Chocolate-Espresso Twinkies and Hostess-Style Cupcakes

Recipe from Hostess and "Joy of Cooking"

Adapted by Virginia Heffernan

Published November 11, 2006

  • Tony Cenicola/The New York Times. Food stylist: Jill Santopietro.
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Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Rating
4(69)
Comments
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—Virginia Heffernan

Featured in: The Way We Eat: Cue Snack Track

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Ingredients

Yield:Makes 20 Twinkies and 24 Hostess-style cupcakes

FOR THE CAKES

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • Twinkie-style canoe pan for Twinkies or a muffin pan for Hostess-style cupcakes

  • 1 ¼ cups cake flour

  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 ½ cups sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • ½ cup buttermilk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ½ cup strong coffee

FOR THE FILLING

  • 8 ounces cream cheese

  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

  • 1 tablespoon ground espresso beans

FOR THE FROSTING: (FOR HOSTESS-STYLE CUPCAKES)

  • 1 ½ cups finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

  • ½ cup heavy cream

  • White chocolate, optional

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

43 grams carbs; 64 milligrams cholesterol; 339 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 187 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 33 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a canoe pan or muffin pan with cooking spray.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt 3 times. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed for 15 seconds, until combined. On low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. On the lowest speed, beat in ⅓ of the flour mixture. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla, then another ⅓ of the flour mixture. Add the coffee, then the remaining flour.

  3. Step 3

    Fill each mold halfway with batter and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Loosen the cakes from the edges with a sharp knife. Invert the pan and gently tap the bottom to release. Cool the cakes completely -- Twinkies top-side down and cupcakes top-side up -- on a wire rack.

  4. MAKE THE FILLING:

    1. Step 4

      In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla until fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the espresso and beat until combined.

    2. Step 5

      Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch tip. For the Twinkies, insert the tip at 3 points on the bottom of the cakes and fill. For the cupcakes, insert the tip at the top center and fill.

    3. Step 6

      If making Hostess-style cupcakes, prepare the frosting. Place the chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, scald the cream. Pour the cream over the chocolate. When the chocolate softens, whisk the mixture until smooth. Let the frosting cool, then whisk until fluffy. Spread over the cupcakes to cover the filling. If you choose, decorate with melted white chocolate.

Tip

  • Twinkie pan available at www.kitchencollection.com.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
69 user ratings
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Comments

kara

This was great the only thing I found strange is that it nEver mentions to hollow out the center of the cupcake in order fil it ans then to stuff the scooped out cake back in. That’s what I did.

kmmsagharbor

Might be best tasting cake batter i've ever made, can't wait o taste finished product!

Lauren

Fail. For the first batch I cooked for 15 minutes and cooled for 30 minutes. For the second batch I cooked for 17 minutes and cooled for one hour. Only one came out intact. :(

Julie

The yield is wrong. No way this amount of batter makes BOTH 20 twinkies and 24 cupcakes.

Kristen

I am curious about how to make these without the coffee. I assume the same amount of liquid should be added. More buttermilk? Or just water?

momthefoodie

Perhaps green or Earl Grey tea? Perhaps orange juice, or just plain water. My hubby dislikes coffee in everything, so I do the tea thing and he likes it. Go figure.

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Credits

Cake and frosting recipes adapted from the Hostess Twinkie Bake Set Recipes booklet by the Interstate Bakeries Corporation; Filling adapted from "Joy of Cooking."

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