Elway's Ding Dong (including a recipe!) and other desserts

The dessert menu at Elway's Cherry Creek is quite the mouthful. If somehow you've saved room, an almost overwhelming sixteen choices await diners who want to satisfy their sweet tooth after a New York strip or salmon filet.

Combining classics like signature cheesecake and crème brulee with the more whimsical Ding Dong and do-it-yourself s'mores, the assortment at Elway's has something for everyone.

See also: - Elway's ready to fly at DIA today - Best Steakhouse 2011: Elway's Cherry Creek - Euclid Hall's dessert menu features Elvis-inspired candy bar and red velvet cupcakes

Elway's and a variation on the Hostess Ding Dong might seem like an odd pairing, but the dessert has been on the menu since the Cherry Creek restaurant opened and is still popular; today it's available at all four locations of Elway's. This Ding Dong features fresh devil's food cake with a vanilla crème filling, glazed with chocolate ganache and plated with foil triangles and chocolate and crème anglaise. The oversized Ding Dong is complimentary for birthday, anniversary and graduation celebrations -- but if you can't make it in on your special day, Elway's was nice enough to include the recipe (below)for you to tackle in your own kitchen.

Elway's has other options, of course. Two years ago, executive sous chef Aniedra Nichols was tasked with replacing the banana cream pie with another banana dessert. Not wanting to use any imitation or banana puree, it took her nearly six months to perfect the delicious banana pudding that's exclusive to Cherry Creek. Nichols layers vanilla pudding and fresh bananas and tops that with shortbread crumbs; chocolate-covered shortbread cookies accompany the pudding for dipping. Also exclusive to Cherry Creek is the lemon pound cake. Nichols adds lemon juice and zest to give the pound cake a tang, and tops it with vanilla-scented strawberries and orange crème fraiche for a fruitful delight. Then there's the popular Elsa's key lime pie. Created by pastry cook Elsa Marquez, the pie has graham cracker crust and a sweet and condensed milk filling. Infused with key lime and fresh lime juice, it's ideally perfectly tart. Topped with whipped cream and a lime wedge, the pie is drizzled with blueberry sauce for a colorful presentation.

Also on the menu are blackberry bread pudding, seriously chocolate cake and a warm, dark chocolate brownie.

Continue reading for the Ding Dong recipe.

Elway's Classic Ding Dong

Cake: 3 Eggs 8 oz Cold water 3 oz Canola Oil 20 oz Devil's food cake

In a Kitchen Aid mixer with whisk attachment, whip the eggs on high speed until they dull in color and become frothy. Mix in the water and canola oil. Add the dry cake mix to the liquid ingredients half at a time. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and mix in the remaining dry mix. Continue mixing for 3 to 4 minutes or until all the lumps have been whipped out. Set the cupcake pans on sheet trays. Spray the cupcake pans with pan coating. Using a #10 scoop, place 1 level scoop in each cup. Place the sheet pans in a 350° oven, with fan on, and cook for 25 minutes.

Note: Make sure the fan is on when baking.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Filling:

3 cups heavy cream ¾ cup powdered sugar ½ Tbs vanilla paste

Place the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl with the whisk attachment on medium speed. Whisk until stiff peaks have formed. Place the filling in a piping bag and fill the Ding Dongs.

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