I found several sites offering elaborate recipes for creating this type of cake but I wasn’t up for that kind of time commitment.  I wanted something I could whip out quickly so I cheated and bought all the components at the grocery store.  Here’s what I used…

1.5 boxes of Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate cake mix
1 jar of Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate frosting (to create the fudgy chocolate topping)
1 jar of Betty Crocker Fluffy White whipped frosting (to create the fluffy filling)
1 tube of Betty Crocker white cookie icing (to create the white spiral decoration)

To make the cake, I used the cake mix and bottom portion of my very favorite cake pan.  It’s called The Great Cupcake Pan from Williams Sonoma.  You could also use two 5-inch cake rounds stacked on top of each other.  I prepared the cake mix as directed and let the cake cool completely.  Then, I sliced about half an inch of cake from the top and set it aside – this creates a lid for the filling later.

To create the fluffy white center, I pressed a large biscuit cutter down into the remaining cake (you’ll want to stop about and inch above the cake base).   I used the spoon to dig out the excess cake and create a nice deep well for the filling.  I whipped the white frosting in the container with a fork before adding it to the well with a spatula.  After that, I replaced the circular top section of cake I had removed earlier.

I wanted the dark chocolate frosting to be glossy and smooth (like the original) so I put the frosting container in the microwave for about 45 seconds.  I poured the frosting directly onto the cake from the center and let it spread out on it’s own until it completely covered the top.  Once the chocolate frosting had cooled a bit, I used the white cookie icing tube to create the signature white spiral on the top.

As you can probably tell from the pictures, I was not going for perfection here.  I knew my little guy was just going do maul this cake with his bare hands, so I didn’t go to a lot of effort to make it look picture-perfect.  I’m sure if you’re willing to put in the time, you could make it look much better.  However, if you’re simply looking for an easy and inexpensive way to make a little kid’s day, this giant Hostess cupcake might be just the ticket.  Just thought I’d pass it on.