Homemade Hostess Ho Hos Food

GIANT HOSTESS HO HOS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until white and foaming. Slowly add the white sugar, one tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form or about five minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugars have become completely incorporated.
• Add the yolks and butter and beat on high until blended, then add the flour, baking powder, and cocoa a few tablespoons at a time, until a smooth batter forms.
• Butter a jelly roll pan and then line it with parchment paper and butter the top of the parchment as well. Pour the batter onto the pan and spread out into an even 1/4 inch across the pan.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake is pulling away from the sides and is puffed up evenly. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. While the cake is cooling, prepare another jelly pan by laying a towel over the pan, and a piece of parchment on top.
• Place the second pan over the first (so the parchment on the second pan is on top of the cake, followed by the towel, then the pan) and flip the pans so the cake falls onto the second pan. Gently remove the first piece of parchment and let the cake cool completely.
• As the cake is cooling, use a hand mixer to whip together the confectioners sugar, marshmallow fluff, cream of tartar, and meringue powder with the water. Use a much water as needed to create a sticky, but not runny, cream filling. Add more powdered sugar if it is too thin, and more water if it is too thick.
• Spread the filling across the cooled cake all the way to the edges. Lift the edge of the parchment paper and gently fold the end of the cake into itself, then continue the roll into a cylinder shape. Tightly roll the cake in parchment paper, then place in the refrigerator for 8+ hours or overnight, until the cake is chilled through.
• When ready to add the chocolate topping, melt together the Hershey's chocolate bars with the shortening. Melt in 30 second intervals and stir between until the chocolates are completely melted.
• Place parchment on a jelly roll pan and place a cooling rack on top. Unwrap the cake carefully and trim the ends. Center the cake on the top of the cooling rack.
• Pour the melted chocolate over the cake. Use the parchment that is lining the pan to funnel excess chocolate back into the pouring cup, and repeat until the chocolate has been poured over the cake several times.
• Chill the cake until the chocolate has hardened again, then serve cold or room temperature. Serve and enjoy!

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.

HO HO CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake as directed on package for two round pans.
• When cool, "slice" through cakes to make 4 "thin" cakes.
• Beat sugar, shortening, vanilla, milk, salt and water for 7 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar and beat for 5 minutes longer.
• Lay one layer of cake on plate.
• Spread Cream filling on top only, do not go all the way to the edge.
• Lay another layer of cake on this.
• Spread cream filling on this too.
• Again layer and filling until you have all four layers on here.
• Ice the whole cake with the chocolate icing.