Homemade "Little Debbie" Devil Squares

After experimenting for several years I'm now convinced you can make anything with unrefined, wholesome ingredients.  My repertoire now includes these little snack cakes.  They probably won't sit in a vending machine unspoiled for months, but they taste at least as good as the real thing! 

You can use this cake recipe to make ding dongs or a splended two layer, frosted cake.  In fact, the flavors are so deep and rich you can serve the mini versions at your next dinner party and no one will know they're "snack cakes" (just don't announce it by saying "Ding Dongs for dessert"). 

Most likely because of my sweet tooth, I often get questions about the organic whole cane sugar I use in my recipes.  I wrote a guest post this week at Simple Organic explaining in depth why I love this sweetener and how to practically apply it to your baking and cooking.  It might answer some of your questions, and help you recreate some childhood memories, without the crazy chemicals. 

  

Homemade Devil Snack Cake

Makes 10 3-inch cakes 

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup cocao powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons brewed herbal coffee (such as teeccino)

3/4 cup butter at room temperature
2/3 cup organic whole cane sugar or sucanat
2/3 cup muscovado
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and adjust rack to middle position. Line a 12 x 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, oil with butter, and dust with flour, knocking out any excess.  In a medium bowl sift the flour, cocao, baking soda and salt.  (There will be about 2 tablespoons of bran left in the sifter, discard.) In a small bowl mix together buttermilk, sour cream and herbal coffee.  In bowl of mixer, with paddle attachment, cream the butter, whole cane sugar, and muscovado. Start on low speed and then increase speed to high.  Beat for about 5 minutes, until light.  Lower speed to low and add the eggs and vanilla and mix until just incorporated.  Scrape down the bowl.  With mixer on low speed add a 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture followed by 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Repeat twice ending with the flour mixture.  Mix until just incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 16 minutes, or until a cake springs back when lightly pressed.  Cool completely.


Filling
Adapted from All Recipes

1/3 cup water
3/4 cup organic whole cane sugar or sucanat
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together water, whole cane sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer.  Set bowl over pan of barely simmering water and mix with handheld electric mixer at low speed (you can also do this by hand with a whisk).  Beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.  Place bowl on standing mixer and add vanilla to mixture.  With whisk attachment, whisk mixture an additional two minutes until cool and billowy.


Ganache

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 pount organic dark chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

Whisk together cream and maple syrup in a medium saucepan.  Bring to simmer over low heat.  Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Add butter to chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.

To assemble:  Cut cake into 20 3x3-inch squares. (Make sure the cake is completely cooled.  If not, it will be difficult to assemble the squares.)  Spoon a few tablespoons of frosting on 10 of the squares and then top with second square of cake.  Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of ganache on each cake and frost top and sides using an off-set spatula.