# Are Twinkies truly baked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143 "2001-04-24T14:54:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kametzger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/46a35a/32.png) [@kametzger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kametzger)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/1 "2001-04-24T14:54:59Z")
I once heard from some source, which i can’t remember now, that Twinkies are either not baked, or that they are baked but the brown ‘baked on look’ found on their undersides is actually artificially placed there. I’m willing to believe the part about the baked on look, but I’m hard pressed to believe that they aren’t actually baked and instead are extruded from some type of Twinkie-machine… Anyone have some idea about this? ---
**Author:** ![Evnglion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@Evnglion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evnglion)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/2 "2001-04-24T15:01:18Z")
I know that if you put a twinkie on a plate, and put it in the microwave for about 2 minutes, then you will have a puddle of greasy liquid when it comes out. The twinkie will seemed to have mysteriously canished…i will never eat another twinkie after learning this ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/3 "2001-04-24T15:43:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evnglion \* > i will never eat another twinkie after learning this I, conversely, am going to stop and buy some Twinks on the way home just to try this out!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/4 "2001-04-24T15:58:51Z")
Yeah, they’re baked. A friends brother worked for Continental Bakeries in Colorado and among other things they baked Twinkies. They are baked in pans kind of like muffin pans, but Twinkie shaped of course. They run on a conveyer through the batter filling process and into the ovens. The filling is injected after the baking is complete and the Twinkie is cool. He brought home old pans and I have one I sometimes use for corn bread. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/5 "2001-04-24T16:15:51Z")
This is mentioned in the Urban Legends (actually, AFU) [FAQ](http://www.urbanlegends.com/afu.faq/intro.html) at [http://www.urbanlegends.com](http://www.urbanlegends.com) (unfortunately, no details are given): [Twinkie Twitter](http://www.urbanlegends.com/afu.faq/listing.cgi?selection=twinkie) ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/6 "2001-04-24T16:17:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Evnglion \* > > i will never eat another twinkie after learning this > > I, conversely, am going to stop and buy some Twinks on the way home just to try this out!!! 😃 \*\* Please be sure to report back with your results! ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/7 "2001-04-24T16:25:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evnglion \* > \*\*I know that if you put a twinkie on a plate, and put it in the microwave for about 2 minutes, then you will have a puddle of greasy liquid when it comes out. The twinkie will seemed to have mysteriously canished…i will never eat another twinkie after learning this \*\* It does this for two reasons: (1) The high amount of fat and sugar in the cake, and (2) the creamy filling, which heat to a liquid, and melt anything in its way. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-twinkies-truly-baked/63143/8 "2001-04-24T17:06:05Z")
In response to the OP, the following was found at [http://www.twinkiesproject.com/letters.html](http://www.twinkiesproject.com/letters.html) in response to a letter they received claiming that Hostess themselves admitted twinkies were not baked: > [@](#): > > Nonetheless, as scientists, we are always trying to prove everyone is lying, so we called Hostess ourselves and they claim that Twinkies are, in fact, baked. They even asked, rather scientifically, why Twinkies would have leavening (that’s sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, and monocalcium phosphate to you and me) in them if they weren’t baked. I suggest you also check out the rest of this site for more scientific information about Twinkies.