Twinkie Cupcakes

        It's cave day over here at the Madden house. Cave days are days in which we laze around in comfy clothes, shut the shades, turn of the lights, cuddle and hibernate away. They usually fall on Sundays. They also involve lots of doggie cuddles and kisses, and usually good munching food. Today that includes leftover twinkie cupcakes. There are just some things in life that make things better, and watching season two of Sex and The City, cuddling with my body pillow and blanket,  and stuffing my face with these are just some of those things. 

Hey, Wheres the cream filling?!

Twinkie Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients on back of box

1 small box sugar free/fat free instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 teaspoons very hot water

Marshmallow Buttercream (recipe & ingredients follow)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with about 20 paper liners. Set aside.

2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, stirring the box of pudding mix into the cake batter to blend. Portion batter evenly among muffin cups, about 2/3 full, and bake for approx. 15-18 mins or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, the core out the cupcake’s middles with a sharp, small paring knife, careful not to cut through the entire cupcake. Eat or discard centers.

3. First, dissolve the salt into the hot water and allow to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the marshmallow cream, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until fluffy. Beat in the salt water. Mixture should be light but not as stiff as frosting.

4. Scoop filling into a resealable plastic bag, seal tight, and snip off a corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into each cored cupcake, filling just to the top. Refrigerate cupcakes while you prepare the frosting.

Marshmallow Buttercream

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff

2 sticks butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

About 1 bag (32 oz) powdered sugar

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the fluff, butter and vanilla until combined & creamy, about 2 mins. Gradually begin adding powdered sugar in, about one cup at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy.

2. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes, careful to cover the filled center with frosting. Store frosted cupcakes airtight, preferably in the fridge. They’re super good cold! If desired, garnish with thin slices of Twinkies.

-Sweet Sarah

Found at The Domestic Rebel