Hostess CupCake

Hostess CupCake is an American brand of snack cake produced and distributed by Hostess Brands and currently owned by The J.M. Smucker Company. Its most common form is a chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing and vanilla creme filling, with seven distinctive white squiggles across the top. However, other flavors have been available at times. It has been claimed to be the first commercially produced cupcake and has become an iconic American brand.

History

The Hostess CupCake was first sold on May 10, 1919.[1][2][3][4] According to author Andrew F. Smith, it was the first commercially produced cupcake, originally produced by the Taggart Bakery as the Chocolate Cup Cake.[2] Hostess has also claimed that it was "the first snack cake ever introduced to the market."[5] In 1989, rival Tastykake disputed this claim, stating that they introduced the first snack cake.[5]

Manufacture

The cakes are produced from a batter which includes flour, sugar, cocoa and water. It is baked in trays for 17 minutes in a 70 ft conveyor oven that can turn out 11,000 cupcakes an hour. After cooling, the cakes are injected through the top with the vanilla creme, then taken by conveyor to be covered on top by chocolate icing. After a special machine lays white icing in the signature squiggle the cakes are cooled then wrapped.[7]

Branding

Hostess CupCakes were marketed for a time by the animated character of Captain Cupcake,[2] who was a companion in commercials to Twinkie the Kid and Fruit Pie the Magician. One marketing slogan that was used was "You get a big delight in every bite."[6] Numerous commercials featured the slogan "Hey! Where's the cream filling?"

Hostess CupCakes are sold as "Pingüinos" (Penguins) in Mexico, and by extension the rest of Latin America,[10] by regional company Marinela (the pastry division of the bread making brand Bimbo).[11]

Popularity

Hostess cupcakes have a firm place in pop culture. One survey shows that 97% of those surveyed have heard of them, and at least 71% like them. Gen X leads the way with their support at 75%. Hostess CupCakes are ranked #62 in a list of the most familiar food & snack brands.[12] As copycat recipe sharing took hold in the early 2000s, food bloggers began and continue creating and sharing homemade versions of Hostess CupCakes, using both traditional[13] and healthier ingredients.[14]

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