Raspberry Zinger Cake
A delicious two-layer vanilla pudding cake, soaked in raspberry Jell-O, filled with marshmallow cream, then smothered with coconut! Um, Yes Please!!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 1 (15.25 oz.) box yellow cake mix
- 1 (5.1 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding
- 4 lg. eggs lightly beaten
- 1 c. water
- 1/2 c. melted butter cooled slightly
RASPBERRY TOPPING:
- 1 (3 oz.) box raspberry Jell-O
- 2 c. boiling water
- 2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 T. cornstarch
FILLING:
- 1/2 c. butter softened
- 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow crème
- 3 c. confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two (9-inch) round cake pans. Place two wire racks over two baking sheets; set aside.
- CAKE: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix and vanilla pudding mix. Make a “well” in the center. Add the lightly beaten eggs, water and cooled melted butter. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute until batter is smooth and thick. Spread evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 20 -25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched, or a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool completely.
- RASPBERRY TOPPING: Pour the Jell-O mix into a medium bowl. Pour the boiling water over Jell-O, whisk until dissolved. Pour into a large, shallow pan and set in the refrigerator until slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the coconut in a food processor and pulse a few times until coconut is in smaller pieces. Pour into a bowl and toss with cornstarch until coated; set aside.
- Trim the domed tops from cooled cakes. Dip the cakes one at a time into the slightly thickened Jell-O mixture, working quickly so the cakes don’t get too soggy and fall apart.
- Place cakes back on the wire racks and gently press the coconut onto the top of each cake. Let cakes set for 1-2 hours.
- FILLING: In a large bowl, beat a 1/2 cup softened butter, vanilla, and whipping cream on medium low speed. Add marshmallow cream and beat on medium until smooth. Slowly beat in confectioners’ sugar until just combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for one minute, until fluffy. Pipe frosting over bottom cake layer. Place top layer over frosted bottom layer. Slice and serve.
- Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.
Just tried your new strawberry zingers they are good but would be better with strawberry filling
Hi Leslie, Do you mean raspberry filling? That sounds like a great addition, let me know how that turns out. We put cream filling in the middle like original Hostess Zingers.
Is it raspberry pie filling or raspberry ice cream topping
Hi Beth,
No raspberry pie filling or ice cream here. You need to make a raspberry Jell-O topping that you dip the cakes in.
I hope that answers your question?
Dusty
Trying it now. Cakes are cooling for the 1-2 hr time, then will start the filling. Can’t wait to see how this tastes!! So far, so good! The worse part was coating the cakes with the jello. It fell apart, but I squooshed them back together.
Cake is finished and it taste EXACTLY like a little debbie zinger !!! Only thing I did different is went light on the filling. I used less than half because it is very sweet. Thank you for this recipe !!
Hi Liz, I’m so glad you liked it! I went a little lighter on the filling too! I saved the rest for the kids to dunk graham crackers in!
Is the butter you use for the cake and the filling salted or unsalted?
Hi Evelyne, I used salted butter, but you can use unsalted as well.
Dusty, thank you for posting this recipe. I made it yesterday and LOVE it. Raspberry Zinger was my favorite childhood treat and this cake certainly tastes just like it.
A little tip for the Jello, which made things much easier. I decided to let the Jello cool on the counter to a warm liquid and then poured it into a squeeze bottle. While assembling the cake, I was able to coat both the tops and sides by using the squeeze bottle, and then pressed the coconut onto the tops.
Thank you again! Wayne.
Great tip Wayne!
This is a great tip . I made this cake before and it was difficult for me to get the jello on the cakes with out them falling apart. I will try this.
I made this for my husband last year for his birthday and we loved it! Taste exactly like a zinger! I made it again today for valentines day!
I’m a little intimidated to dip the cake into the jello(in fear that it will break apart), so I keep it on the dry rack and place over the sink, then pour jello over it. However, It does take a bit longer for jello to thicken in a mixing bowl vs a flat pan
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe, it will forever be a favorite in our home!
Going to try this tomorrow but a bit confused. You level off the tops of cakes..do you dip them also? Then do you put tops or bottoms to the inside with the filling? Ty for yuh our help.
Hi Ruby, Yes, you level the tops of the cakes, then you quickly dip the tops in the Jell-o mixture, place them on the racks over a sheet pan, and press the coconut mixture over them, let sit for 1-2 hours. When ready, prepare filling. Place bottom layer on a cake plate. Pipe filling over the bottom layer and place the top layer over the filling. Warning: This does get messy, that’s why we use the baking sheets under the racks. Enjoy, I hope you love it as much as we do!
Can this cake be made in a 9 x 13 pan and assemble like a poke cake.
Hi Melissa, I don’t see why not. Let me know how it turns out.
I did that. I just poured the jello over my cake ( with holes poked in it) then frosted it with the filing then sprinkled the coconut on top. I also reserved about a 1/4 cup of the jello and mixed it in the coconut before I sprinkled it.
Have tried this as a layer cake and poke cake. Delicious either way, just prettier as a layer. Love a challenge. It’s a great hit here at the Breezy Lane Gang
The filling won’t thicken and it’s super sweet as well
Hi Heather, Hmm, not sure why it wouldn’t thicken? Is it really warm where you are? The filling is sweet and you will have extra, so you might want to use it for dunking graham crackers in.
Nailed it! Exactly like a Raspberry Zinger. Super easy to make. I cheated and spooned the Jello on the cakes.
Genius!! I could have saved a couple pairs of nitrile gloves also, I’m going to use that trick next time.
This recipe was AMAZING! I love the cream filling. It tasted exactly like a Zinger!
Not going to lie, I’m addicted to your recipe! I’ve made it a couple times already and it just gets better each time. Made muffin size ones yesterday and split them in half and shaved off the top so the jello absorbed but didn’t saturate, also had macaroon coconut that was fairly dry and already shredded perfectly and it honestly couldn’t taste any better!! You are amazing, thank you so much for your recipe!
I have made this cake twice and everyone loves it! Now everyone wants me to make one for them! It tastes how zingers tasted when Dolly Madison made them! Thank you ❤️
My daughter loves this cake. I make it for her Birthday every year. Today is her Birthday and I’m making one now.
Thank you, Carrie, I’m so glad she likes it! Happy Birthday!! 🙂