I found this fab-looking Ding Dong Cake recipe on Chocolate, Chocolate and More and knew that I had to try making it gluten free. We had some family over this past weekend so I decided to use the extra company as an excuse to whip up a large and decadent cake.
It. Was. Amazing.
Rich chocolate cake, Light, smooth, creamy filling topped with a decadent chocolate ganache.
We may or may not have shared a slice before dinner. Don't tell 🙂
And despite the beauty of it and the number of steps, gluten free ding dong cake really isn't too difficult to make. If you've never made a cake from scratch, I'd recommend starting with something a little more basic but in reality, you could probably pull this off and wow all your friends.
Enough talking though, go MAKE THIS CAKE!
Gluten Free Ding Dong Cake
This gluten free ding dong cake is a decadent, beautiful addition to any spread! It is a tender gluten free chocolate cake that is sure to wow all your guests and while it takes a little longer to make, it is very easy and well worth the effort!
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 3 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (original recipe says you could use chocolate chips)
- 1 ½ cups hot water or brewed coffee
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- ¾ cup neutral oil (like avocado vegetable, or canola)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups high quality gluten free flour (add 1 ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if flour doesn't have any)
- 1 ½ cups cocoa powder
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
FOR THE FILLING:
- ¼ cup high quality gluten free flour (See notes)
- 1 cup milk (I do not recommend non or low fat)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup butter (I used real, salted, butter)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
FOR THE GANACHE:
- 1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Lightly spray two 9" round cake pans with cooking spray. Use your pans to trace two 9" circles on parchment paper and cut them out. Place inside your cake pans. This will make removing your cakes a lot easier!
- Preheat oven to 325º F.
- Chop chocolate into pieces the size of chocolate chips and put into a medium bowl.
- Pour hot water over chocolate and let sit 2 minutes, chocolate should be completely melted.
- Stir until all melted chocolate is incorporated into the water. Set aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer (if you don't have one, just use your regular bowl and hand mixer), Whip eggs with whisk attachment about 3 minutes until frothy.
- Add canola oil, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix briefly to combine.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, xanthan gum (if needed) baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix on medium speed using paddle attachment for 3 minutes.
- Add chocolate mixture and mix until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly between the two pans, about ⅔ full.
- Bake cake for 30-40 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cake cool for 20 minutes in the pan before inverting onto cooling racks. Peel the parchment paper off the cakes and let cool completely.
TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Measure ¼ cup gluten free flour into a medium saucepan.
Gradually add milk, whisking as you go, until mixture is smooth.
Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick like a roux. After about five minutes It should be like a really thick, sticky pudding. Add vanilla.
Scrape mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool.
Meanwhile, in bowl of stand mixer beat butter and granulated sugar with whisk attachment about 8 minutes until smooth and very fluffy. Add milk/flour mixture and whisk another 5 minutes on high, scraping sides often, until it is no longer grainy. It should be creamy and fairly light.
Slice the mounded top off the cakes, so they are flat. and place one on a rack over a wax paper or foil-lined cookie sheet.
Spread filling evenly over this cake, and top with the other cake. Press down gently.
MAKE THE GANACHE:
Put chocolate chips in a medium bowl.
Heat cream and butter over medium heat just until boiling. Be careful not to scorch.
Pour cream over chocolate chips and let sit for a few minutes.
Stir together until mixture resembles a thick chocolate sauce.
Slowly pour ganache right over your cake. It will spread over the cake as you pour, but you may have to smooth it out a little with a spatula so the ganache runs down the sides.
Cool in the fridge until the ganache is set. This cake is best if you let it sit in the fridge overnight.
When ganache is set, you can remove the cake to a serving platter, slice and serve.
Store leftovers (if there are any!) in the fridge.
Notes
Flour matters! I have tested this recipe using GF Jules and Better Batter. Both of these options work well for the cake and the filling. I do not recommend using a bean-based flour blend for this recipe.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 742Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 573mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 2gSugar: 62gProtein: 7g
Melissa @ The Glen House says
Great photos and a great recipe!
lifeafterwheat says
Thanks! It's such a fun cake to make...also fun to eat 🙂
Joan@Chocolate and More says
Your cake looks fabulous! So glad you enjoyed it and you were able to make it Gluten Free too!
lifeafterwheat says
Thanks for the inspiration Joan, it was a huge hit!
Julia says
I'm new to GF and love your site! I followed this recipe, and the cake was too oily to eat. Is 3 cups of canola oil correct? Thanks!
LifeAfterWheat says
Julia I am so sorry, major typo! It is actually 3/4 cup oil and I will change the recipe accordingly. Thanks for letting me know, I hope you get to enjoy it another time!
Strength and Sunshine says
Even before I was GF, I don't know if I ever had, one! Haha! But they look fun!
LifeAfterWheat says
Not so healthy Rebecca, but fun...definitely! Next time you indulge you should give this cake a go!
Paula says
I think this may be my birthday cake!
LifeAfterWheat says
Definitely!
johnna | In Johnna's Kitchen says
WoW! I completely understand having a slice of this before dinner. Looks delectable.
LifeAfterWheat says
Completely justifiable right? Hope you give it a try!
Sarah | (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean says
Oh wow this looks incredible. Do you deliver? 🙂
LifeAfterWheat says
Sarah that depends on how far 😉
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
This cake looks fabulous! I just want to take a spoon to that ganache!
LifeAfterWheat says
I might have done that 😉
Audrey @ Unconventional Baker says
Whoah, that is one impressive-looking cake! <3 Who needs ding-dongs when you can have a jumbo version anyhow 😉
LifeAfterWheat says
My thoughts exactly Audrey!
Nancy says
Great looking cake and wonderful site! I'm really new to gluten free eating (1 week!) and also need to give up dairy. Do you think I could substitute the milk for almond milk?
LifeAfterWheat says
Welcome to gluten free Nancy! Between the semi-sweet chocolate and buttermilk, this isn't a recipe I would try to convert to dairy free. Sorry 🙁 There are, however, lots of mouth watering dishes on my site that are ALREADY dairy free, I hope you try them! My personal favorite are the Nutella Stuffed Rice Krispie Treats, you would just use Justin's Hazelnut spread instead of Nutella (I actually prefer it that way)
Rita Dieckmann says
This looks Deeeelicious!! I don't have to bake gf for anyone in my family,however, I do look for gf and also try to watch the dairy(I use buttermilk,she can have that) for someone special in our family circle. Here's my question, if I want to use regular flour (if making just for us) are the ratio's the same? Also, I sometimes use Krusteaz brand gf flour ( I find it at Sam's Club, and it works for her if used occasionally), have you ever tried it or know if the ratios would be the same for it? It says that it has xantham gum in it and uses whole grain sorghum flour,brown rice flour, whole grain Millet flour, rice flour and 2% or less of food starch-modified(tapioca),whole grain quinoa flour, xantham gum.
Then MAY contain milk,soy and eggs.
I hope that you're still responding to questions on this post and that this isn't to crazy of a post!! I would really love to make this, for New Years Eve...please help ☺?
LifeAfterWheat says
Hi Rita! This cake is so wonderful, I know you'll love it! I have no experience with making this with regular wheat flour, and I also haven't baked with the Krusteaz brand. Sorry! I highly suggest using my flour blend or gfJules. gfJules really is a must for the filling! You can find it at some natural foods stores or order online, check her website gfjules.com to order or go to https://gfjules.com/buy-local/ to see a list of stores. Have a wonderful New Years, and don't be afraid to ask more questions if they arise!
Vanessa says
Just reading the recipe and have noticed that after setting aside the chocolate it seems to be omitted from the recipe. Please can you change this? Orherwise a fabulous cake - am making it for a wedding cake.
LifeAfterWheat says
Thanks for pointing that out Vanessa, I’ve added that step to the recipe. You add the chocolate along with the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Enjoy!
Julie says
The addition of chocolate mixture is still missing from the instructions.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com says
Thanks for pointing that out Julie! I added it in.
Myndi says
If using cornstarch instead of the jules flour for the filling would the ratios be the same?
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com says
Yes, they should be the same. A few times when substituting cornstarch I have had to add a little extra to get the right texture, so just watch the consistency. -Celeste
Amanda says
Who doesn't love ding dongs?!! I always ate the filling first! I would be one happy camper with a big slice of this.
KT says
Maybe you have to be a professional to make this. Every bit of this recipe was a complete disaster for me. Complete waste of time and ingredients.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com says
I'm so sorry it didn't work KT! Success can definitely depend on the flour you use, what kind of flour did you try?
Kaylen Anthony says
There is something not right about this recipe. I double checked the ingredient list three times because the batter didn’t look right. The cake was very light brown and really watery. I baked it longer than the recommended time in the recipe, checking every 2 minutes after the first timer went off, and it never set properly. The cake looked like a gingerbread cake and did not taste chocolatey at all. Perhaps the recipe lists the wrong amount of chocolate? We had to throw the cakes away. Luckily, I was preparing for a bday party a day ahead and still have tomorrow to make a different recipe. I don’t mean to be rude, but don’t waste your ingredients. Very disappointing.
thereislifeafterwheat@gmail.com says
Kaylen I am so sorry! Somehow the cocoa powder was left out of the recipe, I just added it back in.