What’s chocolatey and beloved for its creamy lumps? That’s Bumpy Cake—the Michigan‑born dessert that looks like a giant Hostess Ho Ho but tastes 100 times better. This iconic treat features a rich chocolate devil’s food cake topped with buttercream “bumps” and cloaked in glossy fudge icing, giving it a signature ridged look and an unbeatable mix of textures.
Bumpy Cake is a clever creation with a rich history. It was first created by Sanders Confectionery in Detroit back in 1913, then called the “Devil’s Food Buttercream Cake.” Over time, fans dubbed it “the cake with the bumps,” and the nickname stuck. While the original Sanders Confectionery is no more, the dessert lives on.
In 2002, Morley Candy Company purchased rights to the Sanders business’ name and products and still sells what it calls “classic Bumpy Cake” at Sanders Chocolate and Ice Cream Shoppe locations in the Detroit area and Mackinac Island. But you can make the treat any time you’d like at home.
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing treat to grace your holiday table, here is how to make Bumpy Cake at home.
How to Make Bumpy Cake
As Allrecipes community member Maureen Martindale VanHook describes, her Ho Ho Bumpy Cake recipe “tastes just like a Sanders bumpy cake.” We can’t help but agree and give props to Maureen for simplifying the dessert by using devil’s food cake mix instead of a from-scratch recipe.
Allrecipes / Julia Hartbeck
- Make the cake. Mix the devil’s food cake mix with eggs and flour and bake the batter in a greased and floured jelly roll pan. Let it cool completely.
- Whip up the buttercream. Beat the sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla, salt, and evaporated milk (the secret ingredient for an ultra-creamy texture) until light and fluffy.
- Get bumpy. Pipe your cream frosting in straight lines over the cooled cake. Optional but recommended: Chill your cake until the buttercream hardens.
- Top with fudge frosting. Warm up your dark chocolate frosting until it’s pourable. Pour it over your cooled cake, covering the buttercream bumps, and spread it around gently. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.