Ding Dong Cake

If you grew up eating Ding Dongs from the snack aisle, this cake is about to take you right back to childhood. Except this version is bigger, better, and feeds a crowd.

This Ding Dong Cake is a rich chocolate sheet cake layered with a fluffy cream cheese filling and topped with a glossy chocolate ganache. It is the perfect copycat of those little individually wrapped Hostess treats, blown up to 9×13 proportions.

The best part? It starts with a cake mix, so you can have this assembled in under an hour. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill in the fridge.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Tastes like a giant Ding Dong. Rich chocolate cake, sweet cream filling, shiny ganache. Every layer is spot on.
• Uses a cake mix. No fussing with cocoa powder ratios or creaming butter. The box does the heavy lifting so you can focus on the good stuff — the filling and ganache.
• Feeds a crowd. A 9×13 pan gives you 12 generous slices. This is a potluck winner every single time.
• Better the next day. The layers set up and meld together overnight. Make it ahead and it actually improves.
• No special decorating skills needed. Spread, pour, chill. That is it. The ganache does all the work of looking impressive.

Ingredients

• Chocolate cake mix (1 box). Any standard 15.25 oz box works perfectly. Devil food or dark chocolate varieties give an even deeper flavor.
• Eggs, oil, and water. The standard cake mix additions. Follow the amounts here rather than the box — the slightly different ratio gives a denser, fudgier crumb that holds up to the filling.
• Cream cheese (8 oz). Must be softened to room temperature. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in your filling no matter how long you beat it.
• Butter (1/2 cup). Also softened. This makes the filling silky smooth and gives it that melt-in-your-mouth quality.
• Powdered sugar (3 cups). Sweetens and thickens the cream filling. Sift it if yours is clumpy.
• Vanilla extract. Just a teaspoon rounds out the cream filling with warmth.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup). The base of your ganache. Semi-sweet gives the right balance — not too bitter, not too sweet.
• Heavy cream (1/2 cup). Heated and poured over the chocolate to create that pourable, glossy ganache.

How to Make Ding Dong Cake

Step 1: Bake the Chocolate Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 inch pan. Mix the cake batter according to the instructions above and pour it into the pan.

Bake for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely. This is not optional. If you add the filling to a warm cake, it will melt into a soupy mess.

Step 2: Make the Cream Filling

Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time on low speed so it does not fly everywhere.

Add the vanilla and beat on medium-high for a full minute. You want this filling light, fluffy, and spreadable. Spread it evenly over the cooled cake and pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Make the Ganache

Heat the heavy cream until it just starts to simmer. Pour it over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 2 minutes without stirring. Then stir gently until smooth and glossy. Add the butter and stir until it melts in completely.

Pour the ganache over the cream filling and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it to the edges. The ganache should be pourable but not too hot — if it is too hot it will melt through the cream layer.

Step 4: Chill and Serve

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing. The ganache firms up into a fudgy shell and the cream layer sets perfectly. Slice into squares and serve cold or at room temperature.

Tips and Variations

• Use room temperature ingredients. Cold cream cheese and butter will not beat smooth. Set them out at least 30 minutes before you start.
• Add a layer of whipped cream. For an even more authentic Ding Dong experience, fold 1/2 cup of whipped cream into the cream cheese filling for extra lightness.
• Make it from scratch. Swap the cake mix for your favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe. Just bake it in a 9×13 pan.
• Drizzle instead of spreading the ganache. For a more rustic look, drizzle the ganache in lines across the top instead of spreading it edge to edge.
• Top with sprinkles or crushed Oreos. Add them right after pouring the ganache while it is still wet so they stick.

Storage

• Refrigerator. Cover tightly and store for up to 5 days. This cake must be refrigerated because of the cream cheese filling.
• Freezer. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Serving. Let slices sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before eating if you prefer a softer texture. The ganache will be fudgier at room temp.

Print Pin

4.80 from 7 votes

Ding Dong Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix 15.25 oz
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for ganache

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.
• For the cream filling: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat on medium-high for 1 minute until light and creamy.
• Spread the cream filling evenly over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 15 minutes while you make the ganache.
• For the chocolate ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour it over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and glossy.
• Pour the ganache over the cream filling layer and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Let the cake cool completely before adding the cream filling — if the cake is warm the filling will melt and slide off. Store in the refrigerator for the best texture. This cake tastes even better the next day once all the layers have set together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

This Ding Dong Cake is the ultimate nostalgic dessert blown up to party size. Three layers of pure indulgence — fudgy chocolate cake, fluffy cream cheese filling, and glossy chocolate ganache. It takes about 50 minutes start to finish, looks like a bakery made it, and every single person will ask for the recipe. Trust me, this one disappears fast.