Classic Snacks Made from Scratch (5 page)

More effective than woven friendship bracelets or snap-in-half heart necklaces (though admittedly less permanent), a two-pack of cream-filled, garishly rainbow-frosted snacky cakes has always been a surefire way to make a new best bud. Now, instead of cracking open a plastic package, it’s far more fun to offer a freshly baked treat and watch your friend’s eyes light up in happy surprise. A sugar-packed blob of pink coconut or an icing-doodled cupcake proves endearing every time.

ENTENMANN’S DONUTS

TASTYKAKE BUTTERSCOTCH KRIMPETS

TASTYKAKE PEANUT BUTTER KANDY KAKES

HOSTESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

HOSTESS ORANGE CUPCAKES

TWINKIES

SNO-BALLS

RASPBERRY ZINGERS

DEVIL DOGS

Donut eaters are divided on what to call the chocolate-covered rounds that we all like to pop like candy: some people, like Super Bowl–winning New York Giant Victor Cruz, call them “glazed,” while Entenmann’s itself refers to them as “rich chocolate frosted.” Me, I like to think of them as dipped donuts, since that’s how we make ’em at home. Fire up the deep fryer and make yourself a mixed dozen!

YIELD:
12 to 16 donuts

TOTAL TIME:
1 hour 45 minutes

DIFFICULTY:
3

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
standard donut cutter (or 1 and 2-1/2-inch round cookie cutters), electric deep fryer (or a large pot and a candy/oil thermometer)

DONUTS

2 large eggs

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/4 to 1/3 cup whole or reduced-fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (8-1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 cup (4-1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

vegetable or canola oil for frying

CHOCOLATE DIPPING GLAZE

4 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole or reduced-fat milk

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (a scant cup)

MAKE THE DONUTS:

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs and sugar together by hand for about 30 seconds, until the eggs are thickened and pale. Add the butter, 1/4 cup milk, and vanilla; whisk until combined.

Whisk the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. The batter will be thick and sticky—you’ll wonder how this will ever be dry enough to roll out, but don’t worry about that. If it’s too thick
to stir, add the remaining milk to loosen it a bit. Cover the batter-filled bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat at least 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil to 375°F in an electric deep fryer or a large, high-sided pot. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and an upside-down wire cooling rack (see Deep Frying 101,
page 188
).

On a liberally floured surface, pat the chilled dough into a square. Dust the top of the dough and your rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough to form a rough 10-inch square about 1/2 inch thick. Flour the donut cutter (or cookie cutters) and stamp out donut shapes, re-flouring the cutter each time.

Carefully lower the donuts into the oil (and the donut holes, why not cook those, too?) a few at a time. Frying time will vary based on your equipment, but it should take no more than 3 to 4 minutes per donut. The donuts need to be flipped for even browning after 1 to 2 minutes; use chopsticks or heatproof tongs to carefully turn them in the hot oil.

Transfer the donuts to the prepared baking sheet to cool completely before serving.

ADD THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

Fill a small, straight-sided saucepan halfway with water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.

Stir the powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and milk together in a heatproof metal or glass bowl. Place over the simmering water and cook, stirring, until the liquid is warm to the touch. Add the chopped chocolate and cook, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted.

Dip the cooled donuts completely in the chocolate glaze, letting the excess glaze drip back into the bowl. Lift out of the glaze and place on a wire cooling rack for at least 30 minutes, until the glaze is set.

Store the donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

For those of us raised in Pennsylvania, the word “Tastykake” was synonymous with the sweetest cakes a kid could ever sink her teeth into—none sweeter than Butterscotch Krimpets, the spongy little snacklets with golden caramel frosting.

Now I’m bringing these regional specialties to the world at large as a labor of love. Make these for anyone who spent their childhood around New England (or really, anyone who loves the salty-sweet punch of butterscotch) and prepare for swooning.

YIELD:
about 20 cakes

TOTAL TIME:
1-1/2 hours

DIFFICULTY:
2

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
stand mixer, canoe pan (or 2 standard or 4 mini loaf pans, 2 muffin tins, a 9-inch square metal baking pan, or a split-top hot dog bun pan)

CAKE

1-1/4 cups (5-3/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (3-3/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

FROSTING

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup (3-3/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups (8 ounces) powdered sugar

MAKE THE CAKES:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz the pan(s) or pan wells with baking spray.

Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until no lumps remain.

Whisk the oil, water, vanilla, and egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Stir into the dry ingredients and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, adding the cream of tartar when they are starting to froth.

Stir about a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the batter to loosen it up, then gently fold in the remaining whites in 2 or 3 batches, working slowly to incorporate them without destroying their fluffiness.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s), filling each well ⅔ full if using a canoe pan or muffin tin. Save any remaining batter for a second batch.

Bake until the cakes are puffy and golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 8 to 10 minutes for canoe shapes, 13 to 15 minutes for cupcakes or mini loaf pans, and 18 to 20 minutes for square metal baking pans, standard loaf pans, or hot dog pans. Timing may vary, so watch carefully.

Cool the cakes in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack; they will shrink away from the sides of the pan.

Then line the rack with waxed paper and spritz the paper lightly with baking spray. Invert the pan to turn the cakes out onto the rack. Cool completely before cutting into 3 by 1-1/4-inch logs (if using a loaf, square, or hot dog pan).

FROST THE CAKES:

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the brown sugar and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula as the sugar cooks for 3 minutes. When the liquid becomes more cohesive, shinier, and light toffee in color, slowly stir in the cream. Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. The butterscotch will thicken to a saucy consistency and the bubbles will become shinier and fluffier. Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the sauce with the powdered sugar and remaining 4 tablespoons butter on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.

If the frosting seems too soft, refrigerate it for 15 minutes before spreading a thin layer atop each cake piece.

Store the cakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

While the Krimpet reigns as the prom queen of the Tastykake lineup, the Kandy Kake is Miss Congeniality: less critically acclaimed but secretly the superior of the two. Originally called Tandy Takes, the name was shifted to the just-as-alliterative but less nonsensical Kandy Kakes in the 1970s.

YIELD:
16 cakes

TOTAL TIME:
2-1/2 hours, including chilling time

DIFFICULTY:
4

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
stand mixer, 9-inch round or square metal baking pan, 2-inch round cookie cutter, electric hand mixer

CAKE

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2/3 cup (4-2/3 ounces) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup (3-1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

1/2 cup (4-3/4 ounces) natural creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup (1 ounce) powdered sugar

CHOCOLATE COATING

8 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped (a scant 1-1/3 cups)

2 teaspoons vegetable shortening

MAKE THE CAKE:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a 9-inch round or square baking pan with baking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and no longer granular. Scrape down the bowl and add the flour, stirring on low speed just until fully incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next and scraping the bowl and beater blades as needed.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, pushing it to the edges with a spatula. Shake the pan from side to side and tap the bottom once or twice on the countertop to make sure the batter is evenly distributed and flat in the pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan onto the rack to cool completely.

MAKE THE FILLING AND ASSEMBLE THE CAKES:

Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend the peanut butter with the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Start at low speed, then increase to medium until the sugar is fully incorporated.

Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, punch 8 rounds out of the cooled cake, then slice them in half to make a total of 16 thin cake rounds. Use a butter knife to spread an even layer of peanut butter filling on each cake round; place on the prepared baking sheet.

ADD THE CHOCOLATE COATING:

Melt the milk chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly for about 6 to 7 minutes, until the chocolate is fully melted and completely smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the shortening until completely incorporated.