Mimi's Organic Eats » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes » Organic Hostess Cake

Organic Hostess Cake

Name: Hostess Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 113 grams salted butter ((softened)); 170 grams cane sugar; 2 large eggs ((room temperature)); ½ cup milk ((room temperature)); ¼ cup heavy whipping cream ((room temperature)); ¼ cup sour cream ((room temperature)); 127 grams cake flour; 43 grams Dutch cocoa powder ((sifted)); ¾ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 71 grams powdered sugar ((sifted)); ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; dark chocolate ganache sauce; 1 tablespoon salted butter ((softened)); 71 grams powdered sugar ((sifted)); 2 teaspoons milk

Chocolate Desserts • Nostalgic Desserts • Cakes & Cupcakes • Gluten Free • No Seed Oils • High Altitude | Published June 17, 2021 by Mimi Council

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This Hostess Cake is just like the classic nostalgic Hostess Cupcake but in a giant cake form! Rich chocolate cake is filled with whipped cream frosting and topped with dark chocolate ganache and that signature white squiggle.

If you love nostalgic desserts, try some of my other favorites like my Homemade Worms in Dirt, Vegan Snickers Bars, or my Homemade Vanilla Oreo Cookies.

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Tools Needed
Step by Step Instructions
Baker's Tips
FAQ's
Craving More?

If you were a fan of Hostess Cupcake as a child, then you will love this Hostess Cake! I've recreated the iconic cupcake, but as organic cake! This moist chocolate cake is filled with whipped cream frosting, topped with chocolate ganache and that signature Hostess squiggle!

While I was not allowed to eat Hostess Cupcakes as a child, I did have them a few times at friends houses or at school when I could convince someone to trade me for one. So, they were definitely a sought after dessert as a child of the 80s! But, now that I'm an adult (with a credit card) and my own kitchen, I can easily make this Hostess Cake anytime I want!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Nostalgic: This Hostess Cake is incredibly nostalgic! If you grew up eating the Hostess cupcakes, then this is exactly like that, but in cake form! I rarely ever got a Hostess cupcake as a child as my mom didn't buy them. But, sometimes I got to enjoy one at a friends, which kind of made me obsessed!

Chocolate + Whipped Cream: This organic cake is a rich and moist chocolate cake that's filled with whipped cream frosting. It's finished off with chocolate ganache and that signature squiggle. The light and fluffy whipped cream frosting compliments the rich chocolate cake just perfectly.

Perfect for Any Party: You can't go wrong with this Hostess Cake, no matter what you're celebrating! This organic cake is a nostalgic cake that everyone will love.

Organic Cake: While you can still buy Hostess Cupcakes at the grocery store, they are filled with laundry list of terrible ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, enriched flour, cottonseed oil, and soy (just to name a few I can actually pronounce!). When you make this Hostess Cake at home, you're voiding potentially harmful ingredients while still enjoying a nostalgic treat.

Ingredients

Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter, you can use your favorite. Just be sure the butter is soft before beginning the cake batter.
Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar, which is less processed than granulated white sugar. This makes it better for you (or not as bad, I guess, it's still sugar!) and it also gives baked goods a natural sweetness versus being overly sweet.
Vanilla Bean: I use organic ground vanilla bean, which gives this chocolate cake more depth of flavor. If you don't have this, you can also just use vanilla extract as well.
Eggs: Use large eggs.
Milk: Use whole milk and ensure its room temperature. Using room temperature dairy will prevent the butter from seizing up when the dairy is added in. This will prevent cake batter from getting lumps and then becoming dry. Whole milk is also important as you want all the fat in that milk. Reduced fat milks have more water, which can dry out your cake.
Sour Cream: I use organic sour cream for added moisture and fluffiness in this chocolate cake.
Cake Flour: I use homemade organic cake flour, but store bought also works!
Dutch Cocoa Powder: Use organic Dutch cocoa powder for a rich and sweet chocolate cake. I don't use natural as it's less sweet so I don't like it as much for desserts.
Baking Powder: Use baking powder, not soda. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
Salt: Use fine sea salt.
Heavy Whipping Cream: You'll need heavy whipping cream for the whipped cream frosting. I love Organic Valley, but you can use your favorite. Just be sure to use a high quality heavy cream for the best flavor. Unpasteurized or pasteurized both work.
Powdered Sugar: You'll need organic powdered sugar for the filling and also the squiggles.
Vanilla Extract: Use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
Chocolate Ganache: I top this organic cake with chocolate ganache sauce, make sure to make this ahead of time. If you have a store bought chocolate fudge sauce that you like, this also works. King's Cupboard makes a good organic option.

Tools Needed

Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results! I love scales as they also make baking easier and don’t make as many dishes as you can measure into just one bowl.
Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for this recipe, but if you prefer you can use a hand mixer too. But you’ll need a mixer of some kind.
6-inch Cake Pans: I use two 6-inch cake pans for this organic cake.
Parchment Paper: Make sure to use parchment paper for easy removal of the cakes, my favorite nontoxic parchment paper is Kana.
Cake Turntable: I use a cake turntable. But, this is optional for this recipe if you want a more rustic look you can easily put the whipped cream frosting in the middle without.
Piping Bag: I use a piping bag to pipe the signature squiggle. A zip bag also works if you don't have a piping bag.
Decorating Tip: I use Ateco tip #6, which is just a small round tip. If you don't have this you can also just cut a hole in your piping bag as well.

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Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Make sure to make the chocolate ganache sauce ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.

Step 2

To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and cane sugar and mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks.

Add the eggs, milk, heavy whipping cream, and sour cream and mix on low to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix so there are no butter chunks on the bottom or sides.

In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the cake flour mixture and mix on low until combined and you have a smooth cake batter. Divide evenly into the two cake pans, about 368 grams each.

Step 3

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).

Step 4

To make the decorating frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, add the butter, powdered sugar, and milk and whisk until you have a smooth frosting. Transfer to a piping bag with decorating tip #6.

Step 5

To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk on low and gradually increase speed until stiff peaks form.

Step 6

To assemble the cake, place the first cake layer on a cake plate or spinner. Add the filling on top and spread evenly. Place the second cake layer on top. I went around the sides with a cake spatula as well to smooth it.

Add chocolate ganache on top, enough to cover the top of the cake. Pipe squiggles on top in one line down the middle of the cake.

Baker's Tips

Make the Dark Chocolate Ganache Sauce ahead of time, so it has time to cool to room temperature. You want the ganache to be room temperature so it just coats the top of the cake and doesn't run down the sides too much.
Make sure the cake is completely cooled before assembling. The filling is a whipped cream frosting, so it will suffer if the cake is warm at all.
This organic cake also has to be stored in the fridge because of this filling.
The decorating frosting is completely optional. It's only to make it look like the iconic Hostess Cupcake, it really serves no other purpose than that! So, if you want to skip this step, that's totally okay! Or if you bake frequently and have any sort of icing, cookie decorating frosting or writing frosting around – that will do too!

FAQ's

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

If you want to make this ahead of time, I'd recommend just baking the cake layers and chocolate ganache the day before. You can wrap them in plastic wrap and then assemble the cake the day of. The whipped cream is best when it's fresh. And this is a naked cake, so it's not covered on the sides. This can make the cake dry out if prepared in advance.

Can I make this gluten free?

Yes, there's a simple adjustment in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe to make this gluten free. I even link my favorite gluten free flour mix.

How should I store this cake?

Because this has a whipped cream filling, this cake needs to be stored in the fridge. You should store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.