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    Home » Recipes » Kid's Treats

    Bumble Bee Cakes

    Published: Jul 16, '12 · Modified: Sep 7, '23 · By: Beth Klosterboer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Use Twinkies to make these adorable Bumble Bee Cakes. Each snack cake stinger is decorated with white and black modeling chocolate.

    twinkie-bumble-bees-decorated-cakes

    One of the flowering bushes that is next to our front porch has attracted large numbers of bumble bees this summer. I sat one afternoon and just watched as they worked and admired their fuzzy little features.

    This time with the busy bees inspired me to get into the kitchen to make a new food craft. I had already shared a tutorial to make Corn Dog Bumble Bees so I decided to make something sweet.

    When I spotted a box of Twinkies at the grocery store later that day, I knew they'd be perfect bodies for my bee-shaped desserts.

    bumble bee cake with modeling chocolate eyes, antenna, wings, and stripes.

    Hostess Twinkies had everything I was looking for; a nice yellow color, a good oblong shape, and a kid (and adult) friendly taste.

    I chose to use homemade modeling chocolate to create the eyes, wings, stripes, antennae, and stinger for each bee. The flavor of the candy clay compliments the taste of the Twinkies nicely and it is so easy to cut, bend, and twist into bee parts.

    I used black food coloring to create a smile to make my Twinkie Bees look friendly and cute.

    bumble bee Twinkie decorated with black modeling chocolate stripes and antennae.

    I think I'll call these cute cakes Snack Cake Stingers. I hope you have fun making them for a summer snack or bee-themed party.

    Ingredients

    Hostess Twinkies Snack Cakes
    white modeling chocolate
    black modeling chocolate
    black food coloring
    frosting (or use Nutella, peanut butter, or corn syrup)
    powdered sugar

    Supplies

    rolling pin
    pizza wheel or knife
    a ruler is also helpful
    small round (½") and oval/egg (1") metal cutters
    #8, 9, or 10 round pastry tip
    fine tip paint brush (used for food only)
    clay extruder with round insert, optional, but very helpful
    toothpick or skewer

    Items used to make this project are available on Amazon.com. I earn a small commission when you make a purchase using the links below at no extra cost to you.

    Instructions

    making Twinkie Bumble Bees decorated with modeling chocolate wings, stripes, eyes, and antennae.

    Dust a cutting board with powdered sugar or use a silicone mat. You don't need to use powdered sugar if you use a silicone mat and a silicone rolling pin.

    Roll out the black and white modeling chocolate to about 1/16" thickness.

    Use a knife or pastry wheel to cut ½" wide by 5"-6" long strips from the black.

    Use small round and oval/egg cutters to cut the eyes and wings out of the white.

    Curve the edges of the oval wings and allow them to dry. 

    Pinch off small pieces of black and roll into a pointed oval for the stinger.

    cutting circles out of modeling chocolate using round pastry tips.

    Cut out round pupils.

    Use the small end of a round pastry tip to cut pupils out of the black - press the small end of the tip into the modeling chocolate, then turn it upside down and tap on counter and the circle will drop out the larger end of the tip.

    You can press it and cut many circles before turning the tip upside down. Then a bunch will drop out.

    modeling chocolate eyes made using round and oval plunger cutters.

    Alternatively, you can use small round plunger cutters to cut out the modeling chocolate circles.

    Attach the pupil to the round white of the eye using a tiny bit of water. Brush the water on the black circle and attach it to the white circle.

    If you prefer, just draw a pupil onto the white part of the eye using black food coloring.

    pushing white modeling chocolate through a clay extruder fitted with a flat ribbon disc.

    Using a clay extruder.

    This picture was from another post, so follow the directions to make the black antenna for the bumble bee cakes.

    Fill a clay extruder with black modeling chocolate.

    Attach a disk with a single round opening into the end of the extruder.

    Place the plunger into the tube and extrude the modeling chocolate into long pieces.

    using a clay extruder to make the bumble bee's antennae

    Cut off about 1 ½" pieces and curl up one end to make antennae.

    If you don't have a clay extruder, just roll the modeling chocolate into thin logs. Allow them to dry for about an hour or freeze for 10 minutes.

    three snack cake bumble bees on a wooden cutting board.

    Decorate the snack cake bees.

    Brush frosting onto one side of the black modeling chocolate strips.

    Wrap them, frosting side down, around the snack cake, cutting off any excess. Each bee gets three black stripes set about ¾" apart.

    Use a dab of frosting to attach the wings and eyes.

    Use a toothpick to poke two holes in between the eyes and the first stripe. Then stick an antennae in each hole.

    Paint on a black food coloring smile. 

    Use a knife to cut a whole at the back end of each Twinkie. Add some frosting in the hole, then push in one end of a black modeling chocolate stinger.

    three Twinkie bees in a row.

    Storage

    Store your decorated cakes in a paper towel-lined airtight container like Tupperware or Rubbermaid for up to 3 days. The paper towel will help to keep the modeling chocolate from getting sticky.

    If you need them to keep longer, you could dip the Twinkies in yellow candy melts before decorating. They'd keep for up to a week if coated in the candy melts.

    Related Recipes

    If you are looking for more bee-themed or bug-themed snacks to make for a birthday party or for Earth Day, check these out.

    corn dog bumble bee with tortilla chip wings, black food coloring stripes, and potato stick antennae

    Bumble Bee Corn Dogs

    bumble bee cookies decorated surrounded by Nutter Butter cookies

    Bumble Bee Cookies

    fruit pizza butterfly.

    Butterfly Fruit Pizza

    Peanut Butter Cracker Butterflies

    White Chocolate Peanut Butter Butterflies

    cookie caterpillar snacks

    Cookie Crumble Cheesecake Caterpillar Snacks

    chicken tender butterfly with Dorito wings and chow mein noodle antennae.

    Chicken Nugget Butterfly

    Recipe

    twinkie-bumble-bees-decorated-cakes
    Print
    Bumble Bee Cakes
    Prep Time
    1 hr
    Cook Time
    0 mins
     

    Decorate Twinkies with modeling chocolate to look like cute bumble bees.

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cake, chocolate, modeling chocolate, snack cakes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 480 kcal
    Author: Beth Klosterboer
    Ingredients
    • 8 Hostess Twinkies Snack Cakes
    • powdered sugar, optional
    • 3 ounces white modeling chocolate
    • 6 ounces black modeling chocolate
    • black food coloring
    • ¼ cup frosting or Nutella, peanut butter, or corn syrup
    Instructions
    1. Dust a cutting board with powdered sugar or use a silicone mat. You don't need to use powdered sugar if you use a silicone mat and a silicone rolling pin.
    2. Roll out the black and white modeling chocolate to about 1/16" thickness.

    3. Use a knife or pastry wheel to cut 24 ½-inch wide by 5"-6" long strips from the black.

    4. Use small round and oval/egg cutters to cut 16 eyes and 16 wings out of the white modeling chocolate.

    5. Curve the edges of the oval wings and allow them to dry.

    6. Pinch off 8 small pieces of black and roll into a pointed oval for the stinger.

    7. Cut out 12 small black modeling chocolate circles for the pupils of the eyes using either a small round plunger cutter or a round pastry tip.

    8. Brush a tiny bit of water on one side of a black circle and attach it to the white circle. Repeat, creating all 12 eyes.

    9. If you prefer, just draw a pupil onto the white part of the eye using black food coloring.
    10. To make the antennae, roll black modeling chocolate into 16 thin logs or press the modeling chocolate through a clay extruder fit with a small hole disc. Cut off about 1 ½" pieces and curl up one end to make antennae.

    11. To decorate the bumble bee cakes, brush frosting onto one side of the black modeling chocolate strips.

    12. Wrap them, frosting side down, around the snack cake, cutting off any excess. Each bee gets three black stripes set about ¾" apart.
    13. Use a dab of frosting to attach the wings and eyes.
    14. Use a toothpick to poke two holes in between the eyes and the first stripe. Then stick an antennae in each hole.
    15. Paint on a black food coloring smile.
    16. Use a knife to cut a whole at the back end of each Twinkie. Add some frosting in the hole, then push in one end of a black modeling chocolate stinger.
    Recipe Notes

    Storage

    Store your decorated cakes in a paper towel-lined airtight container like Tupperware or Rubbermaid for up to 3 days. The paper towel will help to keep the modeling chocolate from getting sticky.

    If you need them to keep longer, you could dip the Twinkies in yellow candy melts before decorating. They'd keep for up to a week if coated in the candy

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth Klosterboer
    Beth Klosterboer
    Hi, I'm Beth Jackson Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth Klosterboer
    Latest posts by Beth Klosterboer (see all)
    • Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes - June 20, 2023
    • Homemade Chocolate Easter Bunnies - April 3, 2023
    • Mini Basketball Cheeseburgers - February 15, 2023

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    1. Trish

      July 17, 2012 at 7:25 pm

      Totally adorable!

      Reply
    2. Kathie

      July 17, 2012 at 3:41 pm

      Just pinned these- they are adorable! I wonder if a plastic syringe would work? Would love you to link this up to Gettin' Krafty With It if you'd like!

      http://kraftykat76.blogspot.com/2012/07/gettin-krafty-with-it_16.html

      Reply
      • Beth Jackson Klosterboer

        July 17, 2012 at 3:51 pm

        Thanks Kathie. I never thought about using a syringe. If the hole was big enough, it just might work. If you try it let me know. Just linked up!

        Reply
    3. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

      July 17, 2012 at 3:36 pm

      This is how I prefer my bees - edible! You are so creative!

      Reply
    4. Winnie

      July 17, 2012 at 8:08 am

      These definitely the cutest I've seen in a long time
      Extremely beautiful and adorable

      Reply
    5. Crafty Mischief

      July 17, 2012 at 7:10 am

      How cute are those??? My kids will love them! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
    6. Jerri Rivers

      July 17, 2012 at 6:43 am

      These are so cute! And the little stinger made them even cuter!

      Reply
    7. Carole

      July 17, 2012 at 5:05 am

      so fantastic, I'm speechless!

      I found you via the Tuesday Talent Show from Chef in Training
      I have linked up another attempt at meatballs. Have a good week.

      Reply
    8. Katherines Corner

      July 17, 2012 at 2:18 am

      this is such a cute idea. Thank you for sharing. I'm hopping over from the more the merrier. Hugs P.S. I'm following you.

      Reply
    9. Naptime Review

      July 17, 2012 at 12:41 am

      Those are so adorable. I am in the midst of doing a preschool themed book club. Next month, might be bumblebee's, thanks to you!

      I am your newest GFC follower from Making the World Cuter. Love for you to return the follow. Hosting Mom's Monday Mingle now. Love for you to link up 😉

      www.thenaptimereview.com

      Reply
      • Beth Jackson Klosterboer

        July 17, 2012 at 1:39 am

        Thanks and welcome!

        Reply
    10. Me And My Sweets

      July 16, 2012 at 3:52 pm

      Hi there, I'm hosting My Sweet party and I would love you to join! Check it out at http://meandmysweets.blogspot.se/2012/07/my-sweet-party-july-my-favourite-pie.html

      Cheers!

      Reply
    11. Knitty

      July 16, 2012 at 2:11 pm

      The link to modeling chocolate doesn't work. Can that be fixed? These are really cute and I'd like to try this.

      Reply
      • Beth Jackson Klosterboer

        July 16, 2012 at 3:53 pm

        Thanks so much for letting me know about the link. It is fixed!

        Reply
    12. Sue

      July 16, 2012 at 1:56 pm

      Ha ha, SO CUTE, all the way down to his sweet little stinger! 🙂

      Reply
    13. Marinica

      July 16, 2012 at 11:55 am

      This is so adorable 🙂

      Reply
    14. sugarswings

      July 16, 2012 at 11:06 am

      so stinkin cute!

      Reply
    15. Hankerie MYS

      July 16, 2012 at 10:58 am

      Haha...this is so adorable.

      Reply
    16. Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com

      July 16, 2012 at 10:47 am

      Adorable....love them!

      Reply
    17. Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com

      July 16, 2012 at 10:46 am

      Adorable...love them!

      Reply
    18. Mama Jodi

      July 16, 2012 at 6:08 am

      These are absolutely adorable. Great work! Jodi @ www.menaingfulmama.com

      Reply
    19. Hotly Spiced

      July 16, 2012 at 3:21 am

      These are just gorgeous and I love how you even remembered the sting. They are so cute. xx

      Reply
    20. Kim (TheMoney-Pit)

      July 16, 2012 at 3:14 am

      Those are so darn cute! And any excuse to use a twinkie is a winner in my book!

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

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    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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    Buy my cookbooks

    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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