Homemade Twinkies

There’s something very nostalgic, classic, and all-American about Twinkies. Probably because we associated Twinkies with childhood, when things were simple. Our biggest challenges were to try and catch the candy being thrown during the parade or balancing our bike without our training wheels. And our biggest problems? Not falling from the treehouse. Trying to break our popsicle in half without actually breaking the popsicle itself. You know, tough stuff. Haha! So, here’s a fun plan: make some homemade twinkies and enjoy remembering the simple life when your biggest dilemma was pigtails? or ponytail?
1 box yellow cake mix
water, eggs, and oil called for on cake mix directions
Marshmallow Filling:
1 c butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 7-oz. jar marshmallow crème
Make cake mix according to package directions. Grease (with shortening) and flour twinkie pan*. Fill wells half full with cake batter. Bake at 350°F for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly. Invert twinkies onto cooling rack and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make filling. In large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in the marshmallow cream until well-blended. Using cake decorator bag and star tip, pipe filling into flat side (bottom) of twinkie, three times, evenly-spaced, just until twinkie exands but doesn’t break apart. Serve fresh, or store in airtight container.
*Or you can make your own twinkie molds by molding heavy-duty tin foil around a spice bottle and then removing the bottle. Spray with nonstick cooking spray instead of using shortening/flour.