If you had to make an upscale twinkie, how would you do it?

For those of you unfamiliar with twinkies, they are 4-inch long yellow cakes by about 1-inch wide, filled with cream filling that seems to consist of shortening and sugar. They come in a cellophane wrapper, and almost every mainstream supermarket and grocery store in the United States sells them. They’ve been around since the 1930’s. When I was growing up (in the 1970’s and ‘80’s), they were a popular item—- the epitome of junk food. You can read all about their history and list of ingredients on Wikipedia.

Williams-Sonoma used to sell a twinkie-shaped cakelette pan, but I don’t see it on their website any longer. Even so, I was curious to know how you experienced bakers would do it, if given the assignment. I was thinking I would do a yellow cake with flecks of vanilla bean in the cake, and then make a whipped cream filling with scraped vanilla seeds and some creme fraiche added.  I know this is pushing the humble twinkie to untold heights of sophistication, but I’m curious to get your reaction.

Christine S. - 13 August 2008 08:44 PM

They’ve been around since the 1930’s.

This made me chuckle.  It’s long been rumored that Twinkies are so preservative-laden that they actually could have been around since the 30’s and still be edible.

Baking Bites did a version of Hostess Cupcakes here:

http://bakingbites.com/2005/10/cooking-school-cream-filled-chocolate-cupcakes/#more-237

Using Crisco in the filling is icky…I like your whipped cream idea much better.  Add chocolate ganache and you’ll have made my personal favorite… a Chocodile!

Christine - I like your upscale twinkie idea.  Did you know the original twinkie was filled with a banana filling, and they were named after the founder saw a billboard advertising “twinkle” shoes? (just some food for thought)
I like the whipped cream filling idea, but I think vanilla flavored mousseline would be an even better option.

This recipe was in King Arthur’s Baking Sheet Autumn 2003.  I have not made these in the cake canoe pan, but I have seen those pans available. Google, you should find it.  When I tested the recipe as cupcakes, this cake recipe is dead on for the taste of an authentic Twinkie, without all the crap in it.  I like your whipped cream filling idea.

MrsM

TWINKIES    

1 cup unbleached AP flour (4 1/4 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400°.  Grease cake canoe pan.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

With the whip attachment, beat the eggs until foamy. Sprinkle in the sugar gradually, beating all the while, and continue beating until the batter is very thick and light lemon colored, 3-8 minutes.  The batter will have doubled in volume.  When the batter is sufficiently aerated, it should fall from the whip in a thick ribbon and mound on top of the remaining batter in the bowl temporarily before being reabsorbed.  Just before you stop beating the batter, beat in the vanilla.

Gently fold in the flour mixture, using a spatula or a whisk.  Pour the batter in the the prepared pan.  It should come about halfway up each indentation. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface of the batter.

Bake for (I don’t know how many minutes sorry,) until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from pan to wire racks to completely cool.  Pipe filling in from the bottom, or push a chopstick through from end to end and pipe filling from either end to center.

Do they offer a filling recipe?

it’s a sponge cake, so if you know how to make one you can use rose’s recipe for the batter.

i think i would do a white chocolate ganache or white choc mousseline. even banana sounds great!

you can find twinkie pans on ebay and i think nordic wear sells one. uuuuhm. i think they are also called cake boats or canoes.

jen

I looked it up, and they did offer a marshmallow filing. I hate all things marshmallow, lol, but here it is:

1/4 cup butter (2 ounces)
1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (1 3/4 ounces) Marshmallow Fluff

In a medium sized bowl, cream together the butter and shortening, Add the salt/water, vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Beat until mixture becomes fluffy, scraping the bowl at least once. Add the marshmallow and beat until incorporated. Yield: 2 cups.

You probably could make half this amount and it would be enough for the cake canoe pan.

Here is the recipe I would use when making these ‘mock’ twinkies.  I use this filling for my Devil Dogs as well.  Very close to the ‘real’ deal. 

3/4 ounce flour (8 teaspoons)               
3 ounces milk (6 tablespoons)
pinch salt
1 5/8 ounces Crisco   (3 1/2 tablespoons)
3/4 ounce unsalted butter (1 1/2 tablespoons)       
2 5/8 ounces sugar (1/3 cup)               

Whisk flour, milk and salt in a small saucepan until smooth.  Cook over medium low heat until thick.  Cool to room temperature.

Beat butter, Crisco and sugar for 8 minutes, until white and fluffy.  Beat in room temperature milk mixture for 4-5 minutes.  Refrigerate to firm up.  Pipe into the twinkies and refrigerate.

I have a recipe for a cream cheese/whipped cream filling that would be heavenly.  Let me know if you are interested.

Absolutely, Patrincia! 

MrsM

Cream cheese/whipped cream filling - great for cakes or pastries. 

  * 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  * 1 cup white sugar
  * 1/8 teaspoon salt
  * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 tsp. of vanilla paste)
  * 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, well chilled

In a small chilled bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks; set aside.  In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients; beat until smooth.  Fold in whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Sounds delicious! Thanks.

MrsM

Patricia, have you ever used this to frost a cake?

I had initially made it to frost a cake, but quickly realized it was too soft to hold up the way I wanted it to.  It would work well for a family style, rustic swirl kind of application.  It’s really really yummy and pairs very well with fruit.

Thanks Patricia.

Thank you, everybody, for sharing the recipes. MrsM, I am glad you told me that the recipe you posted is a dead-ringer for the original.  My twinkie craving is stronger than ever. I’m going to have to buy the right kind of pan, and then make a batch.

Patrincia, your recipe for cream cheese whipped cream was just what I had in mind for the filling, except that I’d like to try it with mascarpone instead of cream cheese. Homemade twinkies would be a wonderful thing to serve at a party or pot-luck—such a familiar supermarket staple, and yet such an unexpected thing to make at home.

Oh my goodness yes… mascarpone will be fabulous!!!!!!!!!!  It’s one of my favorite things on Earth.  Please tell us how they turn out .