INGREDIENTS
For the Twinkies:
1 box yellow cake mix
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
5 egg whites
For the key lime filling:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. key lime juice (or regular lime juice)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 tsp. green gel food coloring
1 tsp. yellow gel food coloring
Special equipment:
Twinkie pan
DIRECTIONS
- To make the cakes: Preheat oven to 350ºF and spray Twinkie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a bowl, mix together yellow cake mix with egg yolks, vegetable oil, and water.
- In a stand-up mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into cake batter and then spoon into the Twinkie pan, about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cakes are light golden brown and spring back to the touch. Allow to cool completely.
- To make the filling: Cream together butter until light and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and keep mixing. Add heavy cream, lime juice, and vanilla extract and continue to mix. Add in marshmallow creme and food coloring and mix until incorporated and the color is evenly spread. Place frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small tip or a filling injector.
- Use a chopstick to poke 3 holes into the flat side of the Twinkie. Gently fill each with the pastry filling until it has slightly expanded but no frosting is coming out. Repeat with remaining Twinkies.
