Texans love their Twinkie.
But what exactly makes these little cakes so irresistible?
The answer may surprise you.
What Is The Recipe For Texas Twinkies?
Twinkies were created by Hostess in 1930s Chicago.
The original Twinkie was an eggless sponge cake that was filled with strawberry jam.
It wasn’t until after World War II when a new type of Twinkie was introduced to the market.
This one had a cream cheese filling instead of jam and came in two flavors – chocolate or lemon.
Today, there are multiple versions available on store shelves across America.
Some even come in pink and green varieties!
As it turns out, this simple fillings can be adapted to create delicious treats from around the country.
One such example is “Texas Twinkies” which are made using a yellow cake base (like the ones we all grew up eating) and a creamy cream cheese frosting.
There’s no secret formula behind how they get their name but some say it has something to do with the fact that they originated in Dallas.
Others believe it got its name because they were first sold at the local Texaco gas station.
Either way, if you enjoy them as much as I do then let me show you just how easy it is to re-create your favorite snack food at home.
How Do You Make Texas Twinkies?
Texas twinkies are actually quite simple to make.
You just need some basic baking supplies like an electric mixer or hand mixer, measuring cups, bowls, mixing spoons, and of course, your favorite Twinkie pan.
It’s also important that you use a good quality cake mix because any cheap brand will not produce a decent product.
To start making Texas twinkies, simply combine one cup of sugar, two tablespoons of shortening (or margarine), four beaten egg yolks, and two teaspoons of vanilla in a bowl until well mixed.
Sift together three and half cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/3 cup cocoa powder into another bowl.
Add this mixture to the first bowl along with 2¾ cups sifted powdered sugar.
Combine both mixtures slowly, using either an electric mixer or a handheld beater.
Once combined, add ¼ cup buttermilk and beat again on low speed until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350º F for about 25 minutes, then let cool completely before removing from pan.
For the best texture, allow the Texas twinkie to fully set before cutting them open.
If you cut it too early they’ll turn out crumbly instead of fluffy.
To remove the cake, place it on a cutting board and carefully slice around the edges to release the cake from its pan.
Cut the cake horizontally in half and spread each piece with softened cream cheese frosting.
Place bottom layer back onto its pan and top with a second layer of cake, followed by frosting.
Repeat process until you’ve used up all the Texas twinkies.
What Ingredients Do You Need For Texas Twinkies?
If you’re like many Americans, you probably don’t know that there are different kinds of Twinkies.
The original Twinkies were sold in the 1930s by Hostess Brands (now known as Apollo Global Management) under the brand name “Twinkle Toe.”
However, they changed the name after World War II because people thought the name was too close to “twinkee,” which refers to an American slang term for a woman who has had sex with two men at the same time.
Today, there are three main types of Twinkies available on store shelves.
They are called Original, Classic, and Mega.
Each type uses slightly different ingredients but all use the same basic formula.
- Original Twinkies contain flour, sugar, baking powder, shortening, egg whites, and milk.
- Classic Twinkies contain flour, sugar, baking powder, shortening, egg yolks, and milk.
- Mega Twinkies contain flour, sugar, baking powder, shortening, egg yolks, water, lecithin granules, and oil.
How Long Does It Take To Make Texas Twinkies?
Texas twinkies are a popular snack in the Lone Star State.
And they’re easy to make!
All you need is an 18 ounce box of Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix (or any other brand), 1/4 cup of shortening, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 container of Cool Whip Free (or similar topping) and 3 large eggs plus your favorite flavoring.
You can use regular or low fat milk instead of water if you prefer.
The only thing that will change is the baking time – about 20 minutes longer than usual.
You also want a stand mixer, not hand mixing utensils, because this batter tends to be very thick and difficult to handle without one.
Step One: Prep Ingredients
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F.
Once the oven reaches temperature, remove two bowls from the sink and set them aside.
In one bowl, add the dry ingredients such as flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder or cornstarch, and baking soda.
Then whisk together the wet ingredients like oil, buttermilk, egg yolks, and vanilla extract.
In another bowl, combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients until all of the lumps disappear.
Now, transfer both mixtures into separate bowls and place each inside different stand mixers on medium speed.
Step Two: Bake and Fill
Once both mixtures have been mixed thoroughly, pour half of the liquid mixture into a 9×13 pan.
After pouring the first layer, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.
Repeat the same process for the second batch of dough, except don’t put the second layer in the fridge.
When the pans have chilled completely, bake each layer at 350ºF for 15 minutes.
While those layers are cooling, prepare the frosting.
Add 1/4 cup of shortening and 2 tablespoons of water to a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat until the butter melts.
Add 8 ounces of Cool Whip Free, stirring constantly. Stir until smooth and then keep heating it until it’s warm enough to spread on top of the cooled layer.
After spreading the cool whip across the entire surface, sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon onto it.
Place the second layer of dough in the freezer while the first layer cooks.
Remove from the refrigerator and let sit for 5 more minutes before removing it from the pan using metal spatulas.
Place the unfrosted layer on top of the chilled layer.
Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top of the layered cake.
If some of the frosting starts to ooze out from under the edges, simply press down gently with a rubber spatula to seal everything up again.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
What Is The Nutritional Value Of Texas Twinkies?
If you’ve ever had one of those “Texas twinkle lights,” then you know just how delicious they can be.
And if you haven’t tried them yet, well, now is your chance!
But before we dive into how much fat and sugar each batch contains, let’s first talk about what makes this treat so popular in the Lone Star State.
Why Texans Love Their Twinkies
It all started back in 1953 when J.R. Watkins opened up his own bakery in Waco, TX.
In 1955 he introduced the world to his new creation—the original Texas twinkie (or as some call it, the Texas Twinkie).
The popularity of this snack grew quickly, and by 1962 there were over 1 million units being sold every day across America.
These days, you can find a lot of different types of twinkies on grocery store shelves throughout the country.
Some come wrapped individually while others arrive in boxes or even bulk containers.
Even though manufacturers often claim that they use only high quality ingredients, many people still worry about what is actually inside the packaging.
Nutritional Value of Texas Twinkies
When it comes to nutrition, not all baked goods are created equal.
However, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, the average serving size of a Texas twinkie weighs out at around 2 grams of total fat and 12 grams of sugar.
Let’s break down everything else that goes into making this sweet snack.
First off, most of the calories come from simple sugars like glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, and galactose.
These carbohydrates provide energy to your body but are also known to cause blood sugar spikes which can lead to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other health problems.
Next, the majority of the fat content comes from saturated fats.
According to the American Heart Association, a single serving of a plain twinkie has more than 10% of its daily recommended amount of saturated fat.
Saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and cardiovascular diseases.
There are two main components found within the batter for a regular Texas twinkie.
The first is flour, which provides structure and helps keep the product moist.
It’s also important because it gives the food texture, taste, and color.
The second component is milk powder and water.
Milk powder adds moisture and protein to help ensure that the dough stays pliable.
Water is used to create steam pressure during baking, which causes air bubbles to rise throughout the product.
Finally, egg yolk creates a rich flavor and binds the entire mixture together.
Egg whites contain lecithin and choline, both of which aid in digestion and improve brain function.
As you can see, there isn’t any real benefit to consuming a bunch of twinkies per se.
Instead, it’s better to focus on lowering overall calorie intake.
That way, you won’t feel too full after eating and will be less likely to crave sweets later on.
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Texas Twinkies?
There’s no denying that if you eat one of these delicious treats every once in a while, it will benefit your health in some way or another.
- It provides healthy fats and fiber
- It has an antioxidant property called “flavonoids” which help protect against heart disease
- They contain vitamins A & E, B6, C, D, magnesium, manganese, selenium, copper, zinc, and phosphorus
- They contain a good dose of carbohydrates (fiber) but not too much sugar
- You can use them as a snack to replace unhealthy foods like chips and cookies
- They provide a quick energy boost to anyone who eats them
Are There Any Side Effects Of Eating Texas Twinkies?
According to The Atlantic, “Twinkies” were invented in 1930 by Frank Mars at his company General Baking Company.
He was inspired to create them after seeing an advertisement from Hostess that featured a woman holding up a piece of fried dough covered in powdered sugar.
It looked like it could be bread if someone took off one half of the top layer.
In 1932, Mars bought out another bakery and renamed the product “Hostess.”
Since then, Hostess has been known as the world’s largest producer of snack cakes.
In 2012, Hostess filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under federal law because of its $1 billion debt.
Luckily, it avoided liquidation (although it did sell some assets).
Today, Hostess’ products include Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, and Wonder Bread.
So why do we still call Twinkies “Texas twinkies”?
Well, they’re not actually called “twinkies,” but instead referred to as “hostess or baker’s twinkies.”
So when you say “I’m going to get those Texas twinkies,” you mean hostess or baker’s twinkies.
What Is The History Of Texas Twinkies?
In the early 1900s, German immigrants introduced the idea of making sponge cakes in America by adding yeast to them.
The spongy texture was created when they mixed flour with egg whites instead of using whole eggs, which allowed more air into the batter.
These sponge cakes were then cut open like an overstuffed sandwich and filled with jam or jelly before being covered again.
In the 1930s, the two most common fillings were strawberry and chocolate, but others soon followed including pineapple and coconut.
As the popularity of these sponge cakes grew, it became clear that people wanted something different.
So in 1948, Nabisco developed a new type of sponge cake known as “Twinkies” — named after the sound that children make while chewing on them.
“They’re just delicious,” said one woman interviewed by NPR. “I can’t eat anything else.”
These days, you’ll find lots of variations of Twinkies available across the country from Oreo cookies to mini doughnuts.
It’s hard not to wonder why this snack has become such a cultural icon.
Are they really worth all the fuss?
And if you do decide to indulge, how many should you consume at once?
We’ve got all your answers right here!
How Popular Are Texas Twinkies?
Twinkies were invented in 1930 by Frank Epperson.
He was an employee at Hostess Brands when he created them as a way to use up leftover ingredients from his mother’s baking business.
Epperson came up with the idea after seeing a newspaper ad that said “the makers of Twinkies want your leftover egg whites!”
The name stuck, but it wasn’t until 1947 that the first batch of Twinkies hit store shelves.
Twinkies are now sold all over the world.
And although they aren’t available everywhere, there are still plenty of places where people can buy them online or locally.
Why Are Texas Twinkies So Delicious?
There’s nothing like the taste of a warm Texas Twinkie to remind you that summertime has arrived.
These days, Texans aren’t just eating them in Houston, but also in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Lubbock, and more!
The best part about this snack is that they’re portable—you can eat one on your lunch break at work or while waiting for your kid’s soccer game.
In fact, it was Texan inventor Clarence Birdseye who invented the frozen food product known as “Twinkies” back in 1925.
He named the snacks after his wife, Helen, because she loved them so much.
Since then, millions of people around the world have enjoyed the sweet treat.
In fact, in 2014, Americans spent $1 billion dollars on Twinkies alone!
But why do Texans eat them all year long?
It turns out there are several reasons behind the popularity of this snack.
Here’s everything you need to know about how they became such an iconic American favorite…
Equipment
- 1 Oven
Ingredients
- 12 medium jalapeño peppers
- 12 tablespoons cream cheese softened
- ½ pounds brisket
- 12 slices thick-cut bacon
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- ½ BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Set the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees C).
- Slice jalapenos into a “T” shape. Cutting the jalapenos only halfway through, make a crosscut right under the stem in a straight vertical line from top to bottom. All seeds and membranes should be scooped out and thrown away. Jalapenos should be put on a baking sheet.
- For 10 minutes, bake in the preheated oven.
- For a few minutes, place the jalapenos in a bowl of ice water to extract the remaining oil from the seeds. With a paper towel, blot dry.
- raise the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Each jalapeo should have 1 tablespoon cream cheese inside. Fill each with about 2 ounces of brisket, then cover with a slice of bacon. Poppers should be put on a baking pan and salt and peppered.
- Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. After taking them out of the oven, brush the tops with BBQ sauce. Back in the oven, bake for an additional five minutes.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.