Hostess going under

As you may or may not know, the bakery giant Hostess has filed for bankruptcy.  Who here hasn’t had a Hostess product at some point in time?  Exactly!  A very sad day indeed.   Do I eat them everyday, gosh no.  But I do remember growing up with them.   In the summer I was at the Orange County Fair in Southern California where I had fried Twinkies.  Just one more Hostess fav. 

 In their honor, I have made a Hostess cupcake of my own (better tasting BTW, sorry Hostess).   For an added touch you can double dip the top in the ganache.  Never enough chocolate for this chocolate hound :) 

9 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare cupcake pans with papers.
3. Sift together the cocoa, flour, salt,  baking soda, baking powder into one bowl.
4. Beat the butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy into a second large bowl then add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
5. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then add the milk..  Finish by stirring in the other half of the dry ingredients.
6. Scoop batter into the baking cups filling about 3/4 full.  Bake for about 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.
7. Make the filling below and fill the cooled cupcakes.
8. Have the cupcakes ready to go and be dipped.  You will need to work quickly once you get the ganache melted.
9. Make the chocolate ganache below.  While it is still warm dip the cupcakes in the bowl of ganche and wait until it cools.
10. Put the remaining vanilla buttercream filling a pastry bag with a small round tip and pipe on swirls.

Makes about 21 cupcakes.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FILLING

Makes enough for about 2 dozen

1/2 lb. soft butter unsalted (2 sticks)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 lb powdered sugar sifted

Blend the butter and vanilla in a mixer at medium speed until soft and blended well, about 3 minutes.  Slowly add powdered sugar a little at a time on low-speed.   Once it is all in and mixed beat at high-speed until light and fluffy for about 4 minutes.  You can store the unused frosting in an airtight container in the frig about a week.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

11 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat the heavy whipping cream until boiling.  Pour over the chocolate that is in a small bowl and stir until melted and completely blended.   

 

 

Tagged as: homemade Hostess cupcakes