Ding Dong Cake

12 standard portions

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Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetend cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
• ½ cup hot coffee
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• ⅓ cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Use clear vanilla for a whiter filling)
• 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate bar (chopped)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (160°C fan oven), grease and line two 8” baking pans with parchment paper and set aside. I like to use the pre cut parchment circles for convenience.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy (3 minutes), then add eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until pale and fluffy
4. Add half the flour mixture and half the buttermilk and beat, and repeat until flour and buttermilk has been used up
5. Add the coffee and mix again until smooth.
6. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
7. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until it’s thick like roux. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
9. Allow the mixture to cool completely, stirring every few minutes.
10. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
11. Add the cooled milk mixture and whip again until white and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes; set aside
12. Heat heavy cream until steaming (not boiling! As it might separate), add the chocolate to the cream and allow to sit for 2 minutes. I like to use a little jug to easily pour the ganache over the cake.
13. Carefully stir until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
14. Stir in the corn syrup and allow to cool to room temperature (at least 30 minutes)
15. Level the cooled cakes if necessary (but this chocolate recipe makes even cakes, maybe if the temp of the oven is too high, people can get domed cakes), keeping them on the wire rack, place wire rack overtop of a baking sheet
16. Add all the cream filling to the top of one cake and smooth it into an even layer, top with the second cake layer, then level off the cream from the sides (this will make the ganache sit nicely and the cake will have smooth edges). and place into fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
17. Pour the cooled ganache over the cake, you can use as offset spatula to gently guide the chocolate to all sides of the cake, and to smooth the sides slightly
18. Place cake into the fridge to set the ganache, about one hour. Slice and serve.