Description
These Homemade Twinkies Vanilla Cakes replicate the classic, soft, and spongy treat filled with a luscious homemade vanilla meringue filling. With a perfectly balanced vanilla cake baked in Twinkie-shaped pans and a light, fluffy filling made from whipped egg whites and sugar syrup, this recipe offers a delightful nostalgic dessert experience that’s perfect for sharing or indulging in any time.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 250 grams cake flour, sifted
- 225 grams granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 120 millilitres whole milk
- 160 millilitres vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 135 grams granulated sugar
- 40 millilitres water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 177°C (350°F) and generously spray Twinkie-shaped cake pans with non-stick baking spray to ensure the cakes release easily after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together sifted cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined for an even distribution of ingredients.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth to create a uniform wet mixture.
- Make Cake Batter: Pour the wet egg mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously until the batter is smooth and free from lumps, ensuring proper texture.
- Fill and Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pans, filling each cavity about two-thirds full to allow room for rising. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely in the pans before attempting to fill to prevent melting or collapsing of the filling.
- Whip Egg Whites: For the filling, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks form, indicating the whites are aerated and stable.
- Make Sugar Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water, stirring over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and cook without stirring until the syrup reaches 119°C to 121°C (245°F to 250°F), the soft ball stage.
- Incorporate Syrup into Egg Whites: With the mixer running at medium-high speed, slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the whipped egg whites. Continue beating on high until the meringue cools to room temperature and becomes thick and glossy, perfect for piping.
- Prepare for Filling: Transfer the meringue filling into a piping bag fitted with a #10 round tip, ready to fill the cooled cakes.
- Fill the Twinkies: Turn the cooled cakes over and insert the piping tip into three evenly spaced points along the base of each cake. Pipe the filling into the center and both ends carefully, avoiding overfilling that could cause the filling to ooze out.
Notes
- Ensure all eggs are at room temperature before mixing for best volume and texture.
- Do not overfill the cake cavities to prevent batter overflow during baking.
- Use a candy thermometer to monitor syrup temperature accurately for the meringue filling.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before filling to maintain structure and prevent melting.
- Store filled Twinkies in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3 days for optimal freshness.
