End of the Twinkie? Fear Not, Make Your Own

Airdate: 11/16/2012

The Twinkie is toast, and America is in mourning.

Good Morning America's Josh Elliott said, "I'm just going to save mine for 12 years, when it will still be good."

Check out the doomsday headlines:

"Sign of the Apocalypse - No More Twinkies!"

"Twilight for Twinkies"

"R.I.P. Twinkie 1930-2012"

The spongy snack from Hostess has been in existence for 80 years. It's been celebrated in movies like Ghostbusters and Zombieland.

In Zombieland, Woody Harrelson's character is willing to risk his life for a box of Twinkies. "Not just any box of Twinkies, but the last box of Twinkies anyone will ever enjoy in the universe," he says in the movie.

"America it's time to take action," said Wendy Williams.

Williams is taking the Twinkie crisis hard. She launched a campaign to save the Twinkie, “Save the Twinkie. Save an American icon,” Williams said.

Senator John McCain, of all people, took time out to lament, tweeting, "What will we do without deep fried Twinkies at the Iowa State Fair?"

At one hostess store in Los Angeles, the shelves are emptying fast.

Dana Weiss, a customer who rushed over to pick up one last box, said, "It's the last of the Twinkies. Get it while you can!"

INSIDE EDITION went to a Manhattan supermarket and found the last batch of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and other Hostess goodies. The manager told INSIDE EDITION there will be no more deliveries.

But don't panic! INSIDE EDITION has a solution to Twinkie—Armageddon. You can make your own Twinkies.

"Imagine a child growing up without Twinkie," said Zac Young.

Young is head pastry chef at David Burke Kitchen at the James Hotel in New York. There are 39 ingredients in the original Twinkie. In Young's all natural version, there are 10.

Young told INSIDE EDITION he used, "All purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and corn mill. And a vanilla bean marshmallow filling."

Young’s version looks a little like a Twinkie. But how does it taste?

"It blows the original one out of the water, and I would much prefer the homemade one any day," said a taste tester of Young's creation.

 No need to freak out. Next time you have a Twinkie craving, just make your own by following Young's recipe:

8 ounces (two sticks) unsalted butter (melted)

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 ¾ cups all purpose flour

¼ corn meal or polenta

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 ¼ cups buttermilk

Whisk together butter, sugar, eggs and buttermilk. Fold in dry ingredients. Spoon into prepared moulds and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Once cool, trim the tops and inject filling.

Filling

16 ounces cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 vanilla bean scraped and pod discarded