Homemade Twinkies
Club soda is the surprising trick to Homemade Twinkies as cotton-soft as real Twinkies from the store. It releases a steady stream of bubbles that provide the baking powder with plenty of air cells to expand. Nailing the flavor depends on cake flour, made from mild, soft white wheat, and plenty of egg yolks. Generally I’m an advocate of organic, but in this case I’ve found conventional eggs offer a mellow flavor more in line with the original.To make these, you’ll need a canoe pan from brands such as Hostess or Norpro, found online or in baking supply stores; the unusual cakes will stick viciously to traditional cupcake pans and papers. Otherwise, try my Homemade “Twinkie” Torte variation.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bleached cake flour such as Swans Down, 1 cup
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 6 large egg yolks ⅓ cup | 3½ ounces
- 3½ ounces sugar ½ cup
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons safflower oil or another neutral oil, ¾ ounce
- 4 ounces club soda still fizzy, ½ cup
- ½ recipe Homemade Cool Whip® 2 cups | 12 ounces
Instructions
Make the cakes:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F.
- Sift flour into a medium bowl (if using a cup measure, spoon into the cup and level with a knife before sifting).
- Whisk in baking powder.
- Combine egg yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Mix on low speed to moisten, then pause to scrape the bowl.
- Increase to medium-high and whip until thick and roughly doubled in volume, with a clear vortex pattern left by the whisk, about 5 minutes. Do not overbeat, as this will destabilize the foam.
- Reduce speed to medium-low and drizzle in oil, followed by club soda. As soon as you’ve added the last drop, shut off the mixer and remove the bowl. The batter will look thin and foamy.
- Add cake flour and gently combine with a balloon whisk.
- Use a flexible spatula to fold the thin batter once or twice from the bottom up.
- Lightly grease a nonstick canoe pan (see headnote) with pan spray—do not do this in advance—and fill each mold three-quarters full (about 1¾ ounces).
- Bake until cakes have domed above the pan and spring back to the touch, though your fingertip will leave a light impression in the pale crust, about 12 minutes.
- Cool 10 minutes, then pry the cakes from the pan while still warm and flexible.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
Fill the cakes:
- Transfer Homemade Cool Whip® to a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch plain tip.
- Poke the piping tip into a cake from the bottom, about 1 inch from one end, and give the bag a gentle squeeze.
- Wait a second for the filling to settle, then repeat on the other side.
- Repeat with remaining cakes and filling.
- Serve immediately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up 2 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
Notes
Key Point: The high pH and starch content of unbleached cake flour will cause these cakes to collapse, as will the relatively high protein content of all-purpose flour. No substitutions!
Troubleshooting
Club soda, seltzer water, and sparkling water can all be used here, but the variable sodium content of mineral water makes it a bad choice for this recipe, as does the bitter quinine in tonic water. This batter cannot be made in advance. Mix it up! “TWINKIE” TORTE: Don’t have a canoe pan? No problem, just serve your Homemade Twinkies by the slice. Pour the batter into a greased and parchment-lined 8-by-2-inch aluminum cake pan. Bake until the cake is pale gold and firm, about 25 minutes. Loosen with a knife and invert onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and reinvert onto a serving plate. Once cool, top with Homemade Cool Whip® (page 237) and serve in wedges. Wrapped tightly in plastic, leftovers will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature. GLUTEN-FREE: Replace the cake flour with 1¼ ounces (¼ cup) white rice flour, 1 ounce (¼ cup) tapioca flour or arrowroot, 1½ ounces (⅓ cup) cornstarch, and ½ ounce (2 tablespoons) oat flour. Bake about 5 minutes longer.
Club soda, seltzer water, and sparkling water can all be used here, but the variable sodium content of mineral water makes it a bad choice for this recipe, as does the bitter quinine in tonic water. This batter cannot be made in advance. Mix it up! “TWINKIE” TORTE: Don’t have a canoe pan? No problem, just serve your Homemade Twinkies by the slice. Pour the batter into a greased and parchment-lined 8-by-2-inch aluminum cake pan. Bake until the cake is pale gold and firm, about 25 minutes. Loosen with a knife and invert onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and reinvert onto a serving plate. Once cool, top with Homemade Cool Whip® (page 237) and serve in wedges. Wrapped tightly in plastic, leftovers will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature. GLUTEN-FREE: Replace the cake flour with 1¼ ounces (¼ cup) white rice flour, 1 ounce (¼ cup) tapioca flour or arrowroot, 1½ ounces (⅓ cup) cornstarch, and ½ ounce (2 tablespoons) oat flour. Bake about 5 minutes longer.