Raspberry Zinger Cake

This Raspberry Zinger Cake is just like the Hostess packaged treat in 9×13 pan form! Moist white cake, smooth filling, a little coconut and a touch of raspberry flavor come together to make this dreamy dessert so so SO good!

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Piece of Raspberry Zinger Cake on a white plate

Wanna know a little secret?? Two of the most visited recipes here at Dance Around the Kitchen are Hostess copycats. Yep, that’s right. The Twinkie Cake and the Ding Dong Cake are both big winners and if you’ve ever tried them, you aren’t really surprised at all.

So, naturally, I thought about other Hostess products that are hugely popular and the Raspberry Zingers come to mind. I’ve always thought they were so pretty and vibrantly colored, so I gave it a go. And I’m SOOOO glad I did!

Ingredients Needed

White Cake Mix + ingredients needed to make the cake (most brands say egg whites, oil & water)
Raspberry Gelatin – Or change it up!! Prefer strawberry or cherry?! Go for it!
Flour
Milk
Salt
Sugar
Butter
Shortening
Vanilla
Sweetened Shredded Coconut
Whipped Topping (homemade or store-bought)

How to Make Raspberry Zinger Cake

First, bake the cakes!

Be sure to prepare the pans correctly before baking. You’ll want one 9×13 pan that is just greased and the other lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper will be super helpful once you’re ready to put the cake together!

prepared cake batter in a glass bowl with a whisk — Mix the cake batter according to package instructions.

cake batter being poured into a greased 9x13 inch pan with a measuring cup — Mix the cake batter according to package instructions.

Next, make the filling.

In order to have a super smooth filling, be sure you’re keeping a close eye on the milk + flour mixture. It’s important to whisk constantly to avoid clumps.

milk and flour in a large pot on the stove being whisked — Whisk together the flour and milk and cook on low heat, stirring constantly.

thick flour mixture in a pot — Whisk together the flour and milk and cook on low heat, stirring constantly.

Put it all together!!

Seeing all of the tasty components come together is the fun part!! Just be sure that the cakes are completely cooled before moving on to this step.

second layer of cake placed on top of the filling layer with the parchment being removed. — Carefully lay the other cake over the filling, gelatin side down and peel off the parchment paper.

whipped topping being spread over the top of the cake. — Carefully lay the other cake over the filling, gelatin side down and peel off the parchment paper.

This cake is GOOD, you guys. It does have a few steps, but I can promise it’s totally worth it. I like to think of this cake as a combo of a poke cake and a layer cake….the best of BOTH worlds!

What Hostess or Little Debbie creation should I “copycat” next?! Tell me in the comments below! Until then, one more close-up of this beauty! (insert alllll the heart eyes here!)

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Follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a recipe!! And as always, thank you for following along with my blog, making my recipes, liking and sharing on social media and any other way you support Dance Around the Kitchen! -Kelsey

kelsey

Moist white cake, smooth filling, a little coconut and a touch of raspberry flavor come together to make this dreamy dessert so so SO good!

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Cooling Time 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

Cake

1 box white cake mix + ingredients to prepare
1 3 oz pkg raspberry gelatin divided
¾ c boiling water

Filling

5 tablespoon flour
1 c milk
½ c shortening
½ c butter
1 c sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping

1 8 oz tub whipped topping
1 c coconut
½ tablespoon water

Instructions

Make the Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F and gather two 9×13″ pans.
Prepare one pan with cooking spray and line the other pan with parchment paper.
Prepare the cake mix according to box instructions and evenly divide the batter between the two pans.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until cakes are done. Poke holes in each cake with a fork.
Remove 1 tablespoon raspberry gelatin powder from the bag and set aside. Add the remaining gelatin to the ¾ cup boiling water and stir until dissolved. Brush over both cakes and refrigerate to cool.

Make the Filling

In a saucepan, mix flour and milk with a whisk.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thick; remove from the heat and let cool.
In a large bowl (or stand mixer with a whisk attachment), beat the shortening, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until fluffy.
Add the cooled milk mixture and beat until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Spread the filling over the cake in the pan (without parchment paper).

Assemble

Place the other cake over the filling, raspberry side down, and remove the parchment paper.
Spread the whipped topping on the cake evenly.
In a small bowl, stir together the 1 tablespoon raspberry gelatin, ½ tablespoon water and coconut until well-combined and sprinkle it on top.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.