Ding dong cake

My husband's birthday is coming up, and he has requested a cake-sized replica of a Hostess Ding dong (!). He knows I am not an advanced baker, so I have been granted artistic license, but I'd like to do the best I can without getting into anything beyond my skill level. Any ideas/recipes? Wondering in particular, of course, about the "mystery filling" and chocolate shell.

Kristen W.
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6 Comments

ATG117 February 25, 2012
Never made this recipe,

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/02/homemade-devil-dog-ding-dong-or-hostess-cake/

but Deb's recipes can usually be trusted. For your purposes and to make things easier, I would halve everything (or not--depending on how many you want) and instead of using cake pans, make cupcakes (or if you don't have cupcake pans, make the cakes and cut circles out with a glass, but I think cupcakes would be best). Then I'd fill the cupcakes with the marshmallow cream by filling a pastry bag and inserting into the cupcakes or by hollowing out a bit of the cupcake and filling it with frosting. Then, glaze the cupcakes with the ganache.
 
Kristen W. February 24, 2012
Thanks, all, for the excellent suggestions. I will definitely look into these. (Juli, you mean brewed coffee, as opposed to grounds, correct?)
 
Juli G. February 24, 2012
Yes, and the bottom part is because my mom preferred this icing for her whoopie pies. I did not see it before I posted lol.
 
Juli G. February 23, 2012
I would do the chocolate cake recipe off the Hershey's Cocoa can, it is super moist (I do switch half the water for coffee though. Then put Italian icing in the center (recipe to follow) you may want to double the recipe. And last but not least glaze with ganache. Don' t forget to save a little icing to do the squiggle on the top.

2 ½ TB Flour
½ Cup Milk (Whole)
¼ Cup Butter (room temperature)
¼ Cup Vegetable shortening
Pinch Salt
½ Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
Whisk the flour into the milk in a medium sauce pan switch to a rubber spatula and stir till a thick paste is formed. Remove from heat place in a bowl and refrigerate till cold. Cream butter and shortening together till light and fluffy. Add cold paste, sugar and vanilla. Beat till creamy and sugar is dissolved.
Spread icing on flat side of cake and top with another to make a sandwich. Keep in refrigerator till ready to serve.
 
amysarah February 23, 2012
Ah, the Ding Dong....but we knew it as a Ring Ding (at least in NYC area.) I think the recipe above is for a version of the Yodel - a rolled affair, and my personal childhood favorite. Still, it's the same vocabulary and might do the trick (Ding Dong beggars can't be choosers.)
 
Mr_Vittles February 23, 2012
Check this out. Its not very hard to do and tastes exceptional. http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/04/heavenly-chocolate-cake-roll/
 
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