Recipe: Homemade Twinkies (using pound cake mix)

HOMEMADE TWINKIES

1 (16 oz) box yellow pound cake mix
4 egg whites
2/3 cup water
Twinkies Filling (recipe follows)

TO MAKE THE MOLDS:
For Twinkies, you first need to fashion a mold for the cake batter by folding a double thickness of aluminum foil around a 2-oz spice jar and shaping so it makes a little boat. Make about 12 of these and put the 'foil molds' in a (13x9x2-inch) cake pan. (Coat with nonstick cooking spray.)

TO MAKE THE TWINKIES:
Combine (dry) pound cake mix, egg whites and 2/3 cups water. Mix according to package directions. Pour the batter into each foil mold filling 1/2 full.

Bake 1/2 hour at 350 degrees F (or temperature as directed on the box). Cool.

When the mini-cakes are completely cooled, poke three holes in the top with a skewer or cake tester and pipe in the filling. Use a cookie shooter (syringe-type) to pipe in the filling or a pastry bag with a round tip as well.

TWINKIES FILLING:
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 drops lemon extract

Blend all ingredients for the filling together with a mixer on high speed.

Source: Beth Woodell, University of Maryland