Posted 10/8/2013, 1:05 pm
When we used to cross the border into Texas, we almost always went to this little gas station stop outside of the border town that had a Wendy’s and Dairy Queen. We would buy so much junk at that gas station, I think the workers thought we were going into Mexico. But we had been out for so many months we needed a good ol’ junk food fix. One thing that was for sure was that my DH would buy some Hostess chocolate cupcakes. He just loves those things and inhales them in two seconds! So when we were going on a ‘junk food dry spell’ down here in Costa Rica, I decided to make some Hostess Cupcakes but bigger…and better. So a Giant Hostess Cupcake Cake was born. Imagine the chocolate cupcake times a lot…yeah, it was pretty great.
Delicious Rating: Wow, cake is just perfect Hostess cupcake consistency. I love the chocolate ganache too. Once it firms up it really looks and tastes amazing. The marshmallow filling was spot on too, especially fresh. Unfortunately, we don’t have temperature control in the house so once it warmed up just a little the consistency started to change but it still was good and worked out perfect. This chocolate layer cake is a fun and easy recipe. It is great for parties or special occasions that require a giant cupcake cake. It put a huge smile on DH’s face once I cut into it. He wasn’t expecting that middle filling at all. Cake surprises are so much fun!
Giant Hostess Cupcake Cake
Author: CookEatDelicious.com
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 75 mins Cook time: 50 mins Total time: 2 hours 5 mins
Yields: 8 huge slices
Serve with a tall glass of milk or coffee
Ingredients
–Chocolate Cake:
3 oz semisweet chocolate
1½ cups hot coffee
3 cups sugar
2¾ cups flour
1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups buttermilk
1 tbsp vanilla
–Marshmallow Frosting:
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp water
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
–Ganache Frosting:
½ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp light corn syrup
8 oz semisweet chocolate
2 tbsp butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Line 3 round cake pans with parchment paper and grease pans and paper.
Combine chocolate and hot coffee, stirring until smooth.
In a bowl combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
Beat in oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate until well combined.
Mix in flour mixture until just combined well.
Divide batter into the three pans and bake for 50-55 minutes.
Cool on wire rack completely before assembling cake.
In the meantime, start Marshmallow Frosting by combining all ingredients in a double boiler.
Beat mixture at a high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
Continue to beat off of heat and let cool.
Start Ganache Frosting by lightly boiling cream, sugar, and corn syrup, whisking until smooth.
Remove from heat and add in chocolate, whisking smooth.
Whisk in butter until ganache is smooth and let cool in a bowl.
To assemble cake, place first cake layer on cake plate and cut out a 6 inch circle in the center about ⅕ inch deep.
Top with second layer.
Cut out a large hole in the center (matching the bottome layer) of second layer, 6 inches accross and remove the extra cake.
Fill hole with marshmallow frosting, leaving ½ cup for top spiral.
Take the same measurement as you did the first layer out of the bottom of the third layer and seal it on top.
Spread a thin crumb coat of ganache on top and sides of cake.
Let cake chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so and thinly frost sides of cakes and let re-chill.
Use the remaing ganache to frost only the top of the cake, making a thick layer.
Let firm in refrigerator for 30 minutes minimum.
Top with a spiral using marshmallow frosting.
