There’s something undeniably nostalgic about a Twinkie. The soft, golden sponge cake filled with creamy goodness takes many of us back to childhood. But what if you could recreate this iconic snack in your own kitchen? Today, I’m excited to share my recipe for homemade Twinkies, complete with tips to ensure they turn out perfectly every time.
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Recipe tips:
- Boxed cake mix: This recipe calls for boxed cake mix because it helps create that nostalgic snack cake vanilla flavor. My favorites to use are either Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines vanilla cake. You can also use yellow or white cake if you prefer!
- Pan: This snack cake is a very distinct shape so I did buy a specific pan from Amazon. You could make this recipe as cupcakes if you don’t feel like buying the pan, and I also plan to share a sheet cake version in the future!
- Filling: This filling is essentially a marshmallow buttercream. It’s smooth, vanilla-y and easily piped into the center. I use a 7 oz jar of JetPuffed Marshmallow Creme, but you can use another brand or marshmallow fluff as well!
Assembly
- To assemble these cakes you need to allow them to cool completely. I prefer to also refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cutting. It does make it easier and a cleaner cut, however it’s not necessary! Once cooled, use a serrated knife to trim off any excess cake on the bottoms. You’ll want these to be flat.
- For the next step you can either poke 3 holes in the bottom and pipe the filling directly into the center or cut out the centers and fill. I prefer to cut out the center! Take a small knife and start about 1/4 of an inch in and cut out the bottom of the cake. I angle my knife in in order to get out the majority of the cake filling, but be careful not to cut through the top or sides of the cakes. Because you are filling the center with cream, you only need a thin bottom layer of cake to seal these. Trim off the center part of the cake you just cut out. Pipe filing into the center and top with cake bottom.
- These do not need to be refrigerated but will stay firm if you prefer that way. Serve and enjoy!
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Can you go buy Twinkies at practically any store? Sure. Will they taste even close to as good as this homemade version? Not a chance! I’m telling you, if you’re a snack cake fan, try this recipe 🙂 If you’re interested in other copycat recipes, try this viral Hostess Sheet Cake, Zebra Cakes or these Little Debbie recipes!
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Homemade Twinkies
Ingredients
For the cakes:
- 1 box vanilla cake mix I used Betty Crocker
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups water
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup full fat sour cream room temperature
For the filling:
- 7 oz marshmallow creme I use JetPuffed
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature. you can also use unsalted if you prefer!
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
For the cakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray the cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand held mixer, mix together the boxed cake mix, sugar, water, eggs, vanilla and oil until combined, about 1 minute. Add in the flour, salt and sour cream and mix on medium until incorporated and there aren't any lumps, about 2 minutes.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pans, filling about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until completely cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before refrigerating for 30-60 minutes. (refrigeration is optional but makes assembly easier!)
For the filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand held mixer beat the marshmallow creme and butter on medium high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 1 tbsp of heavy cream or milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth and add additional heavy cream until it reaches desires consistency. You want it pipe-able but not too thin.
For assembly:
- Once the cakes have cooled, trim the bottoms of the cakes to be completely flat. Using a small knife, cut out the bottom of the cakes making sure not to poke through the tops or sides. Trim off the center part, leaving about 1/4 inch thick cake piece that will be used to seal up the bottom.
- Add the filling to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pip into the center of the cakes. Fill almost to the top and place left over cake on top to seal. Repeat until all have been filled. Serve and enjoy!
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