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We love all of the chocolate cake in this household. It’s probably why we have so many delicious chocolate cake recipes! We are currently loving this Chocolate Ho Ho Cake!
It is great! Every time I bring it somewhere I am constantly getting asked for the recipe because it is just that good!
The cake is very moist and the frosting divine! You truly will feel like you are eating a grown-up Hostess Ho Ho cake. You will have a hard time limiting yourself to one piece, and that’s okay, live a little! 😉
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate cake mix
- Cake mix ingredients on the box
- Flour
- Half and Half
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Sugar
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Butter
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
How to make Chocolate Ho Ho Cake
- Make cake according to directions on package (or use your favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe). Let cake cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk flour into half and half over medium heat on stove top. Whisk constantly until very thick, similar to the consistency of thick pudding or custard- it will take a couple of minutes. Cool completely (place in refrigerator if you want to speed the cooling process). Stir in vanilla. In a mixing bowl, mix 1 cup softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add cooled flour/milk mixture to butter/sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy (will take a couple of minutes). Spread on cooled cake.
- Dump chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat heavy cream and pour hot cream over chocolate. Let sit for a minute; stir gently to melt. Cream butter and powdered sugar in another bowl and then stir the two mixtures together. If you want it to be thicker, add more powdered sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more whipping cream. Spread on cake immediately because the frosting starts to set up and become grainy in appearance if you let it sit for long.
Storing and Other Tips
Store cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If you find out that you don’t have whipping cream or it unfortunately expired, you can try this whipping cream (heavy cream) substitute recipe from Eugenie Kitchen to make your own!
Other Chocolate Cake Recipes You’ll Love
- Thin Mint Poke Cake Recipe
- One Bowl Chocolate Cake (made from scratch) Recipe
- Snickers Cake (Gooey Caramel Chocolate Cake)
- No Bake Chocolate Raspberry Eclair Cake
Chocolate Ho Ho Cake
Rich and chocolatey with all the goodness of the Hostess treats we all love! Our chocolate ho ho cake will bring you right back to your childhood without restricting you to what’s in that tiny package.
Serving servings
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 (15.25 ounce) chocolate cake mix
- Ingredients called for on cake mix
Filling:
- 5 Tablespoon flour
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Frosting:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup butter, (softened)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Equipment
Instructions
- Make cake according to directions on package (or use your favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe). Let cake cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk flour into half and half over medium heat on stove top. Whisk constantly until very thick, similar to the consistency of thick pudding or custard- it will take a couple of minutes. Cool completely (place in refrigerator if you want to speed the cooling process). Stir in vanilla. In a mixing bowl, mix 1 cup softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add cooled flour/milk mixture to butter/sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy (will take a couple of minutes). Spread on cooled cake.
- Dump chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat heavy cream and pour hot cream over chocolate. Let sit for a minute; stir gently to melt. Cream butter and powdered sugar in another bowl and then stir the two mixtures together. If you want it to be thicker, add more powdered sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more whipping cream. Spread on cake immediately because the frosting starts to set up and become grainy in appearance if you let it sit for long.
Notes
With the whipping cream and Half & Half you will want to refrigerate it. It’s fine to be left out for a little while while eating it, but refrigerate after making it and any uneaten portions.
Nutrition
Calories: 395 kcal · Carbohydrates: 45 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 24 g · Saturated Fat: 13 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 72 mg · Sodium: 299 mg · Potassium: 160 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 33 g · Vitamin A: 569 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 64 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Question: You say in the last paragraph to “add the remaining powdered sugar.” Does this mean you don’t use the whole 2 cups when mixing with the butter? Or do you mean extra powdered sugar?
Thanks for the recipe. It looks SO good! 🙂
Sorry about that! I changed it . . . if you want a thicker frosting, you can add more powdered sugar. But 2 cups is about perfect. 🙂
Oh man my husband would be loving me with this cake. He is obsessed with Hostess treats but we only get them rarely. So cute!
This is INSANITY, Camille! I totally loved Ho-Ho’s as a kid and am SO missing all my fave Hostess goodies. I think I could go to town eating this cake, haha 😉
I want it! NOW!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Easy .. delicious… yum!!!!
I have a friend’s birthday coming up, this would be great!
Happy Monday!
Sheree
The Hartungs Blog
thehartungs.blogspot.ca
My parent’s 62 wedding anniversary is coming up. This cake is going to be perfect for it.
YUMMO!!! Thanks again for linking to Simple Supper Tuesday.
I found you on Totally Tasty Tuesdays. I really like your blog. I am starting a blog party and hope you will come over and share a few of your recipes! http://rediscovermom.blogspot.com/2013/02/tried-and-true-recipes-party-2.html
I found you through Tried and True Recipe Party~ What a great cake:) now following you on GFC~ Lynn H @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
These are made of awesome sauce! What a great sweet treat. Thanks for sharing on Marvelous Mondays! Pinning and sharing on my Facebook page.
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
That looks delicious!
Yum. Going to try this frosting on my brownie cake:)http://www.sewsweetvintage.com/2013/02/flourless-knockout-ninja-brownies.html
I am not a cook but I had to check out chocolate Ho Ho Cake. Wow, decadent.
Oh my! This looks delicious!
Thanks for linking up to this week’s Catch a Glimpse Party. I’ll be featuring this tomorrow. 🙂
Oh This is such a welcome relief! I loved Ho Ho’s! It’s sad they are gone! Now we can make this version. So Yummy! Thanks for sharing at Show Me Your Plaid Monday’s!
I made this cake last week and I have been dreaming about it since. It is amazing! Thank you. 🙂
This sounds good. I would like to make it a day ahead but wonder if chocolate icing would look grainy the next day. Recipe said use right away. Has anyone had that issue? Thanks.
I’ve just made it and the filling is very grainy and seems to be separating. I was sure to cool the milk mixture very well. Not sure why it is separating. Any ideas or fixes?
Made this for my husband’s birthday 🙂 AMAZING!! For the cream I used a blender to blend it enough to get rid of the graininess. And to Erin did you use butter or margarine? That could be why it is separating. The only thing I may change is I might add more butter to the powdered sugar or melt the butter. I could never get it to cream and that again could be why the frosting turns out grainy. Even with using a blender for the chocolate frosting it still would not smooth out before it started to set.
cannot wait to try it! Does it need to be refrigerated?
With the whipping cream and Half & Half you will want to refrigerate it. It’s fine to be left out for a little while while eating it, but refrigerate after making it and any uneaten portions. Hope this helps!!
This is actually my second time making this cake 🙂 I made it last year for my husband’s birthday and he LOVED it! So when I asked my daughter what to do for this year it was a no brainer 🙂 I didn’t have a big issue with the graininess off the chocolate. I just used the mixer a bit longer to help smooth it out. And what graininess there was, was more in looks than taste.
my son’s favorite cake, can’t tell you how many I have made, lost my old recipe, but this sounds out of the world, he will have it this week, thanks so much
I have done this one for years but i changed the name to Better than Sex cake cuz it is better to me than the BETTER THAN SEX CAKE..and who know…at 65 I am gonna say well I will stop…
I’m not sure what I did wrong! My chocolate icing is coming out with lumps. I attempted it a second time, sifting the powdered sugar, and same thing. Any tips?!
Hi Amelia, I’m sorry you are having trouble with the icing. I went out to the post and reviewed all the comments to see if anyone else was having problems. I read where one lady said to melt the butter instead of having it just softened. That might be helpful.
This is my mom’s signature dessert! A must at every Christmas gathering! I know after spreading on the cream filling she refrigerates it until it’s firm. I read some folks are having issues with the icing. My mom taught me to work fast and keep spreading and moving it. It will separate some but usually I can keep pushing and spreading it. Honestly it’s taken me a couple times of making it to work out the kinks and be able to make it as good as my mom! All I know is regardless of how the top layer ends up looking, the family fights over the last piece!
Thanks for sharing your tips on this Chocolate Ho Ho Cake!
I can’t wait to make this. Can I use heavy cream in the filling instead of ½ and half?
Yes, Heavy cream will make it that much yummier!
This cake is so delicious. When I made the cake, I substituted sour cream for the water.