Former U.S. President James Madison's wife did not
create this baking company, despite the fact that her
name is on every carrot cake, crumb cake, and Zinger that
comes off the production line. It was instead company
founder Roy Nafziger's brainstorm to use the former first
lady's name, since she was notorious for throwing huge
shindigs featuring a fine selection of desserts and baked
goods. Nafziger said his company would create cakes "fine
enough to serve at the White House." While I don't expect
you'll be treated to a tray of Zingers on your next stay
in the Lincoln Bedroom, I will agree that these little
snack cakes are a tasty way to appease a sweet tooth.
You can craft a version at home by making little cake
pans out of aluminum foil that is wrapped around an
empty prescription pill bottle. The cake batter is easy,
since you just use any instant devil's food cake mix.
I like Duncan Hines, but you can use whatever you want.
As for the frosting, it may not come out as dark brown
as the original since the recipe here doesn't include brown
food coloring (caramel coloring). But the taste will be
right on. And I think President Clinton would agree that as
long as the sweet little treats taste good, appearance is secondary.
Cake
Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs
Filling
2 teaspoons hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups marshmallow creme (one 7-ounce jar)
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
Tear off a bunch of foil pieces about this size. These will be your
mini cake pans after folding two times and wrapping around a pill
bottle.
Empty prescription medicine bottles are actually good for something.
Use a toothpick or skewer to dig three caverns in the cakes where the
filling will live. Later you will cleverly hide these holes with
frosting.
1. Prepare the cake batter following the directions on the box.
If you use Duncan Hines brand, you will need 1 1/3 cups of water,
1/2 cup of oil, and three eggs. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare the cake pans that will make cakes the size of Zingers,
tear off 20 pieces of aluminum foil that are each about 8 inches
wide. Fold the foil in half and then in half once more so that you
have a rectangular piece of foil. Wrap this piece of foil around a
small prescription medicine bottle. Tuck in the ends and take the
bottle out, leaving the foil open at the top. This will form a little
pan. Flatten the bottom so that the mini pan stands up straight.
Place this into a baking pan and repeat with the remaining pieces
of foil. When you have arranged all of the foil pans in a baking
pan, spray the inside of all the pans with non-stick cooking spray.
Fill each little pan about halfway with cake batter. Bake cakes
for 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes
out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool
completely.
3. To make the filling, combine the hot water with the salt in a
small bowl and stir until the salt is dissolved. Let this mixture
cool.
4. Combine the marshmallow creme, shortening, powdered sugar, and
vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well with an electric mixer on high
speed until fluffy. Add the salt mixture to the bowl and mix.
5. To make the chocolate frosting, combine all the frosting
ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with an electric mixer
until smooth.
6. To assemble your snack cakes first poke three holes with a
toothpick or skewer in the top of a cake and swirl around inside
the holes making little caverns for your filling.
7. Use a pastry bag with a small tip to squeeze some filling into
each hole. Careful not to overfill, or your cake will burst open.
Sure, it's exciting, but this mess won't make for a good clone.
8. Once the cake is filled, use a butter knife to spread frosting
on top of the cake over the holes. Drag a fork lengthwise over
the frosting making grooves just like the real thing.
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