Easy Homemade Ding Dong Cake [egg free dessert]

This homemade ding dong cake is an amazing egg free dessert: a layer of rich, fluffy vanilla frosting sandwiched between 2 thick layers of moist chocolate cake.

I have a bone to pick with cake pictures. I pour myself into a recipe, for an eggless homemade ding dong cake, and the taste is *smooch*chefs kiss* spectacular.

The fork-ability factor is 10/10; fluffy and spongy. Your utensil will glide right through it with ease, catching the rich chocolate glaze, and luscious marshmallowy filling.

Everything seems like a winning combination, right?

Wrong.

The pictures… my gosh, my frustration around these photos and photographing cake. ANY cake for that matter. But how can something look so good in real life, smell so sweet, and taste so moist and delicious just… fall flat in photos. What is the secret to all these food bloggers that make cake look good?

Truly baffling.

At least I can be honest and say, while the photos might suck, the flavor is there. Unlike some other recipes I have tried where the photos look like they belong in a magazine and the cake is… just not it.

So even with the lackluster photographs, I still present to you a delectable egg free dessert: this homemade ding dong cake ❤️

Let me discuss the logistics of this homemade ding dong cake!

Homemade Ding Dong Cake using Boxed Cake Mix

I use a Betty Crocker devils food chocolate cake mix; at the time of purchase and this post the label looks free and clear of our family’s major allergies (eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.) Always double check the ingredient labels.

To keep it fully homemade you could get away with making your own chocolate cake if you wanted. Or if you like, modify the recipe with my vegan chocolate cake recipe also known as WAcky Cake. Even though this recipe can be a stacked cake, I have not tried this combination yet so YMMV.

How to make an egg free cake using boxed mix

I actually have a separate post going into detail about this process. You can find it here. It is appropriately named “how to make an eggless boxed cake.” Again, the pictures might not be instagram worthy, but the method is really what matters.

That being said, I made some minor tweaks to the eggless boxed cake to make it more ‘bakery style’ with richer ingredients (read: more expensive) swapping water for milk and oil for butter. I truly think it amped the flavor and density. #worthit.

What type of filling is in Ding Dong Cake?

You have to have a thick, dense filling that will hold its shape well in this cake. For that reason, a vanilla ermine frosting is just right. It is super freaking creamy and rich and sweet. It balances out the chocolate cake layers perfectly. It almost has that ‘fake’ filling texture you can only achieve by purchasing store bought boxed cakes. Almost, but not exactly.

You will be happy to know that there is no laundry list of ingredients that goes into the filling, for that matter.

Vanilla ermine frosting has many variations out there, often associated with red velvet cakes. It is also referred to as a cooked flour or boiled milk frosting. That is because you have to cook it on the stove top first. You heat treat the flour this way, and melt the sugar down to give it a smooth consistency. A typical ermine frosting is not this sweet normally, but this recipe has bold and rich chocolate flavors that need a bit of sweetness.

How to make the best Homemade Ding Dong Cake

It is actually very easy to make, it just looks like a lot of steps.

It is broken down into three sections-

1- make the cake (very easy because it is a boxed cake mix)

2- make the frosting (also as easy as making a boxed Mac and cheese)

3- make the glaze (can you use a microwave? If yes, you got this!)

easy peasy!

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 or 325 depending on type of pan and boxed mix recommendations. Cut a circle of parchment to fit the bottom of 2 round 8” cake pans, and spray with oil.

Make the cake mix

In a small microwave safe bowl, heat the butter until just melted. Set aside and allow to cool slightly while preparing other ingredients.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the boxed cake mix, yogurt, flour, milk and melted butter. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated. The batter will be THICK.

Evenly divide batter into two 8” cake pans. Spread the batter with a spatula into an even layer since it is thick. Don’t worry it will bake up just fine.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until baked through/toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for a few mins then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper.

Make the Vanilla Ermine Frosting

In a small pot, (keep the heat off still) combine flour and sugar and whisk until smooth.

Place on stove and heat to medium-low, slowly mix in the milk a quarter cup at a time. Keep whisking over several minutes until it forms a pudding like consistency.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Next in a medium mixing bowl, add softened butter and beat until light and airy.

Add the cooled milk-flour mixture and beat well again for several minutes until smooth and fluffy. Lastly add the vanilla and stir in until incorporated.

It is NOT lost on me how this picture above looks like mashed potatoes and gravy! Haha

Assemble the Cake

Once the cake has cooled, place one layer of the cake on a cake stand or whatever you choose to serve your cake on.

Next add the entirety of the ermine frosting, topping it in the middle of the cake and spreading out into an even layer just to the edges. It helps to use a spatula or offset spatula to spread.

Then, place top layer of cake on gently, pressing down slightly to make sure it is level. Use an offset spatula to scrape the filling around the gaps so it is uniform.

Prepare the Chocolate Glaze

In a small microwave safe dish, add chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir, add more time if not melted completely. Once melted, add in 1 teaspoon of avocado oil to make it extra smooth.

Pour the glaze over the cake, beginning in the center and smoothing out with an offset spatula.

It will cover the entirety of the cake, starting from center and working outwards and down the sides. You will probably have to wipe the bottom of the cake stand if you want clean lines, if you don’t care then leave the extra glaze there! This glaze will harden in the fridge and when at room temperature soften but not melt.

I recommend refrigerating the cake for 20 minutes or longer so it is easier to cut, but it is not necessary! As you can see from the photos, I did not put it in the fridge first so the frosting filling is quite soft and sticky.

Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days.

Things that helped in the kitchen for this recipe, and can help you too:

Kitchen scale -from amazon, this one I used for 1-2 years, its inexpensive but gets the job done! The one I currently have is unavailable, but maybe your luck will change that when you stumble upon this post!

Glass mixing bowl set – I love how versatile these bowls are and super easy to clean!

Wire Rack – for cooling, baking and roasting; this size is great for the USA half sheet pan

Food thermometer (amazon) to check the temperature of basically everything and anything. One of my most used and underrated kitchen tools.

Offset/ angled spatula- perfect for spreading chocolate, frostings, icing, or smoothing savory foods like mashed potatoes (amazon)

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This comes at no cost to you, just like a free Disney travel agent. I’m only here to make suggestions that hopefully help you 🙂