Giant Ding Dong Cake Food

GIANT CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a second large bowl until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating after each addition to incorporate; beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium, add the flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
• Roll the dough into 6 balls (about 1 1/2 cups each). Divide 4 of the balls between 2 rimmed baking sheets (2 balls per sheet). Flatten them into 6-inch circles using your hands; make sure the circles are 2 inches apart. Bake until just set, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining 2 balls of dough.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, beating between additions, until incorporated.
• Assemble the cake: Place a cookie on a cake stand or serving plate and spread the top with some frosting. Top with another cookie and more frosting; repeat with the remaining cookies and frosting, making sure the frosting on the top layer is spread smooth.
• For the ganache: Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream and butter to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes; stir until melted and smooth.
• Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, smoothing the top with a small offset spatula and letting it drip over the sides. Decorate the rim of the cake with the peanuts. Let stand at room temperature until the chocolate hardens, about 10 minutes.

GIANT DING DONG CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch springform pan.
• In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix and instant pudding. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, oil and water. Mix until well blended. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack before removing from pan.
• Slice a 1 inch thick slice off of the top of the cake and set aside. Scoop out the cake for the center of the bottom part to within 1 inch of the sides. Discard or save for another use. To make the filling, whisk together the flour and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Set aside to cool completely.
• Once the flour and milk mixture has cooled, beat the 1/2 cup shortening, butter, sugar and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the milk mixture and continue to beat for 4 more minutes. Spoon into the center of the cake and replace the layer sliced from the top.
• Combine the chocolate chips, 1/4 cup shortening, corn syrup and water in the top of a double boiler. Heat, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Pour warm glaze over the top of the cake and smooth over the sides. Refrigerate until serving.

DING DONG CAKE

Steps:

• Crumble the Ding Dongs on the bottom of a 9x12-inch pan.
• Beat the cream cheese, pudding and milk together.
• Pour over the crumbled Ding Dongs.
• Top with the Cool Whip.
• Keep refrigerated.

SALTED CARAMEL "DING DONG" CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment-paper rounds; coat paper. Place cocoa powder and chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Pour hot coffee over. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla; set aside.
• Whisk cake flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with chocolate mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Divide batter evenly between pans; smooth tops.
• Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes (cakes will deflate slightly). Run a knife around pans to loosen cakes; invert cakes onto racks. Peel off paper and let cakes cool completely. Turn cakes over.
• If needed, use a long serrated knife to cut off bumps or trim dome from top of each cake to create a flat, even surface.
• For caramel ganache:
• Place chocolate and salt in a medium bowl. Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium deep saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber, about 9 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over medium heat until caramel bits dissolve. Pour over chocolate in bowl. Add vanilla; stir until mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly.
• Place 1 cake layer in springform pan. Pour 1 cup ganache over. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Cover remaining ganache and let stand at room temperature.
• For filling and assembly:
• Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a small heatproof glass or metal bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over; let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes.
• Pour water to a depth of 1/2" into a small skillet set over medium heat. Transfer bowl with gelatin to skillet; stir until gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from skillet. Set aside.
• Place cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Using an electric mixer, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add gelatin; beat filling until firm peaks form.
• Spoon filling over chilled ganache on cake layer in pan; smooth top. Gently place second cake layer on top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill until cream layer is set, at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Remove sides from springform pan. Using a knife or offset spatula, scrape off any filling that may have leaked out from between cakes to form smooth sides. Transfer cake to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Rewarm remaining ganache until just pourable. (Microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, or set a metal bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water until just warm, not hot.) Pour ganache over cake, tilting cake as needed to allow ganache to drip down sides and using an offset spatula to help spread ganache, if needed, to cover sides of cake. Chill until ganache is set, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with a cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
• Sprinkle cake with flaky sea salt.