Filling the Void:

Musings on the Art and Science
of Creamy Filling

The now-defunct Hostess Suzy-Q snack cake was a Devil’s Food sandwich-slab with a filling that was probably substantially similar to that of the Twinkie. There are rumors of a pale, banana-flavored variant also being sold regionally, but I never encountered one in my many years.

There is one ingredient list for an ersatz Suzy-Q Creme Filling to be found on various baking sites, given below:

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, cold
• 4 tablespoons shortening, cold
• ½ cup granulated sugar

 
Whether this formula actually makes a good filling will be set aside for now. What is interesting is looking at the macronutrient breakdown of this mixture:

• Water       35%
• kCal         4 kCal/gram
• Protein      2%
• Fats        29%
• Misc. Carb   4%
• Sugars      31%

The breakdown of the butter-shortening fat mix is as follows:

• Saturated        38%
• Monounsaturated  31%
• Polyunsaturated  16%
• Trans             8%
• Trans-monoenoic   7%

The reason for all this up-close-and-personal on this filling is that I recently came across a 2008 patent that describes a stable whipped frosting/filling/topping concoction that has a composition suspiciously similar to that of the Suzy-Q filling. Its macronutrient balance goes:

• Water       39%
• kCal       3.9 kCal/gram
• Protein    0.3%
• Fats        30%
• Misc. Carb 0.4%
• Sugars      31%

It is hard to see how the owner of this patent could collect royalties since the cooking world has evidently long known of these proportions.

Note that due to various plant oils and shortenings being used instead of the Suzy-Q's butter-shortening 50:50 mix, the fat analysis of the patent formula is quite different:

• Saturated        86-88%
• Monounsaturated  12-10%
• Polyunsaturated   2%
• Trans             0%
• Trans-monoenoic   0%

The upshot is that in either case the formula specifies about equal thirds of water, sugar, and fats. Of course what makes these come together to whip up into a Luscious Creamed Filling (and stay that way) are the various extras—a pinch of this, a dash of that—that amount to typically 2-3% of the total.

Mixing It Up: Emulsifiers

One class of emulsifiers breaks up (destabilizes) the surface tension between the different fractions. About the only natural destabilizing emulsifier for the NOT-winkie would be lecithin.

Another class of emulsifiers stops recombination of (stabilizes) those same dispersed fractions. For us, the saturated glycerides naturally present in butter, coconut oil, and palm oil would be the most suitable and accessible.

Further natural, non-exotic magic ingredients can and should be included to make the filling a reality:

• Gelatinized Starch (as in the cooked flour of the Suzy-Q filling prototype), which acts as both destabilizer and stabilizer.
• Denatured Proteins, as in the cooked milk and flour, also help destabilize and stabilize.
• Salt reduces the influence of other soluble minerals, improving the properties and stability of the mix.
• Flavors, notably vanilla for a Golden Sponge Cake.

And for shelf-life, natural preservatives such as vitamin E (tocopherols) and vitamin C could and should make their way into the mix.

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The Top Secret R&D Lab of Browne Crowe Bakes will shortly begin formula and process trials for Luscious Creme Filling.

On the baking Trial 004A and 004B (not previously reported), one week after baking the unfilled cakes are still quite good in flavor and texture. They have been stored unrefrigerated on a plate covered with a glass bowl—a rather severe test of moisture-retention!—and are just beginning to dry out and harden. No sign of spoilage, mold, or rancidity.

The next baking trial will adjust the balance of fats and proteins a bit. Stay tuned...

Beekeeping for Poets

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