Foodie Friday: Homemade Zingers!

I was heartbroken when Hostess went out of business a few years ago. I was never a really big Twinkies fan, but I loved the cupcakes and chocolate zingers. A host of make-your-own recipes emerged shortly after and this is a really good one. Of course, Hostess is back in business now so to speak, so I can buy them again, but every now and then, I get in a baking mood.

Homemade Chocolate Zingers

Makes 12 cakes

For the devil's food cakes:

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup hot coffee


For the cream filling and chocolate frosting:

1/2 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided

1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup chocolate syrup

1 pinch salt



To get started, you’ll need to grease the pan well, then combine the butter, sugar, eggs, cocoa, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat in flour and sour cream, then add the hot coffee and mix until a smooth batter forms. Spread the batter into the baking pan as evenly as possible. Preheat the oven to 350º F and bake for 45 minutes, the chill the cake in the freezer until firm. This will help each cake retain a crisp shape when you cut into it to add the filling.



While you wait for the cake to chill, prepare the frosting and filling. I’ll admit, sometimes when I’m feeling lazy I substitute ready-made marshmallow fluff for the filling, but if you’re looking for authenticity, then this cream filling is a close approximation to the real thing.

To make the cream filling, whisk together the milk and flour in a small saucepan until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency, then transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and refrigerate until it cools completely. Once cool, whip the mixture with the softened butter and the granulated sugar for about five minutes, until it becomes fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract, then beat the mixture until well-combined. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped.



When the cake is chilled, cut it into twelve snack cakes by making three evenly-spaced cuts in one direction, then four perpendicular cuts. These snack cakes end up being slightly larger than the original, but I doubt there will be many complaints. Use a serrated knife to cut a slit lengthwise on top of each snack cake, taking care not to cut all the way through.

Fill the cake with the cream filling until it bulges slightly, then pinch the cake together slightly so that a little of the filling squeezes out the top.



To make the chocolate frosting for the top, place the cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, and butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat them until combined. Beat in chocolate syrup, vanilla extract, and salt, then transfer the frosting to a piping bag. A number 789 cake tip icer makes an authentic frosting stripe on top, but if you don’t have one, spread the icing on with an offset spatula then run the tines of a fork through the icing to create the characteristic ridges.



Store the cakes in an airtight container for up to two days -- if they last that long!