Ingredients:
for the sponge cake:
2 cups flour
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
for the cream filling:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon banana flavoring/extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
for the cream filling:
In a small pan, mix flour with milk and boil until thick. Cool. Beat until fluffy and add other ingredients one at a time, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate 1 hour. The cream should be cold and rather stiff when you pipe it into the cake, the act of piping will soften it to the correct consistency.
for the sponge cake:
Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly grease 8 to 12 wells in a “cream canoe” pan. Whisk together flour and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside. Stir the vanilla into the milk. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, until it is very light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, thoroughly incorporating each addition before adding the next. Pour into prepared pans.
Note: check the instructions on your pan, but I would recommend filling them about halfway, there is a lot of leavening in the the batter.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cakes are just golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the center cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven, invert to a wire rack and cool completely before filling. Use a pastry bag or cream filling gun (one comes with the pan I linked to) and fill three holes on the underside of the cake with cream. Slightly overfill each hole, then use your thumb to tamp it in.
My thoughts:
We planned a lot of food for our themed night(s) (since NYE was on a weekend this year, we extended the food into the next day)and when I saw that Twinkies were invented in 1930, I knew I had to make them! I’ve made other homemade Hostess cakes before but never just plain Twinkies. The original Twinkies were banana flavored so that it what appears here but if you prefer to make more “modern” Twinkies, use vanilla extract instead of banana. They were like the best Twinkies you would imagine: fluffy, not too sweet and with a wonderful creamy center. And fresh tasting! It seems a bit fiddly to make but honestly, they were no more difficult than making regular cupcakes.
So much fun! These are adorable, and they look really delicious! 🙂
Wow, these look great. Stumbled on your blog from foodblogs, and I'm going to bookmark your site. Way to go!
oh wow! You really do make is sound so easy. I think I'll have to add this to my baking bucket list.
You add the cold butter to the cold milk mixture and it blends correctly?
In the filling, yes
Yum! I've heard homemade twinkies are quite the treat – will have to give them a try 🙂
I can't wait to try this! *DROOL*
I'm thinking this will be viewed more in the near future.
I've never had a twinkie, and now I can't find a single box after Hostess went Bankrupt. I NEED to give this A try! Thanks for the Recipe!
I've been making these for Easter. Also made carrot cake twinkies with cream cheese frosting recipe for the filling.
Way to go.. these are much better for you because if you buy them at the store they are filled with chemicals. And they are also being made with none union labor.