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Gluten-free Vegan Homemade Ding Dongs

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Blah, blah…gluten-free vegan homemade Ding Dongs. Blah, blah, read more words. Words. Words. I know, this is a ridiculous intro but I am serious when I say that there is really no use in reading anything I have to say about this recipe. All you need to know is that you need to make these.

Super easy-to-make homemade copycat Ding Dongs that happen to be unbelievably gluten free and vegan.

I feel ridiculous in saying blah blah, but for reals…blah blah. Words. Just know that there is a soft, ultra chocolate-y cake waiting for your teeth to sink into and then…surprise! A velvety smooth cream filling. Watch out for those fingers too because that chocolate coating will get all over them. Mmmmmm, I wish I took a picture of my face upon taking my first bite. I finished it in a matter of seconds.

Super easy-to-make copycat homemade Ding Dongs that happen to be unbelievably gluten free and vegan.

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Gluten-free Vegan Homemade Ding Dongs

Homemade Ding Dongs

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Cara Reed
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 22 mins
  • Total Time: 27 mins
  • Yield: 8 1x
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c. superfine brown rice flour
  • 1/2 c. sorghum flour
  • 1/4 c. potato starch
  • 1/4 c. arrowroot powder
  • 1/3 c. dark cocoa powder
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 c. nondairy unsweetened milk (I use almond), room temp
  • 1/3 c. mild-flavored oil
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

For the cream filling:

  • 1/4 c. nondairy whipped cream

For the chocolate coating:

  • 1 c. nondairy chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ round cake pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Create a well in the middle and pour the wet ingredients in. Mix together with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  3. Pout into the cake pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back nicely when gently touched. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
  4. Using a 2 /4″ (58 mm) round biscuit cutter, slice through the cake until you have 8 circles cut out. You may use a smaller or bigger cutter, just keep in mind that the serving amount will change.
  5. Create a small hole in the bottom of each cake (do not puncture all the way up to the top and also reserve that piece of cake) and pipe nondairy whipped cream in. Place the cake piece back into the bottom and repeat for all rounds.
  6. Gently dip each cake round into the melted chocolate. Be careful as they are very fragile so make sure you are using a fork to hold the cake on the bottom as a means to easily lift up. Allow to set on a piece of wax paper and freeze for 20 minutes.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 8
  • Calories: 409
  • Sugar: 37g
  • Sodium: 201mg
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 11g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 61g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 6mg

 

Might I make a suggestion here? You might be reading the dark cocoa powder in the ingredients and are thinking, “Well I only have regular cocoa powder. No biggie right? It won’t make much of a big deal.” Wrong. I’m telling you, you will want the dark cocoa to live in your pantry forever. It’s makes your recipes taste so rich and creamy, it will immediately take your cake to the next level. It’s that good. Then again, you can use the regular cocoa powder but don’t come crying to me that your cake isn’t as ooey gooey rich as you thought it would be. I warned you.  Then again, if you have never tried it before you really won’t know what you are missing…

Super easy-to-make copycat homemade Ding Dongs that happen to be unbelievably gluten free and vegan.

 If you make these, I would love to see a photo! Post it on Instagram and tag me in there–I love seeing all your creations of my recipes. Just delights me. Here is my Instagram photo that I had to share with the world:

Ding Dongs 2

Regardless, just make these now…

 

namastasty

 

About Cara

Based in Chicago with her husband and son, Cara is the creator behind the site Fork and Beans: A place where kids can have fun with their food.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelly Love

    Hi there,
    I found this blog through another blog, mydarlingvegan, and love what I am seeing. Although the ingredients for gluten/diary free treats is very expensive! I love finding new recipes to try for my family(my daughter is allergic to wheat and my sister has crohn’s). I did have a question for you about the ding dong recipe, what kind of mild-flavored oil did you use? Looking forward to trying these and others from your blog:) Thanks for sharing!

  3. Janet Paula

    In the recipe you say to pure into a cake pan. My question is: a round or square pan; which one will give you more rounds. Thanks.

  8. Janet Paula

    I, too, never heard of these. Can you tell me what is the difference between them and Hostess Cookie Sandwiches.

    • Cara

      That is a great question and with the products you buy in the store, the difference are slight. For the Ding Dongs, the cakes are a little denser and the cream filling is fluffier. For the cupcake in the original Hostess Cupcakes, it’s lighter and more moist. The filling is denser and the top of the cupcake is the only part that is coated in chocolate. For my recipe recreations, the differences are the Hostess cookie sandwiches are 2 cookies with a marshmallow filling and the Ding Dongs are an actual cake filled with coconut whipped cream. Hope this helps!

  12. jill

    please suggest a dark cocoa powder…these look awesome. glad to have found your site today. I have been a bit sulky wondering how to make things to love w/o eggs.

  13. Beth

    Which kind of vegan whipped cream do you use, Cara? Also, did you use your regular flour blend for the recipe? Looks awesome! Can’t wait to try these tomorrow!

    • Cara

      All I do, Beth, is chill a can of coconut cream for at least overnight and then whip it up with an electric mixer. I add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 3 Tbsp powdered sugar for the fun of it ☺

  14. Neil

    Question: The title says gluten-free, but the first ingredient is flour. Is there a more specific flour–like a gf flour mixture?

  16. Susan

    Oh my! Those look insanely good! My kids tend to cringe at the word “vegan,” even when the food is delicious. Guess that means I’ll have to eat them all myself. 😀

  17. Christine

    I would like tips on dipping these in the melted chocolate. Every time I have melted chocolate chips, it’s pretty thick. I am just imagining these cakes crumbling into pieces. How do you get such a light chocolate coating? Thanks!

    • Cara

      Okay here is what I do Christine:
      I use Enjoy Life chocolate chips that seem to melt rather nicely. If you can’t find that, I would say getting a few dark chocolate bars and breaking them up. Put into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds. At 30 seconds, take it out and stir it. Place back in for the remainder time. They shouldn’t be completely melted at this point but the bowl should be warm enough to melt within seconds of stirring. Add about 1-2 tsp. of shortening or solid coconut oil (whatever you have on hand)and stir until everything is melted. Once it is, take a fork to guide your Ding Dong circle into the chocolate and get the bottom coated. Using the fork, guide it out and place on a piece of wax paper. Take a spoon and coat the top of the cake with about 1 Tbsp. chocolate and just allow it to ooze over on the sides. You can smooth it out with the back of the spoon.
      That is probably your best bet. Just make sure that your cakes are completely cooled down. You can even freeze them prior to dipping but do make sure that they have come to room temp because if you dip them into the chocolate when still cold, they will harden the chocolate. Hope this helps! xo

  21. Melissa

    OMG! You are going to make one allergy kid and the rest of my family very HAPPY! Let’s just hope I can pull it off and make these; I will send you a instagram pic when I do . Thanks for all you do = )

  23. Laurel

    Geez, Cara, I just gained 3 lbs from your blondies and now you want me to make Ding Dongs? Cover them with marshmallow and pink coconut, c’mon. Tell me you’re going there. Damn, I loved Hostess treats.
    You are so cute and talented. Don’t think I can’t see those wings sprouting from your shoulder blades either. You can’t hide. What next?

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