Copycat Recipe Alert! Homemade Twinkies that Are Better Than the Real Thing

Cut out the middleman.
Cut out the middleman.

After much controversy, the Twinkie® has returned to store shelves. But if you find yourself suffering a fear of abandonment after Twinkie the Kid's sudden departure, this recipe will always be there for you! My daughter Bella and I love to create in the kitchen! Over the weekend, I had this fun idea to make our own Twinkies®! Making these sweet treats with ingredients we had at home was totally easy, and now that I've tested it out, you can make these at home, too! They turned out delicious, and with this version, I know exactly what ingredients go into this homemade sweet treat. This way, I feel a lot better about eating so many (or not). You can make them look like the real deal with this special pan!

Ingredients
1 yellow cake mix
2 eggs
Milk
Small package instant pudding
Salt
7 ounces jar marshmallow creme
Butter
Powdered sugar
Vanilla
Canoe pan* (Optional)

Related: 22 flan recipes better than your last birthday cake

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. You may want to use a canoe pan to make them look like the real deal!

2. First make the batter recipe with these ingredients: 1 yellow cake mix, 2 eggs, 2 cups of milk, 1 small pkg of instant vanilla pudding. Mix cake mix, eggs, milk and pudding together. Fill the canoe wells of your pan 1/2 full and bake about 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cakes will be golden brown. Bake at 350 degrees.

3. Once the cakes are cool, whip up this divine filling!

Cream Filling Recipe:
2 teaspoons very hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 ounce jar of National brand marshmallow cream (2 cups)
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/3 cup powder sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4. Combine salt with water and stir until salt is dissolved. Set aside to let cool.

5. Mix marshmallow cream, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in salt water.

6. Now that you've created the filling, it is time to fill. Place filling in syringe (included with the pan) or fill mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a bismark tip. Stick syringe or tip into cake and squeeze until you see the cake slightly expand. Make sure you fill in three places, just like the real thing. My daughter loved filling the cakes.

7. Let them cool! These look just like you went to the store (with all natural ingredients)!

*Note: No pan? No worries! You can always make cupcakes and fill with the yummy mixture!

- By Cindy Hopper

For mock Shamrock Shakes®, Baskin-Robbins® ice-cream cake, and more copycat desserts, visit Spoonful!

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