Chocolate Twinkies With Homemade Filling Food

HOSTESS TWINKIE FILLING (COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Beat the mixture without stopping for 30 minutes. Sufficient to fill 24 cakes.

HOMEMADE TWINKIES

Steps:

• For the cakes: Heat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
• To make single-use Twinkie molds, cut 12 pieces of aluminum foil 12 inches wide by 14 inches long. Fold each piece of foil in half lengthwise, then fold it in half again to create a rectangle that's about 6 inches long and 7 inches wide. Repeat to make a dozen rectangles.
• Place one sheet of folded foil on a work surface with a standard-size spice jar on its side in the center of the foil. Bring the long sides of the foil up around the jar, folding the sides and ends as necessary to make a tight trough-shape from which the jar can be removed. Repeat to make 12 foil molds. Spray generously with nonstick spray or coat with vegetable oil. Place the molds on a baking sheet.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and butter until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Cover to keep warm.
• Using a standing mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of the sugar and the cream of tartar and continue to beat until the whites reach soft peaks.
• Transfer the beaten egg whites to a large bowl and add the egg yolks to the standing mixer bowl (there's no need to clean the bowl). Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is very thick and a pale lemon color, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten egg whites to the yolks, but do not mix.
• Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg whites and then mix everything on low speed for just 10 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer, make a well in one side of the batter, and pour the melted butter mixture into the bowl. Fold gently with a large rubber spatula until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and yolks are evenly mixed, about 8 strokes.
• Immediately scrape the batter into the prepared molds, filling each with about .75 inch of batter. Bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, 13 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan containing the molds to a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool in the molds.
• For the filling: Using a mixer, beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar and Marshmallow Fluff. Add the cream and beat just until smooth.
• Just before filling the cakes, remove them from the foil. Using the end of a chopstick, poke three holes in the bottom of each cake. Wiggle the tip of the chopstick to make room for the filling. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Pipe frosting into the holes in each cake, taking care not to overfill, until it gently expands. Unlike real Twinkies, these won't last indefinitely. They're best served still slightly warm.

HOMEMADE TWINKIES®

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 10x15 inch jelly roll pans.
• Beat the eggs until combined; stir in the melted butter. Add the water, pudding mix, and yellow cake mix, stirring well to combine. The batter will be very thick. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, spreading it evenly.
• Bake until the cakes spring back when pressed lightly with a finger or a tester comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.
• To make the filling, combine the room-temperature butter, cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar. Beat until smooth. Stir in the whipped topping and vanilla extract.
• When the cakes are cool, spread the filling mixture on top of one cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the first, and cut into bars. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in the freezer.

CHOCOLATE TWINKIE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350; grease a 13x9 pan.
• In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, shortening, vanilla and eggs; beating until very smooth.
• In a separate bowl, combine remaining DRY ingredients; set aside.
• Pour milk into a measuring cup.
• In three or four portions, alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the sugar mixture in the mixing bowl, beating well after each addition; scrape sides of bowl, and beat for one more minute (or so).
• Pour into prepared pan, smooth out the top, smack pan firmly against countertop (removes bubbles), two or three times.
• Pop it into the oven; bake for 25-30 minutes (springy top or clean toothpick); cool 5-8 minutes on rack.
• While cake is cooling, prepare filling: Cream butter & shortening, then add sugars, then milk, vanilla and lemon extract; beat until very fluffy & creamy; set aside.
• When cake is cooled, use bread-cutting (serrated) knife and slice in half, depth-wise.
• Remove top half of cake (slide hands between two layers and lift up--voila!); liberally spread filling over the bottom section, keeping edges clean.
• Place top half of cake on filling, press gently.
• Cover and allow to sit for a day to develop flavors (and to test your willpower!); altho' we've had good results eating right away!
• This recipe is easily halved and made in an 8- or 9-inch pan, too (and much easier to do the filling!).
• Cut into rectangles to sort-of resemble the traditional twinkie-cake shape.