Copy Cat Chocolate Twinkies (er cupcakes...)

I should add that the next day the creamy center has set up more than what is shown here like a twinkie filling

Remember that I've dedicated Tuesdays to Pinterest?  Well, now you know.  So, today I kill two birds with one stone.  I got this recipe off of Pinterest, and it's a Twinkie Copy Cat recipe.  I think I stopped eating Twinkies when I found out they had like 30 non food ingredients, ick!  So, I thought it would be fun to make these! 

I can't take all the credit for making these, because really, I just assisted John.  I also couldn't get a better picture...

I don't have a canoe pan to make the twinkies (Gasp!  I know!  A kitchen gadget I don't have...), so we just did cupcakes instead. 

You can see on the left cupcake where we filled it with the filling , and the cupcakes on the right is after I sliced it in two so you could see the filling inside. 

This recipe is a good recipe, it turned out perfectly.  The cake was perfectly spongey just like a Twinkie, and so was the filling.  Although the recipe is great and is what it says it is, both John and I would just rather have a regular cupcake, or another dessert.  But, it is good!  And, the best sponge cake I've had. 

This made about 3 dozen cupcakes.

Chocolate Twinkies Recipe:

Created by Simple Math Bakery

Snack Cakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons corn starch
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a canoe pan or cupcake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are very stiff. They should hold their shape when removed from the bowl. Set aside.

Combine the flour, corn starch, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together or beat on low speed for a minute, until combined. Add oil, water, Vanilla, and egg yolks. Beat on medium speed until smooth.

Using a rubber spatula, gently scoop 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Fold the egg whites in by slicing the spatula through the center of the bowl, gently scooping batter from the bottom and wrapping it over the top. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat until the egg whites are barely visible. Repeat this process with each remaining 1/3 of the egg whites.

Spoon the batter into the pan, filling the wells 2/3 full. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cakes will puff up when cooking, but will settle as they cool. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove them from the pan using a rubber spatula. Allow them to cool, flat side down, directly on the cooling rack.

Filling:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a small saucepan, heat the flour, milk, and cocoa powder over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes a paste (about 5 minutes), remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside to cool completely.

Melt the chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.  Allow to cool until just barely warm.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat until combined. Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and beat for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Use the pastry filler that comes with the pan (or a pastry bag with round tip) to fill the cakes. Place the tip about halfway into the cake and squeeze gently. Holding the cake in your palm while filling it will allow you to feel when it is full. Fill each cake 3 times to ensure that each bite contains ample chocolate filling! (With the cupcakes we just filled once)

Enjoy!!