Homemade Red Velvet Twinkies Recipe: Family Favorite!
Hey friend! If you’ve ever craved a Twinkie, but wanted something with a little more wow factor, then you’re going to love this homemade red velvet version. I actually never did like store-bought Twinkies, but these are AMAZING! These Red velvet Twinkies are a one-of-a-kind treat!
Homemade Red Velvet Twinkies Recipe: A Family Favorite
Equipment
- Mixer
- Measuring Cups and Spoons:
- rubber spatula
- parchment paper
- cling wrap
- 2 (9 x 13 x 1in) pans
Ingredients
Twinkie Filling
- 1 ¼ cup milk (2%)`
- 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening (white Crisco)
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- dash salt
Red Velvet Cake Box Mix- I listed what is needed for the Duncan Heinz Box Mix that I Used.
- 1 box Red Velvet Cake (Duncan Hines) Follow the box directions.
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
Twinkie Filling Phase One
- In a small saucepan, cook 1 ¼ cups milk and 6 tablespoons of flour over medium heat until thickened. This will take around 5 minutes. It will be VERY thick. So thick that it won't fall off of the whisk.
- Once it has thickened you need to let it cool completely. I remove it from the pan with a spatula and put it into a different bowl to help speed up the cooling process. This might take 20 minutes or longer. You can also put it in the refrigerator to help speed things up.
Twinkie Filling Phase Two
- Beat 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/2 cup softened butter, a dash of salt, and 1 tsp. of vanilla for about 5 minutes. Use a mixer for this.
Twinkie Filling Phase Three
- Add the cooled milk and flour mixture to the sugar and butter mixture. Beat, beat, and beat some more. This is going to take around 8 minutes. If you don't beat it long enough it will be grainy. You want it to be light and fluffy!
Make and Bake the Cake
- Preheat the oven to whatever the box says. Mine says 350°.
- Make the red velvet cake batter according to the directions on the back of the box.
- Prepare two 9x13x1 inch pans by either placing parchment paper on them or by using a cooking spray containing flour and spraying them. Otherwise, the baked cakes won't fall out when you need to flip them out here in a bit.
- Bake them for no more than 8 minutes. I set my timer for 5 minutes and then one minute increments after that (up until 8 minutes) to make sure that I don't over bake them. Keep checking them and keep setting your timer!
- Let the cakes cool completely before moving on to the next steps.
The Tricky Flip: Get the Cakes Out of the Pan (In One Piece-Hopefully)
- Lay out a piece of wax or parchment paper on a surface that has space to work on.
- Carefully flip on of the cakes out of the pan and onto the parchment or wax paper.
- Gently remove the parchment paper.
- Spread on the Twinkie filling. Make sure that it covers evenly and all the way out to the edges.
- Carefully line up the other cake and then gently flip it over on top of the filling.
- Gently remove the parchment paper.
- Use a long bread knife (or knife of your choice) and cut cake into individual Twinkies. A 3 by 9 grid seems to work well.
- Wrap each Twinkie with cling wrap and refrigerate.
- Serve cold or warm. We prefer cold, but I definitely eat one right away too:)
I use my mom’s classic Twinkie filling and give it a fun and festive red velvet cake twist. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll never look at a Twinkie the same way again!
These are called twinkies, but to be honest, they taste nothing like a store bought Twinkie! They are 100 times better and I hope you love them as much as my family does!
The Secret to the Perfect Filling
The secret to the Twinkie filling is a simple, but oh-so-delicious mixture of milk, flour, sugar, shortening, butter, and vanilla. This is not a cream cheese filling, but you will love it. Here’s how to make it:
1. Start with the milk mixture: In a saucepan, whisk together 1 1/4 cups of milk and 6 tablespoons of flour. Cook it over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens up. Once it reaches a very thick pudding-like consistency, take it off the heat and let it cool completely. (I know, it feels like forever, but trust me, it’s worth the wait!)
2. Next up, the sugar and butter: In a separate bowl, beat together 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/2 cup softened butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You want to use your electric mixer to beat this really, really well — I’m talking a good long mixing until it’s fluffy and smooth.
3. Combine the cooled milk mixture: Now, slowly add the cooled milk mixture into the butter-sugar mixture, and beat. And beat. And beat some more! You’ll want to mix it for quite a while until it’s silky smooth. The longer you mix, the fluffier and more heavenly it becomes.
I would just set your timer for 8-10 minutes and let the mixer do its thing. Scrape down the sides occasionally.
Red Velvet Cake—A Showstopper Base
Now for the red velvet cake part! You can use a box of red velvet cake mix to keep things easy (I know, I love a good shortcut), or you can make it from scratch using your favorite red velvet cake recipe if you’re feeling adventurous. But here’s the easy way:
1. Mix the cake batter: Follow the instructions on the red velvet box cake mix to prepare the batter. It’s super simple, and the end result is rich, moist red velvet goodness. You do not need red food coloring for this recipe.
2. Bake the layers on the prepared baking pans: Place parchment paper down in your pans. Or, you can grease (cooking spray with flour) two 9 x 13 x 1-inch shallow baking pans. These are also know as jelly roll pans. I do think the right pan is pretty important to having these turn out the right way.
Split your cake batter evenly into two halves. Bake accrding the the package temperature but DO NOT follow the baking time on the box.
Bake them for 5-8 minutes. I set the timer for 5 minutes and then 1 minute increments after that until I reach 8 minutes. You do not want to over bake them.
They will probably be done right at 8 minutes of baking time.
Then, allow the cakes to cool completely. (Patience, my friend, patience!) Place pans on cooling racks to speed up the process.
The Tricky Part: Getting The Cake Out of The Pan
I think that getting the cakes out of the pan can be a little tricky.
- Take Your TIME!
- Lay a longer sheet of wax or parchment paper out on a surface that has plenty of space.
- Carefully take one of the sheet pans and flip it onto the wax paper. If it breaks, just keep it as close together as possible.
- Gently remove the parchment paper.
- Spread the filling over the top.
- Carefully take the other cake and flip it on top of the filling. Try to line it up the best you can before flipping. Gently remove the parchment paper.
- Cut the cake into individual Twinkies and then wrap them each in cling wrap.
Assembling Your Twinkies: Adorable Little Cakes!
Once everything is cooled down, it’s time for the fun (and tricky) part: assembling the homemade Twinkies.
1. Spread the filling: Take the bottom layer of cake and use a small rubber spatula to spread a generous amount of that creamy Twinkie filling over the top. It should be a nice, thick layer that will give you that classic Twinkie texture.
2. Top it off: Place the second layer of cake on top, pressing it down gently to ensure the filling sticks.
3. Cut them up: Now, you can cut your homemade red velvet Twinkies into Twinkie-sized pieces. Test out your knives to see which one cuts the best. My bread knife works the best for me.
Stick them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and serve them cold. Well, you don’t have to wait that long if you don’t want to. We just LOVE them cold!
You can wrap each one individually with saran wrap if you want them to be more authentic and portable.
Or, if you don’t want to take the time for that, just cut them into 1-inch by 3-inch pieces and serve them as is. Either way, they’re sure to be a hit!
Storing Your Delicious Little Red Velvet Twinkies
We prefer to refrigerate ours before serving. Something about them being cold adds to the deliciousness. If you have wrapped them individually, you won’t have to store them in an airtight container.
If not, make sure to store them into the refrigerator in an airtight container to keep them yummy and fresh. You don’t want them to dry out.
The Result: Soft, Creamy, and Irresistible
These homemade red velvet Twinkies are soft, fluffy, and packed with that rich, creamy filling that we all know and love. The best part? They’re customizable, easy to make, and perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a family gathering or a treat just for you.
So, next time you’re craving a Twinkie, give this recipe a try. I promise, you’ll be glad you did! Enjoy!
Let me know how yours turn out—can’t wait to hear all about it! As stated above, these are not like the ones in the convenience stores and you do not need any gourmet equipment to whip these goodies up.
Bonus: Red Velvet Cupcake Option
For a fun option, you can make red velvet cupcakes and use a piping bag to create beautiful swirls of frosting. Follow the box directions for the cupcakes, prepare my Twinkie filling for the icing, prepare the muffin tins, and bake.
You can use the tip of the pastry bag to pipe the frosting onto each cupcake. These cupcakes make a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day!
You can also substitute yellow cake for that classic Twinkie taste or even use chocolate cake for a richer option.
These look delightful! Especially for Valentine’s Day treats!
Thank you and yes, perfect for Valentine’s Day:)