Twinkie Cake

Our Twinkie cake is a unique, delicious dessert that can be enjoyed by everyone with its creamy pudding layer, fresh strawberries, and Twinkie snack cakes.

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Table of Contents

Twinkie Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions For A Strawberry Twinkie Cake
How To Make This Twinkie Cake Recipe
How To Serve a Twinkie Strawberry Shortcake
Storing a No Bake Twinkie Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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If you love Twinkies, we guarantee this delicious Twinkie cake recipe checks all the boxes. Layers of soft Twinkie sponge cake, vanilla cream filling, creamy pudding, and juicy ripe strawberries will have you coming back for a second slice.

close up shot of a slice of Twinkie Cake topped with cut up strawberries on a plate

Twinkie Cake Ingredients

Twinkie Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

The taste of our Twinkie strawberry cake is truly something special. The creamy filling and cake perfectly complement the sweetness of ripe strawberries, creating a unique flavor that is hard to beat!

Every bite is packed with sweet strawberry flavor and vanilla pudding, making it a great dessert or snack option for any occasion.

You’ll need:

9 Twinkies, unwrapped
3.4-ounce box of instant vanilla pudding
1½ cups of whole milk
16-ounce container of fresh strawberries, divided into ½ cup and the remainder
8 ounces of Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed

Note: Choose ripe but firm strawberries for this recipe. Overripe strawberries might be too soft and could make the cake soggy.

Substitutions And Additions For A Strawberry Twinkie Cake

WHIPPED TOPPING: You can make your own recipe for stabilized whipped cream if you desire in this fun cake recipe.

You can also cut back the amount of whipped topping used to either four to six ounces.

This is such a forgiving recipe that you can customize the amount according to your tastes.

FRESH STRAWBERRIES: If strawberries aren’t in season or you just want to try a different fruit, you could use fresh raspberries, blueberries, or even a mix of berries.

The tartness of these fruits would complement the sweetness of the cake and pudding. We do not recommend frozen berries.

VANILLA PUDDING: If you want to experiment with flavors, try using a different flavor of instant pudding.

Chocolate or strawberry pudding could add an interesting twist to the cake. Just remember that this will change the flavor profile of the cake.

TOPPINGS: Feel free to get creative with the toppings!

You could add some chocolate shavings, a drizzle of caramel sauce (or salted caramel sauce), fudge sauce, or crushed nuts for a bit of crunch.

PRO TIP:

This can also be made, as written, using a 9×9 baking dish. You just need to note that you may need to add the extra Twinkie from the 10-count box of Twinkie snack cakes to fill the entire surface of the slightly larger dish.

How To Make This Twinkie Cake Recipe

This yummy Twinkie strawberry shortcake incorporates a soft layer of hostess Twinkies topped with sweet vanilla pudding and juicy strawberries for a no-bake cake that has a trifle-like texture and plenty of heavenly flavors mingling together.

STEP ONE: Place the unwrapped Twinkies into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish.

When arranging them at the bottom of the dish, make sure they are placed close together. This will ensure that each slice of cake has a good amount of Twinkie in it.

STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mix and whole milk for three minutes or until thickened.

When preparing the instant pudding, whisk it until it’s just set. Over-whisking can make the pudding too stiff, which might make it difficult to spread over the Twinkies.

pudding mix and milk whisked together in a bowl

STEP THREE: Spread the vanilla pudding evenly over the bottom layer of Twinkies in the baking dish.

vanilla pudding spread on top of the Twinkies

STEP FOUR: Dice three to four of the strawberries into small pieces. You should have about ⅓ to ½ cup of diced berries. Set aside.

PRO TIP:

Depending on the size of the berries, you may not need to use all the berries from your container. You can save the extras for snacking on later.

STEP FIVE: Slice the remaining berries into ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange the sliced strawberries in a single layer covering the entire surface of the Twinkie cake.

sliced strawberries spread on top of the cake

STEP SIX: Top the layer of strawberry slices with the thawed whipped topping. You can use an offset spatula to smooth the whipped topping into an even layer.

When spreading the whipped topping, do it gently to prevent the strawberries from moving around too much. This will help keep your layers neat.

whipped topping spread on top of the sliced strawberries

STEP SEVEN: Sprinkle the reserved small diced strawberries evenly over the top of the cake.

whipped topping topped with sliced strawberries

STEP EIGHT: Refrigerate for one to two hours to allow the pudding layer to firm up before slicing and serving.

a slice of Twinkie Cake topped with cut up strawberries on a plate

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

You can easily double this recipe and make it in a 9×13 baking dish if you are serving a crowd.

How To Serve a Twinkie Strawberry Shortcake

This no bake Twinkie cake recipe is great on its own. It’s also a versatile dessert that can be presented in a variety of ways:

Serve with Ice Cream: There’s something about the combination of cake and ice cream that never fails.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream or an extra spoonful of whipped cream are perfect complements to the creamy pudding layer and the sweetness of the ripe strawberries.

Incorporate into a Dessert Buffet: Twinkie cake could be a star player in a dessert buffet. Serve it alongside other nostalgic treats like our Ding Dong cake and Cosmic Brownies.

This Twinkie Cake would be the perfect dessert to serve…

At a Birthday Party: Twinkie cake, with its fun and nostalgic feel, would be a hit at a birthday party. It’s a unique twist on the traditional birthday cake and would surely be a conversation starter among guests.

At a Summer Barbecue: The Twinkie cake, with its layers of cake, cream, and strawberries, is a light and sweet dessert that would pair well with the smoky, savory flavors of a summer barbecue.

Holiday Gatherings: The Twinkie cake could be a delightful surprise at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Its layers and creamy, fruity flavors offer a nice contrast to traditional holiday desserts.

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Storing a No Bake Twinkie Cake

IN THE FRIDGE: This no-bake Twinkie cake is best served chilled. Since this is such an easy dessert to make, I highly suggest making this no more than six to eight hours in advance.

Due to the soft and moist nature of the Twinkie snack cakes, this dessert will get too soft and soggy if allowed to sit for too long.

You can store this cake in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days for best results.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend trying to freeze this cake as the Twinkies will become soggy once thawed.

Made with the beloved Hostess snack cakes, this Twinkie cake is easy to make, and you can customize it however you’d like. With its creamy pudding layer, juicy strawberries, and layer of soft Twinkies, it’s sure to be a hit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this strawberry Twinkie cake ahead of time?

We don’t recommend making this cake too far in advance, as the longer the Twinkies sit, the softer they will become.

How long can I store the cake?

Store the cake in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 days for best results.

Can I use a different type of cake in this recipe?

If you prefer to make this recipe without the Twinkies, pound cake and angel food cake are great options.

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No Bake Twinkie Cake

5 from 1 vote

Our Twinkie cake is a unique, delicious dessert that can be enjoyed by everyone with its creamy pudding layer, fresh strawberries, and Twinkie snack cakes.

Prep Time 10

Total Time 2 10

Servings

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Ingredients

9 Twinkies, unwrapped
3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding
1½ cups whole milk
16 ounces fresh strawberries, divided into ½ cup and the remainder
8 ounces whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

Place the unwrapped Twinkies into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mix and whole milk for 3 minutes or until thickened.
Spread the vanilla pudding evenly over the Twinkies in the baking dish.
Dice 3 to 4 of the strawberries into small pieces. You should have about ⅓-½ cup of diced berries. Set aside.
Slice the remaining berries into ¼-inch thick slices. Arrange the sliced strawberries in a single layer covering the entire surface of the Twinkie cake.
Top the layer of strawberry slices with the thawed whipped topping. You can use an offset spatula to smooth the whipped topping into an even layer.
Sprinkle the reserved small diced strawberries evenly over the surface of the no-bake Twinkie cake.
Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to allow the pudding layer to firm up before slicing and serving.

Notes

You can easily double this recipe and make it in a 9×13 baking dish if you are serving a crowd.
This can also be made, as written, using a 9×9 baking dish; you just need to note that you may need to add the extra Twinkie from the 10-count box of Twinkie snack cakes to fill the entire surface of the slightly larger dish.
Depending on the size of the berries, you may not need to use all the berries from your container. You can save the extras for snacking on later.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Sian Cox Photographer
Lenore Ortyl Editorial Director
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant
Angela Sessions Recipe Developer