffee; mix until smooth.
Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes in the pan; turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Filling:
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk over medium heat; bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until thick like a roux. Remove from heat; stir in the vanilla.
Allow the mixture to cool completely, stirring every few minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the cooled milk mixture; whip until white and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
Ganache:
Heat heavy cream until steaming, but not boiling. Add the chocolate to the cream; allow to sit for 2 minutes. (Use a little jug to easily pour the ganache over the cake later.)
Carefully stir until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
Stir in the corn syrup; allow to cool to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Assembly:
Level the cooled cakes, if necessary. This recipe makes even cakes, but if the temperature of the oven is too high, you can get domed cakes. Keep them on the wire rack, place wire rack over the top of a baking sheet.
Add all of the cream filling to the top of one cake and smooth it into an even layer; top with the second cake layer; level off the cream from the sides to make the ganache sit nicely and so that the cake will have smooth edges. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Pour the cooled ganache over the cake. Use an offset spatula to gently guide the chocolate to all sides of the cake, and to smooth the sides slightly.
Place the cake in the refrigerator to set the ganache for about 1 hour.
Serve.
12 servings.
*The Ding Dong cake should be covered and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.