French Cream Filling (for cakes and cupcakes)

This is fun to know how to make.  You can make your own "Ding Dongs", "Twinkies", or "Suzy Q's" (my personal favorite--more filling). Here we split cupcakes made from a box mix.

French Cream Filling
Part 1:
5 Tbsp. sugar
5 Tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
Part 1: Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and cook, stirring constantly until thick. (It will be very thick.)  Remove from heat. Cool completely. (I set mine in the fridge).

Part 2:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla (or 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. lemon flavoring)
Part 2: Beat all ingredients on high speed for 5 min.

Add part 1 to part 2.  Blend well.  Put filling in a decorator tube, fitted with a wide opening tip. Insert tip from top of cupcake at an angle and fill.  Will fill 36 cupcakes, or spread between a split layer cake and cut to make your own "Twinkies".  Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Notes:  I don't like the amount of filling you get when you just inject the cupcake with filling-although this way lets you hide the fact that they are filled by frosting the top.  I prefer to slice the cupcake horizontally and fill, then replace the top. The photo has a garnish of additional cream on top.

You can make a cake mix in a sheet pan, lined with parchment paper, cut in half.  Spread half with French cream and top with the other half of the cake.  Cut into bars.

I'm not sure how well a filled cake stores.  We eat them pretty fast, but I would think you could fill it a day before.  Store in the refrigerator.

Jenny