Use Twinkies to make these adorable Bumble Bee Cakes. Each snack cake stinger is decorated with white and black modeling chocolate.
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.
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.
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
You can find supplies needed to create this recipe on Amazon. I earn a small commission when you use the sales links in this post to make a purchase at no extra cost to you.
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Instructions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Recipe
Decorate Twinkies with modeling chocolate to look like cute bumble bees.
- 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
-
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 24 ½-inch wide by 5"-6" long strips from the black.
-
Use small round and oval/egg cutters to cut 16 eyes and 16 wings out of the white modeling chocolate.
-
Curve the edges of the oval wings and allow them to dry.
-
Pinch off 8 small pieces of black and roll into a pointed oval for the stinger.
-
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.
-
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.
-
If you prefer, just draw a pupil onto the white part of the eye using black food coloring.
-
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.
-
To decorate the bumble bee cakes, 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.
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
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Trish says
Totally adorable!
Kathie says
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
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
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!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
This is how I prefer my bees - edible! You are so creative!
Winnie says
These definitely the cutest I've seen in a long time
Extremely beautiful and adorable
Crafty Mischief says
How cute are those??? My kids will love them! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jerri Rivers says
These are so cute! And the little stinger made them even cuter!
Carole says
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.
Katherines Corner says
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.
Naptime Review says
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
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks and welcome!
Me And My Sweets says
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!
Knitty says
The link to modeling chocolate doesn't work. Can that be fixed? These are really cute and I'd like to try this.
Beth Jackson Klosterboer says
Thanks so much for letting me know about the link. It is fixed!
Sue says
Ha ha, SO CUTE, all the way down to his sweet little stinger! 🙂
Marinica says
This is so adorable 🙂
sugarswings says
so stinkin cute!
Hankerie MYS says
Haha...this is so adorable.
Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com says
Adorable....love them!
Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com says
Adorable...love them!
Mama Jodi says
These are absolutely adorable. Great work! Jodi @ www.menaingfulmama.com
Hotly Spiced says
These are just gorgeous and I love how you even remembered the sting. They are so cute. xx
Kim (TheMoney-Pit) says
Those are so darn cute! And any excuse to use a twinkie is a winner in my book!