Twinkie Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream

Yields 24 cupcakes 

Ingredients:
16 1/2 Ounce(wt)s cake mix, yellow 
3 2/5 Ounce(wt)s instant pudding mix, French vanilla
7 Ounce(wt)s marshmallow fluff
1/2 Cup Crisco, butter-flavored sticks 
1/3 Cup sugar, powdered 
1/2 tsp extract, vanilla 
1/4 tsp salt, table 
2 tsp water, very hot

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with about 24 paper liners. Set aside. 

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, stirring the box of pudding mix into the cake batter to blend. Portion batter evenly among muffin cups, about 2/3 full, and bake for approx. 15 to 18 mins or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cool completely, the core out the cupcake’s middles with a sharp, small paring knife, careful not to cut through the entire cupcake. Trim most of the cored out piece, leaving a top to replace after filling.  Eat or discard the rest of the cored cupcake (see below). 

First, dissolve the salt into the hot water and allow to cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the marshmallow cream, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until fluffy. Beat in the salt water. Mixture should be light but not as stiff as frosting. 

Scoop filling into a resealable plastic bag, seal tight, and snip off a corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into each cored cupcake, filling just to the top. Replace top.

Refrigerate cupcakes while you prepare the frosting. 

Buttercream:
Ingredients:

7 Ounce(wt)s marshmallow fluff
1 Cup Crisco, butter-flavored sticks
1 Teaspoon extract, vanilla
2 Pounds sifted sugar, powdered

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the fluff, Crisco and vanilla until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. 

Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Gradually begin adding powdered sugar in, about one cup at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy.

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes, careful to cover the filled center with frosting. Store frosted cupcakes airtight, preferably in the fridge.