Banana Split Twinkie-Like Cakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a filled cake pan/cream canoe pan with cooking spray, or lightly grease with oil, and set aside.

Put all cake ingredients (except beaten egg whites) into a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter. Be sure to fold, don't beat. Once incorporated, repeat with another 1/3 until all egg whites have been folded into the batter. You want the batter to be light so don't stir or beat...fold.

Fill each section of your canoe cake pan 2/3 full. Cakes will puff quite a bit during baking, but will shrink during cooling. Bake cakes in a preheated oven for 8-12 minutes, until golden brown.

NOTE - To make as cupcakes, prepare cupcake pans with cooking spray. Baking 15-18 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, gentle remove each cake and cool flat side down on a rack until completely cool.

PREPARE VANILLA CREAM FILLING, IF USING

- In a small saucepan, stirring constantly, cook flour and milk over medium heat until it forms a paste. Do not allow mixture to brown.

- Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute.

- Add vanilla and stir until smooth.

- Press a piece of plastic wrap down on the surface of the paste to avoid forming a skin and set aside to cool completely.

- Using your mixer beat butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy. Be sure to scrape bowl to fully mix all ingredients.

- Add cooled flour/milk mixture, continue to beat 5 mins at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.

- Fill cakes or cupcakes.

To fill cakes with vanilla cream filling, put about 1 cup filling into clean pastry bag fitted with round pastry tube, or use filling tool included with cream canoe pan.

NOTE: Vanilla cream filling will remain creamy for 3-4 days, stored at room temperature.

- Gently insert tube into underside of cake, about halfway through cake. Squeeze small amount of filling into cake. You'll feel cake expand. Be careful not to overfill or cake will burst. Repeat 3 times per cake. Store cakes well covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.

IF USING OTHER FILLINGS -

- fill pastry bags with toppings when ready to use

- use 3 fillings per cake if desired

- use round pastry tube on each filling bag

FOR MARSHMALLOW GLAZE (RECOMMENDED) - in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup marshmallow cream. Warm 2 or more Tbsp half and half and whisk it in to the marshmallow cream 1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached. Spread or drizzle over filled cakes, or dip top portion of filled cake into marshmallow cream mixture.

FOR VANILLA GLAZE - In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Add additional milk until desired consistency is reached (up to 1 Tbsp additional). Spread over top of filled cake or drizzle as desired

FOR CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE - place 1/2 cup chocolate chips into a cup or small bowl. Warm 1/4 half and half and slowly add to the chocolate chips, whisking until smooth and desired consistency is reached.

Drizzle over filled cakes. This goes wonderfully with the marshmallow cream glaze.

Top with chopped nuts of your choice and enjoy!

NOTES:

You can get very creative with these to make them your own. Try making them chocolate with peanut butter filling or peanut butter with jelly filling. This also makes a very nice adult dessert by making the cream using liquors. They're also great with banana filling. Have fun and be creative. I'd love to hear what you've done to make these to your liking.