Not hoho as in Santa, but hoho as in Hostess. But the name sure is fitting for the holidays, no?

If you’re looking for a non-cookie holiday dessert, you’re in luck. It’s delicious and chocolatey and fun and frisky.

Oh, and it’s really healthy too! It barely has any butter.
Not.

The cake is very simple, but there are a few steps to follow.

Don’t complain though – it just means that you have more bowls and beaters to lick.

I gotta tell you… I am not a fan of hoho’s. No judgement please. In fact, in my entire life I’ve probably only consumed a bite of one hoho and thrown the rest out. They just don’t do it for me.

So I had no intentions of loving this cake. But our friend Barb first made it for us last year over the holidays and I have wanted to make it ever since. It blew my mind.

It definitely does do it for me.
Don’t ask me why it took me 12 months to make it. I don’t have all the answers. Plus, my mouth is full.

The cake covers all bases. If you love hoho’s, you will absolutely adore this cake. And if you don’t love hoho’s… you will still want to go to town on this dessert. I promise.
I highly suggest throwing it in the fridge or freezer. Mr. How Sweet is usually the one in this house that loves his cake and frosting chilled, but I have to admit that this cake takes the cake. Especially when chilled. It is pure heaven.

I made it for my brother’s birthday on Sunday, and of course I had to sample a piece before the party.

I kept thinking, just one more bite.

Oaky, maybe another.


HoHo Cake

Your favorite chocolate cake (either boxed mix or from scratch + ingredients)

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare your favorite chocolate cake (I used a Devil’s Food boxed mix). Grease and flour a jelly roll pan. Pour batter in the pan and spread around until it’s even. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes; this will depend on the cake you bake, but begin to check it after 15 minutes.

Remove cake and let cool for 30 minutes. While cake is cooling, mix middle layer.
For middle layer:

1 cup butter

3 cups powdered sugar

½ cup milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

Cream butter and slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until mixture is thick. Stream in the milk and vanilla extract, beating until the icing is combined and spreadable.  Spread in an even layer on chocolate cake. Set in the freezer for 15 minutes while you make the chocolate frosting.
For chocolate frosting:

½ cup butter

¾ cup cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

8-10 tablespoons of water, added one at a time

Cream butter and vanilla. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar until combined. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until mixture is smooth– you want the frosting to be spreadable, but not thin.

Remove cake from freezer and frost. Store in the fridge.

I think we all know how this ended.