Twinkies Vanilla Cakes (Print Version)
Light vanilla cakes stuffed with soft meringue for a taste of your childhood, super fun for baking at home or sharing around.
# Ingredients:
→ Cake
01 -
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
02 -
160 millilitres vegetable oil
03 -
120 millilitres whole milk
04 -
6 large eggs at room temperature
05 -
1 teaspoon salt
06 -
2 teaspoons baking powder
07 -
225 grams granulated sugar
08 -
250 grams cake flour, already sifted
→ Filling
09 -
40 millilitres water
10 -
135 grams granulated sugar
11 -
2 large egg whites, brought to room temperature
# Steps:
01 -
Crank the oven up to 177℃. Spray Twinkie-style pans with a good coat of oil spray, then put them aside for now.
02 -
Grab a big bowl and stir salt, baking powder, granulated sugar, and sifted cake flour together until you can't tell what's what.
03 -
In another bowl, toss in the eggs, vanilla, milk, and oil. Whisk until it's all one color and everything feels even.
04 -
Take your wet stuff and pour it over the dry mix. Mix it all up till the batter looks really smooth, with no chunks hiding.
05 -
Scoop the batter into your pans, aiming to fill each spot about two-thirds high. Let them bake around 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.
06 -
Let the baked cakes chill on the counter and wait until they're cool all the way through before you add anything inside them.
07 -
Pop your egg whites in the mixer and beat them on high until stiff peaks won't flop over.
08 -
Put sugar and water into a small pot. Heat on medium-low and stir until the sugar melts, then turn the burner to medium and leave it until the syrup hits 119–121℃.
09 -
Once the syrup's ready, pour it slowly into the whipped egg whites with the mixer on medium-high. Keep mixing on high until it cools off, thickens up, and looks shiny.
10 -
Get your piping bag and fit a #10 round tip on it, then fill it up with your cool meringue filling.
11 -
Flip the cooled cakes over. Poke the piping bag tip into the bottom three times evenly and squeeze in the filling. Don’t go too wild or it'll spill out.
# Notes:
01 -
Can’t find cake flour? Mix 250 grams all-purpose flour with 32 grams cornstarch and use that.
02 -
You can swap in store-bought marshmallow fluff if you want quick filling.
03 -
Always sift the flour first so your cakes turn out super fluffy.
04 -
Make sure your meringue is totally cool and glossy with stiff peaks so it holds up strong.
05 -
Egg whites work best with zero yolk in them—don’t let any in or your meringue will flop.
06 -
With the sugar syrup, once it’s melted, don’t stir anymore. If sugar sticks to the sides, wipe them down gently with a damp brush.
07 -
No piping bag? Just fill a zip-top bag, cut the tip, and use that instead.
08 -
No piping tip handy? Stick a skewer in the cake’s base to make space for the filling.
09 -
If your cakes wobble, trim the bottoms after cooling so they sit flat.