Ding Dong Cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:

• 1 ¾ cups (219 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (90 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk, room temperature
• ½ cup (112 g) vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons McCormick pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (237 g) freshly brewed hot coffee

Filling (Ermine Frosting):

• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) butter
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla

Ganache:

• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 12 ounces heavy cream, room temperature

Instructions:

Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 2, 8-inch x 3-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. (8-inch cake pans with shorter sides may cause an overflow in your oven.) Set aside.
2. To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean with no wet batter.
6. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes. Then, turn them out onto a cooling rack to let them cool completely.

Filling:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk and flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3-5 minutes, or until no lumps remain and the mixture thickens and resembles a very thick pudding. It should coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the cooled milk mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy (2-3 minutes), pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Switch to the whisk attachment. Add vanilla and mix on high for 7-8 minutes, or until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Ganache:

1. Place the chocolate into a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl aside as you heat up the cream.
2. To a quart-sized, microwave-safe bowl, add the heavy cream. Microwave for 3-4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer, being careful not to allow the cream to boil over.
3. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand for at least 2 minutes so that it can thicken.
4. When ready to pour over the cooled cake, whisk the ganache until smooth and then pour. You may have some ganache left over.

Assembly:

1. If needed, level the cakes. Then, place one cake round onto your work surface.
2. Spread the filling over the cake. Top with the second cake round.