Twinkie-like Cupcake Sweetheart Treats

I am pretty sure I've mentioned this before...but...I have an embarrassing weakness for Twinkies. I'm not proud of this-I am well aware of the nutritional shortcomings of my secret love (I know, I know "shortcomings" is probably an understatement-I probably should say that I am well aware of the fact that my secret love contains absolutely no nutritional value). But deficits and all I love them.

When I saw this bargain in the supermarket: Duncan Hines Cupcake Mixes 2 for $1.00 I couldn't resist tossing a few boxes into my cart.

After baking, I immediately thought of filling them with Twinkie-like filling to create a little Valentine's Day treat. I love these cupcake mixes; they are the perfect size for a family dessert. Making cupcakes with an ordinary cake mix yields way too many cupcakes for a weeknight family dessert but using the cupcake mix will leave you with 12 full size cupcakes or 24 minis-plenty for dessert and plenty for some lunchbox leftovers. I went with the minis.

I found a recipe at Cooks.com for Twinkie-like filling and adapted it for this recipe...it was a delicious, beater licking treat. For frosting I improvised a frosting with butter and sour cream.

Twinkie-like Cupcake Sweetheart Treats

Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Cupcake Mix prepared according to package directions

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup Crisco

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup evaporated milk

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon milk

pink food coloring (I used Wilton Rose Petal)

Cinnamon flavored sprinkles

Prepare the cupcakes according to package directions baking them at 350 degrees in a mini muffin tin lined with paper liners for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely.

For the filling, in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer combine the butter, Crisco, sugar, vanilla and evaporated milk; beat on high for 20 minutes. (It will initially look like a nasty scrambled egg in a mixing bowl, but don't worry it will come together!)

Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a small tip; pipe the filling into the centers of each of the cupcakes. (I left the cupcakes in the muffin tin to make it easier to keep them still while filling.)

At this point you can either leave the cupcakes as is or you can frost them. Beat together the butter, sugar, sour cream, milk and food coloring; mix together until smooth and well combined. Spread or pipe frosting onto cupcakes then top with the cinnamon sprinkles.