The Mechanics of Twinkies

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In today's era of wellness-focused lifestyles, low-carb trends, and bottled water, one treat has remained a steadfast favorite. The Twinkie embodies the essence of indulgent snacking, offering little nutritional benefit but delivering unmatched deliciousness.

Twinkies have found their way into unexpected realms, from courtroom evidence to wedding desserts, and even into countless myths about their longevity. You might have heard tales of Twinkies enduring a nuclear blast or containing mysterious preservatives like embalming fluid. But what exactly are Twinkies? Is it true they can last on a shelf for three decades? This article delves into their origins, production process, and the truth behind the shelf-life myths.

At first glance, a Twinkie appears to be a straightforward treat. It’s a soft, golden cake measuring 4 inches in length and 1.5 inches in width, filled with a smooth, white cream that resembles vanilla frosting.

The cake portion of a Twinkie is tender and airy, with a mild yet distinct buttery taste. While the flavor is noticeable, it’s clear that it comes from artificial flavoring rather than real butter. The filling, distributed in three evenly spaced dollops, has a silky texture and a sweet, sugary taste.

Creating a Twinkie involves more than just cake and cream. The original 1930 recipe used simple ingredients like eggs, milk, and butter. However, the demand for extended shelf life led to the inclusion of additional components.

A significant part of a Twinkie consists of bleached wheat flour and natural sugar derived from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar isn’t just for sweetness—it helps trap air to lighten the cake, binds with proteins to soften it, and retains moisture while contributing to its golden hue [source: Ettlinger].

Surprisingly, many Twinkie ingredients originate from an unexpected source: corn. In fact, eight out of 39 components are corn-based [source: Ettlinger]. Key elements like corn starch, glucose, fructose, and high fructose corn syrup play a crucial role in the creation of Twinkies.

Most of the other ingredients are far from familiar to the average person, as they are products of advanced chemical processes. We’ll explore these fascinating components in detail on the following page.

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Twinkie Ingredients

Monoglycerides and diglycerides serve as emulsifiers in the Twinkie recipe, replacing eggs. These compounds help stabilize the batter, improve flavor, and increase shelf life [source: Ettlinger]. A minimal amount of egg is included for leavening. Polysorbate 60 performs a similar role to the glycerides, maintaining the cream filling's consistency without relying on real fat. Hydrogenated shortening substitutes butter, contributing to the cake's texture, flavor, and longevity.

Flavor experts have identified artificial butter flavoring in the cake and artificial vanilla flavoring in the cream filling, both derived from petroleum-based chemicals [source: Ettlinger].

Contrary to popular belief, only one ingredient in Twinkies acts as a true preservative: sorbic acid. While other components have preservative qualities, sorbic acid's main role is to prevent mold growth [source: Ettlinger].

Cellulose gum is used in the filling as a fat substitute. This ingredient can absorb 15 to 20 times its weight in water, ensuring the filling remains smooth and creamy.

After mixing all the ingredients, the batter is poured into metal pans with Twinkie-shaped molds. Baking occurs at 350 degrees F for 9 to 12 minutes [source: Ettlinger]. The rounded bottom of the mold and the browning of the batter during baking create the iconic shape. Once cooled, the cakes are flipped, revealing that the familiar rounded top was originally the bottom during baking.

Robotic systems transport the Twinkies to a set of cream-filling injectors. Three injectors pierce the cake's base simultaneously, depositing three dollops of filling. The injection points are often visible on the bottom of a Twinkie.

Next, machines encase the Twinkies in airtight plastic wrappers. They may be packaged individually or in pairs, depending on their intended sale format. The wrapped Twinkies are then boxed, grouped into larger containers, and shipped to stores nationwide.

A single Twinkie contains 150 calories (or 160, according to some reports), which isn’t excessive for a snack. However, it includes 4.5 grams of fat, with 2.5 grams being saturated fat, 19 grams of sugar, and no dietary fiber [source: Calorie King]. While an occasional Twinkie won’t harm you, an all-Twinkie diet is certainly not advisable.

Twinkie History

During the 1920s and 1930s, Continental Bakeries marketed baked goods under the Hostess brand, many of which were seasonal and featured fruit fillings. For example, Hostess Little Shortbread Fingers used strawberries, leaving the production equipment unused for months when strawberries were out of season.

James Dewar, the company's vice president, sought to utilize the idle equipment and boost efficiency. He envisioned a simple sponge cake with a cream filling. Inspired by a billboard for Twinkle-Toe Shoes on his way to a marketing meeting, the Twinkie was created in 1930 [source: Hostess].

The original Twinkies differed significantly from today's version. Initially, they featured banana cream filling instead of vanilla. However, a banana shortage during World War II led to the switch to vanilla. Early Twinkies, made with eggs, milk, and butter, had a shelf life of just two days. Dewar's sales team restocked stores every other day, but this was costly. This drove the need for a longer shelf life, prompting numerous recipe changes [source: Ettlinger].

Modern Twinkies last much longer than their 1930 counterparts, though not as long as some myths suggest. Stories claim Twinkies remain fresh for decades, survive nuclear disasters, or that the original 1930 batch is still being sold. In reality, Twinkies have a 25-day shelf life [source: Snopes]. Contrary to popular belief, Twinkies aren't preserved with chemicals. Most chemical ingredients replace perishable components like eggs and butter, preventing spoilage. The airtight plastic packaging plays a bigger role in freshness than the ingredients themselves.

There are anecdotes of Twinkies lasting decades, such as one preserved in a high school science classroom for 30 years [source: USA Today]. While the Twinkie remains intact (as most sealed items would), it becomes brittle over time. Claims of its edibility are speculative, as no one has dared to test it.

Twinkies in Pop Culture

Twinkies have transcended their role as a snack cake to become a cultural icon. They are often seen as the ultimate junk food and a symbol of an unhealthy diet. Twinkies have even made their way into legal cases. In 1985, a Minneapolis city council candidate faced bribery charges for offering Twinkies to voters. Though the charges were dismissed, the incident coined the term "Twinkiegate" and inspired a campaign finance law called "The Twinkie Law" [source: Washington Post].

Twinkies have also played a role in a notorious murder trial. In 1979, Dan White, a defendant in a San Francisco murder case, argued that his actions were influenced by severe depression, evidenced by his sudden consumption of junk food, including Twinkies. This "Twinkie Defense" gained widespread attention [source: Washington Post].

In 2005, the American Society of Media Photographers featured Twinkies in their annual Object Show. The exhibit included creative images like Twinkies growing on trees, being used as beauty products, and even a depiction of Jesus Christ with a Twinkie for a head [source: Pittsburgh Live].

Twinkies are celebrated and analyzed extensively on the Internet. The T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. Project is a humorous website that conducts scientific experiments on Twinkies to explore their characteristics. These experiments have tested their electrical resistance, solubility in water, and even whether they possess consciousness [source: T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. Project].

The Many Uses of Twinkies

If a standard Twinkie doesn’t satisfy your craving for indulgence, there are countless creative ways to enjoy them. For instance, deep-fried Twinkies, first introduced by a Brooklyn, N.Y., restaurant, have gained popularity across the U.S., especially at county fairs [source: CNN].

You can even express your love for Twinkies (and your partner) with a Twinkie wedding cake, as some couples have done. Hostess provides guidelines for creating one [source: Hostess]. From Twinkie pie to Twinkie tiramisu and even Twinkie sushi, this snack’s versatility knows no bounds [source: Recipezaar].