No Banana? Why Today's Twinkies Taste Completely Different From The Original Version

Twinkies snack cakes are a cultural icon — as well as a frequent comedic punching bag. Sold in pairs, neatly wrapped plastic, these creme-filled snack cakes have long been the butt of jokes aimed at the industry of highly processed junk foods. But would people feel the same way about the cakes if they were made with real fruit? Probably not, and that is just how the product's story began: The popular snack food was originally made with a banana creme filling rather than the vanilla creme that is now the norm.

The origin of Twinkies goes back to the year 1930, when an employee at the Continental Baking Company (which owned the Hostess brand at the time) saw an opportunity to improve efficiency. At the time, the company's flagship product was very similar to Twinkies, a sponge cake filled with strawberry creme. Strawberries, however, were seasonal, meaning that the equipment used to make this marquee item sat idle for much of the year. Bananas, on the other hand, being an import from tropical climes, were available year-round. And thus the first Twinkies were born, hitting the shelves with a creme filling made with real bananas. This flavor, however, only lasted around a decade before external factors forced a change.

During World War II, supply chains were heavily disrupted, leading to a shortage of bananas. With the signature flavor suddenly in short supply, the company did what it had to do and changed the recipe to a vanilla creme. Customers must not have minded the change, as once the bananas were flowing again, the vanilla creme remained.

Over the years, Banana Twinkies have made a few comebacks, but generally only for brief promotions. In 2005, however, the limited-time snack really struck a chord with consumers. Banana Twinkies were again released for a limited-time in conjunction with the release of the "King Kong" reboot in theaters. During the promotion, Twinkies sales jumped by 20%, and Hostess couldn't pass up a sign like that. In 2007, Banana Twinkies came back for good. You can even order Banana Twinkies on Amazon these days. But don't get too excited: While these snack cakes may be banana-flavored, they are far from the original recipe.

Unfortunately, the modern Banana Twinkie filling is not made with much real fruit. The packaging carries an "artificially flavored" disclaimer, and while banana puree does make an appearance on the ingredient list, the products contain less than 2% actual banana. If you've ever wondered what the creamy centers of Twinkies are made of, it is a far cry from the original fruit and dairy product. The creme is actually made from lots of ingredients that you are unlikely to use in your own kitchen, like hydrogenated vegetable shortening, polysorbate 60, and cellulose gum. While they are, of course, perfectly safe to eat, artificially flavored banana creme probably doesn't hold quite the same appeal for many. Add to that the fact that these Hostess snacks also include beef fat, and it is not hard to understand why Twinkies ranked close to the bottom on our list of the best and worst Hostess treats.