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This copycat hostess Raspberry Zinger Cake combines a fluffy sponge-like vanilla cake, a whipped marshmallow cream poke filling, a sweet raspberry jam frosting, and that iconic shredded coconut exterior.
For more Hostess snack cake copycat cake recipes – be sure and also make my Twinkie Cake, Hostess Sheet Cake, Hostess Snoballs Cake, and this Easy Honey Bun Cake ❤︎
Raspberry Zinger Cake Recipe (9×13 Sheet Cake Recipe)
Raspberry Zingers are a classic and iconic snack cakes sold under the Hostess brand. They’re known for their fluffy vanilla sponge cake, creamy filling, raspberry flavored coating, and coconut exterior shell.
This sheet cake (9×13 cake) version of the classic snack cake looks and tastes just like the snack cake! The best part is that it’s a beginner-friendly recipe because it starts with a cake mix. Then you poke holes in the cake and fill the holes with a homemade whipped cream marshmallow cream filling, a raspberry frosting, and of course – the shredded coconut exterior.
So if you love the classic nostalgic snack cakes then you need to make this 9×13 cake version of them. Same flavors, same look, but an easier shortcut recipe that still tastes completely homemade.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Raspberry Zinger Cake
- 🥥 Tastes just like the classic Hostess Raspberry Zingers snack cakes
- 🥥 Easy shortcut recipe that uses a cake mix and raspberry jam
- 🥥 Loaded with raspberry + coconut flavors
- 🥥 Perfect make-ahead dessert
- 🥥 Nostalgic dessert everyone recognizes
Ingredients Needed
Vanilla Cake Ingredients
- Vanilla Cake Mix : Use a 15.25 ounce box of vanilla cake mix. Some boxes are smaller so double check the size you are purchasing.
- Whole Milk
- Vegetable Oil
- Large Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract
Marshmallow Cream Filling Ingredients
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Powdered Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Kosher Salt
- Marshmallow Fluff
Raspberry Coconut Frosting Ingredients
- Butter : Use room temperature butter; you can use salted butter or unsalted butter, whichever you prefer baking with.
- Powdered Sugar
- Seedless Raspberry Jam : This gives the frosting that iconic raspberry flavor of the classic Hostess Raspberry Zingers snack cakes.
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Kosher Salt : I use salted butter and I still add this additional salt; I like how it helps to balance all the sweetness from the other ingredients.
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Pink or Red Gel Food Coloring : This will make the frosting closer to that pinkish/red color of Zingers snack cakes. It is optional, as the raspberry jam will color the frosting slightly, but if you want a more true-to-the-original color then add some gel food coloring.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut
How To Make Raspberry Zinger 9×13 Cake (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Make The Vanilla Cake : In a large mixing bowl, add the dry vanilla cake mix, whole milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and fluffy.
Pour the vanilla cake batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Then use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes 1-inch apart all over the cake. Make sure the holes go almost to the bottom without touching the bottom of the pan and tearing the cake apart.
Once the holes are poked, let the cake cool completely to room temperature before proceeding.
Make The Marshmallow Cream Filling : In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Use an electric mixer to beat on medium-high speed, until stiff peaks form.
Add the marshmallow fluff to the whipped cream mixture and mix on low speed just until combined, smooth, and fluffy.
Transfer the filling mixture to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with a big piece snipped off the corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into each poked hole in the cake. Spread the remaining over top of the cake and then use an offset spatula to spread it out into an even layer.
Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, so the filling can firm up and set.
Make The Raspberry Coconut Frosting : To a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until light, fluffy, and creamy.
Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed at first so the sugar does not fly everywhere.
Add the seedless raspberry jam, vanilla extract, salt, and gel food coloring drops. Mix until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Add the heavy whipping cream only if the frosting feels too thick to spread.
Spread the raspberry frosting evenly over top of the chilled poked cake. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the frosting in an even layer.
Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before slicing, then serve the cake chilled from the fridge. Enjoy!
How To Store Raspberry Zinger Cake
Store the cake covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 4 to 5 days. Since the filling is made with freshly whipped cream, the cake should not sit at room temperature for more than 1-2 hours.
For the best texture, after slicing or after removing the cake from the fridge, let the cake or each slice sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen
- The poked cake (unfilled) needs to be fully cooled before adding the marshmallow cream filling into the poked holes. If the cake is warm, the cream filling will soften too much and disappear into the cake.
- Don’t skip the chill time after filling the poked holes with the marshmallow cream filling. This helps the creamy filling set up and thicken just enough for clean slices.
- The gel food coloring is optional, but it does give the cake that signature pink raspberry zinger topping and exterior, just like the classic snack cakes. The neon pink gel food coloring works the best or red gel food coloring. You may want to also play with color combination to achieve the perfect color; a few drops of neon pink + 1 drop of red might work well.
- For the best texture, after slicing or after removing the cake from the fridge, let the cake or each slice sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
More 9×13 Cake Recipes To Try
- Earthquake Cake Recipe
- Easy Mississippi Mud Cake Recipe
- Easy Dr Pepper Cake Recipe (With a Cake Mix!)
- Raspberry Poke Cake
- Orange Crush Poke Cake
- EASY Strawberry Earthquake Cake
- Easy Strawberry Cake (Fresh Strawberries + Cake Mix)
- Orange Pineapple Cake
- Heaven on Earth Cake
- EASY Butterfinger Cake Recipe
Raspberry Zinger Cake
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz) vanilla cake mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Marshmallow Cream Filling
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff
Raspberry Frosting & Coconut Topping
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- neon pink OR red gel food coloring (1-3 drops)
- 1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Vanilla Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, add the dry vanilla cake mix, whole milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and fluffy.1 box (15.25 oz) vanilla cake mix, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour the vanilla cake batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Then use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes 1-inch apart all over the cake. Make sure the holes go almost to the bottom without touching the bottom of the pan and tearing the cake apart.
- Once the holes are poked, let the cake cool completely to room temperature before proceeding.
Marshmallow Cream Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Use an electric mixer to beat on medium-high speed, until stiff peaks form.1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the marshmallow fluff to the whipped cream mixture and mix on low speed just until combined, smooth, and fluffy.1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff
- Transfer the filling mixture to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with a big piece snipped off the corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into each poked hole in the cake. Spread the remaining over top of the cake and then use an offset spatula to spread it out into an even layer.
- Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight), so the filling can firm up and set.
Raspberry Frosting & Coconut
- To a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until light, fluffy, and creamy.1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- Add the powdered sugar, and beat on low speed at first so the sugar does not fly everywhere.4 cups powdered sugar
- Add the seedless raspberry jam, vanilla extract, salt, and gel food coloring drops. Mix until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, neon pink OR red gel food coloring
- Add the heavy whipping cream only if the frosting feels too thick to spread.1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Spread the raspberry frosting evenly over top of the chilled poked cake. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the frosting in an even layer.1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- Cover the cake with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours before slicing, then serve the cake chilled from the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
- The poked cake (unfilled) needs to be fully cooled before adding the marshmallow cream filling into the poked holes. If the cake is warm, the cream filling will soften too much and disappear into the cake.
- Don’t skip the chill time after filling the poked holes with the marshmallow cream filling. This helps the creamy filling set up and thicken just enough for clean slices.
- The gel food coloring is optional, but it does give the cake that signature pink raspberry zinger topping and exterior, just like the classic snack cakes. The neon pink gel food coloring works the best or red gel food coloring. You may want to also play with color combination to achieve the perfect color; a few drops of neon pink + 1 drop of red might work well.
- For the best texture, after slicing or after removing the cake from the fridge, let the cake or each slice sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
can you make the cake from scratch instead of cake mix