Hostess Desserts

Update Review, 2024

When I visit my hometown, I sometimes raid my father's snack foods stash, which often has packaged snack cakes in it.  I didn't grow up in a house with Hostess products in it, and they still are fairly rare now, so I still find it novel to try them when I spot them.

Patriotic Cupcake.
(Seasonal)

"Set off the fireworks for limited edition HOSTESS red, white, and blue themed cakes. Star Spangled CupCakes take on a whole new look with fun blue icing and a red squiggle. The yellow cake is moist as ever with creamy filling."

"Celebrate the holiday with HOSTESS® Patriotic CupCakes, available for a limited time only. Popping with sprinkles, these perfect party cupcakes sparkle with colorful red, white and blue. Take a bite into the frosted yellow cake with creamy filling and prepare to LIVE YOUR MOSTESS."

For the 4th of July, Hostess had a special patriotic cupcake available.  I had tried the orange cupcake a year or so prior, and didn't really like it, but how could I resist the limited edition item and the festive topping?  It was attractive enough.

The hard blue icing and sprinkles were probably the best part.  They tasted like sugar, and nothing else, no specific flavor at all, but were fine.  The "creamy filling" tasted like, well, sugar as well, and Crisco or something.  There wasn't a lot of it, but I didn't really want there to be more.  And as for the cake itself ... 

Ingredients!?!

The cake was moist.  I'll give it that.  But wow it tasted like just a bunch of chemicals.  There was nothing fresh, nothing remotely homemade about it.  It too tasted very plain, again no real flavor, not vanilla, not even classic "yellow" cake flavor if you know what I mean.  It just tasted like chemicals, which, it turns out, it was.  The ingredient list was terrifyingly long.  There was no reason to eat this cake.

So, hard sugar topping, chemical moist plain cake, and Crisco cloying sweet filling.  The appeal of these was lost on me, clearly.  I pondered heating another one up and topping it with ice cream, but decided it really wasn't worth trying to jazz it up, I had plenty of other better items to dig into.  *+.

Hostess also makes Star Spangled Ding Dongs, and Red, White, and Blue Twinkies for the holiday.

Twinkie.

"You don’t need a description. This is why you’re here. The Original Golden Snack that’s been putting smiles on faces for generations."

"A ready-to-enjoy snack cake, Hostess Twinkies are famous for their golden, fluffy exterior and irresistible creamy filling. Each sweet bite delivers a burst of soft and creamy goodness. Great for lunches, sharing and snacking on the go. Soft and fluffy golden cakes. Delicious, creamy filling center."

This ... may have been my first Twinkie?! Or at least the only one I've had since I started taking photos of things, or reviewing food items.  I also have no memory of actually eating a Twinkie, so it may very well be true.  Either way, I don't feel like I've been missing out at all.

The Twinkie was pretty similar to the cupcake really: moist but plain and chemical tasting cake, Crisco sweet plain filling.  Again not tons of filling, but reasonable amount, and I didn't want more.  Besides being obviously very processed and fake tasting, it also was just a bit one-dimensional for me.  Imagine just having some jam in there or ... something?  It was fake and bo-ring.  Is this why people deep fry them? *.

Original Review, April 2022

Hostess.  As in, Hostess Cupcakes, probably *the* most well known packaged snack baked goods out there, and yet to me, a relatively unknown entity.  Twinkies, Zingers, Hohos, Snowballs, etc ... I know the names, sure, but none of them were really known to me.

Yes, really.  While other kids at school had lunch boxes complete with these things of wonder (or so I imagined), I always had homemade cookies, unless I was really lucky, and had managed to convince mom to get some Little Debbie Nutty Bars (which, as you may recall from my review a few years ago, still really are good!).  My dad was #teamDrakes (see old review), so when his treats were in stock, it was Devil Dogs.  And thus, Hostess products just never really found their way into my house, even though the cakes are obviously quite iconic.  

Snack Cakes

In adulthood, I finally tried the cupcakes, available in the signature chocolate version with white icing inside, or a similar "golden" version with gold-ish cake.  They also now come in a slew of more interesting varieties like birthday cake, lemon, and even "patriotic" (seasonal).

I finally tried one.

Orange.

"Known for curing appetites, rather than scurvy, these Orange flavored CupCakes will take your taste buds someplace sunny and 75."

Orange is not exactly the variety I would gravitate towards normally, since I'm not generally one for citrus desserts, but for some reason, on a day when I was craving buttercream and frosting and sweetness, these orange cakes jumped out.

The construction of the orange cakes is the same as the more common varieties: cake, white cream filling, hard (orange) frosting top, signature squiggle.

I took my first bite, and was blown away by the strong orange flavor.  There is no doubt whatsoever that these are orange flavored, as artificial as it may be.  Orange, orange, orange.  So strong.  If you like orange, well, these could be for you.

The icing on top was really quite hard.  I'm not sure what I expected, as it clearly isn't fluffy buttercream, but I still was surprised by how firm it was.  It was crazy sweet, the flavor a bit hard to explain, just, um, sweet?  I do not think there was orange flavor in it, despite the obvious orange color.  My craving for frosting was really not met by this topping, but it isn't trying to be frosting.

The cake itself was fairly moist, and quite dense, and wasn't awful, but certainly didn't taste fresh.  It however is where the orange flavor was, and I really did not care for that.  

Inside was a tiny amount of white frosting, quite sweet, and with no actual real flavor to it.  There wasn't enough to make up for the lack of fluffy frosting on top.

So overall, um, orange flavor dislikes aside, not really a cupcake in my mind, as it failed in the primary responsibility: frosting delivery vehicle!  Not something I'd pick up again.

**+.

Pies

There are many brands that make hand held "pies", but somehow in my mind, Hostess is *the* gold standard for these items.  Again though, not items I ever had growing up, but always had some jealousy towards.  They've been around ~forever, introduced in the 1970s.

If you are unfamiliar, these are fairly large "hand" pies, rectangular shaped, with crust all around.  The crust isn't like a traditional pie crust though, and is always glazed.  Inside is a fruit and, uh, goo filling.  Fillings range from fruity classics like apple and cherry, to harder to find varieties like blueberry or lemon.

Cherry Pie.

"Don’t leave these on the windowsill, because the neighbor kids will definitely get their hands on them. Individually wrapped and ready to eat, these pies are a family favorite."

The pies come in a cardboard box, really more of a sleeve than anything, with no inner wrapper.  They somehow have an impressive shelf life even without more protection.

And inside, just one, large pie.  My memory is that they used to have 2 smaller square pies inside?  Am I making that up?  Was that another brand?  Was that Drakes?

Cherry Pie: Inside.

Anyway, these "pies" are good for what they are.  The pie crust is hard to describe if you've never had it before - it is not real pie crust, it is not flaky, it is not buttery, but it is also nothing like a danish, nor a cookie, it just is its own thing.  And it is sweet, entirely covered in glaze.  Sorta like what you'd get if you had an item made up of just the outside of a glazed donut, no fluffy donut insides to it.  If that makes any sense.

The cherry pie filling leaves something to be desired if you expect to find actual cherries.  No, this is not even the quality level of canned cherry pie filling.  It is just goo.  Sweet, cherry flavored goo.  

So if you go into this expecting, um, a pie, or even a hand pie with real crust, and anything remotely resembling fruit, you'll be quite sad.  But if you know what you are getting into, it can be kinda satisfying, although clearly not remotely wholesome, and so full of preservatives.  When I went to write this up, I found someone else describe them as "basically hard glazed donut crusts filled with artificial fruit flavored gel", which I think is shockingly accurate.

Interestingly, the box says you can warm them up in the microwave, something I certainly never remember seeing anyone do.  I tried it, but didn't find it added anything to it, and actually, just left it a bit soggy, and unevenly heated.  Boo, microwaves.

I do think it could be better warmed more appropriately (e.g. toaster oven) and served a la mode?  But if you were eating a whole pie, the ice cream addition would be a bit much, as these things clock in 430 calories in the pie alone.

***, and strangely satisfying, but not something I'd seek out unless I was really craving another.

Aura Tea & Coffee

Update Review, 2024 Tastings

Aura Tea & Coffee continues to evolve, and I've had a few opportunities to try their product again. 

Cinnamunch Toast Milk  $6.95
+ $0.75 oat milk + $0.75 boba.

“The dessert after your balanced breakfast of cereal. Taste that cinnamon toast milk without all the sugar. Tastes like the real thing!”

So, Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  A breakfast (or snack) favorite for many.  My office has it in our mini kitchens, and I'm always amused by how popular it is.  But me?  I don't think I've ever cared for it.  I keep trying it every few years to see if my tastes have changed, but, nope, I don't care for it.  I do like cinnamon toast (buttered, sugared of course!), but, the form factor as cereal that gets too soggy quickly, just doesn't do it for me.

But I do like Cinnamon Toast Crunch flavored things.  Because, I guess, that basically just means cinnamon and sugar.  Or, in Aura's case, cinnamon and zero calorie sweetener.  For this one, I went with oat milk, as I thought it would pair best with the cinnamon flavors, horchata like.

I took my first sip, and was pretty pleased.  The cinnamon flavor was legit.  It was sweet (although, it did have a slight "fake sweet" aftertaste) and creamy.  Yup, it tased like cereal milk. Nice soft (but not mushy) boba easily came out as I drank it, even without a boba straw.

I did find it got a bit sweet for me about halfway through, and opted to thin it out a little, adding more water/milk myself, and liked it better that way, with the sweetness toned down slightly.  Overall, a good one, great for cinnamon fans.  ***+.

Side note: I think it would be fun to use it as a base for a bowl of cereal, literally, pouring into a bowl and adding a neutral cereal like rice Chex.  Next time ... 

Trix iz for Kidz Strabwerry-Vanilla Latte. $6.45
+$0.75 oat milk +$0.75 boba.

"Our signature Karl the Fog with a strawberry twist! Named after the fun blue and pink yogurt of your youth. Creamy fruity purple herbal flavor. This caffeine free, kid-friendly drink makes for the perfect introduction to boba. Come into the shop and watch it change color as we make it!"

When I first saw my cutely named "Trix iz for Kidz Strabwerry-Vanilla Latte", I thought that perhaps I had accidentally been given a taro milk (which would have been great, as it is actually what I originally ordered, only to find out they were out).  It was a lovely shade of lilac.

But one sip, and I knew this was correct.  There was no question.  Yup, it tasted exactly like strawberry milk!  Sweet, creamy, fruity.  It made me grin a bit like a kid, excited to get a special treat like strawberry or chocolate milk.  I opted for oat milk for this one too, and it was nicely creamy.  Like all Aura drinks, it did have that distinct "fake sweet" to the aftertaste, but the fruity flavor was great enough for me to overlook it.  I don't think this is a flavor I'd crave often, but, when in the mood for it, it really is a classic.  ***+.

Cacoa Mocha. $6.95
+$0.75 almond milk +$0.75 boba.

"Fuel your aura with our immunity-boosting mocha that blends espresso with handwhisked superfood cacao for deep chocolate indulgence without the calories."

I drink coffee every morning, but, I'm a black coffee kind of girl.  Waaay back in grad school I was quite into very sugary flavored lattes (my nickname was "Rasmo", after the raspberry mocha drink I always got when we splurged and got afternoon coffee out), and I did grow up in the land of Dunkin' Donuts where cream and sugar were the defaults, and flavor syrups abound (for free!), but, in my older adult years, I just go for black coffee.

So this was a departure for me, a creamy mocha drink.  The espresso flavor was nicely strong, even with the milk and mocha sauce competing for dominance.  It was lightly chocolately.  I went for almond milk, which was a less strong flavor that the oat milk from my previous drinks, which I preferred for this, since I did want to taste the espresso.

Overall, a nice option for those who frequent coffee shops for iced lattes or mocha, and I really do like having boba in my chilled coffee, I'm still not sure why it isn't more common!  ***+.

Jasmine Milk Tea (Oat).

"Jasmine green tea blended with oat milk and organic cane sugar."

This was a lovely, lovely tea.  The sweetness level was just right - sweet, but not too sweet, just pleasantly sweet.  It was milky but not too milky, allowing the floral notes of the jasmine tea to shine through.  Just really truly a pleasant drink.

I added boba and jellies, both of which were standard quality.

****.

Mango Fruit Tea. $5.

"Jasmine green tea blended with real mango pulp & organic cane sugar."

This was not successful for me.  I found it very biter, which is odd given the sugar added.  Not refreshing either, as the mango puree was really quite thick.  *+.

Original Review, July 2023

Vegan.  Low-sugar.  Keto.  These are not terms normally associated with bubble tea.  No, bubble tea is known for being sugar laden, calorie heavy, really, much like many Starbucks drinks, dessert masquerading as a beverage.

Enter Aura Tea, a new tea shop in San Francisco that aims to reverse that trend, started by a founder who loved bubble tea, but found herself gaining unwanted weight.  And thus, Aura Tea was born.

Setting

Aura just opened in Rincon Center, sorta out of the way in an inner courtyard.

Signage

Aura has signage to draw you in, advertising the 0 sugar, low calorie, keto nature.  I was surprised they don't call out the fact that everything is vegan on this sign as well.

Storefront.

It is a small shop without seating, but there is abundant seating in the courtyard outside.

Drinks

How to Fuel Your Aura.

In addition to a menu with pre-made options, Aura has a guide to "fuel your Aura", walking you through how to pick the base (caffeinated or not, tea or coffee), size, milk, sweetness, and additions.

Like most bubble tea places, the first step at Aura Tea is to pick your tea base.  There are 4 options: classic black, jasmine green (for lower caffeine), butterfly tea (no caffeine), and masala chai.

From there, you can add 1-2 flavors, included with the base price ($6.95): strawberry, mango, pineapple, lemon, watermelon, and peach.  Sadly, these are just standard Torani syrups, the sugar-free ones.  Not quite what I expected, for a health focused establishment, I thought they'd make their own fruit purees.

Then, time for milk.  Since all are vegan, your options are oat, coconut, or almond milk.

Boba is included in the base price.  Only regular boba, or a keto version are available as "toppings" - no jellies, no foams, etc.  Again, they aim to stay healthy so those things are out.

Finally, if you want to add-in more, there are some boosts like ginger, CBD, turmeric and more for an additional fee.

Strawberry Jasmine Green Tea w/ Oat Milk. $6.95.

This was the co-founder's recommendation, jasmine green tea with strawberry syrup and oat milk added.

I was able to try a sample of this at a pre-opening event.

I'll be honest - you could have told me this was a rather flat Italian (cream) soda with boba in it, and I would have believed it without hesitation.  While there was jasmine tea in here, I didn't taste it at all.  There was no tea taste to this drink.

It was quite fruity and sweet, but it didn't taste like real fruit.  This is exactly what I'd expect: no fruit puree, no fruit used, just sugar free fruit syrup.  It was nearly half oat milk, which made it quite milky, and also contributed to the lack of tea taste.

So ... bubble tea?  Uh, not really in my mind.  Fruity milk that happened to have pearls in it?  Yes.  

Speaking of the pearls, they were fairly hard, and not particularly great.

So ... yeah, for sugar free fruity milk it was fine, but I'd prefer it without the pearls, and a carton of oat milk and a bottle of torani syrup could give me this at home just as easily.

Sadly, **+.

Strawberry Butterfly Tea w/ light Oat Milk. $6.95.

Since my visit was in the afternoon and I didn't want caffeine, I went for the butterfly tea, which was a lovely shade of purple.  I got strawberry flavor which created a pink hue at the base, and opted for light (oat) milk.  It really did look pretty, far better than you can tell from this photo.

This was fairly different from any other bubble tea I've ever had.  The butterfly tea base doesn't have a particular strong tea flavor to it, and the strawberry syrup was pretty sweet, making it oddly not refreshing due to the sweetness but almost refreshing due to the light tea quality, if that makes sense.  The boba seemed pretty average, nothing remarkable about them, but at least not clumped together, and the portion was good, not too many, not too few.  I expected to taste the oat a bit more pronounced, but the creaminess it added was pretty neutral.  

Overall, an absolutely fine, sweet, fruity, enjoyable drink, and slightly unique.

***.

Cold Brew with Tapioca Pearls, and Boba Jelly (konjac agar pearls).
No sweet. Oat milk.

Who says that boba is just for tea?  Or that fun espresso drinks must be loaded with sugar?  Not Aura!  I was interested to see the cold brew boba on the menu, as a way to really mix it up.  So at last minute, rather than getting my standard taro milk tea, I went for cold brew boba.

I opted for zero sweetness, and oat milk, but all the standard customizations of sweetness and alternate milks were available.  For my boba, I couldn't decide between their house sweetened tapioca pearls, or the konjac agar crystal jellies, so I went for a mix of both.  It was freshly made, and shaken in a real cocktail shaker, to order.

The oat milk was creamy and made it taste far more decadent than it was, and I loved the textures from both styles of pearls, one was more chewy, the other more bouncy.  I really enjoyed this as a change from regular tea based boba drinks, and it makes me wonder why more places don't offer coffee base.  Sure, you don't get the deep rich flavor of the coffee, but, isn't that true for nearly every Starbucks creation too?

***+.