Hostess

Appears in

Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America

Published 2004

About

The Taggart Baking Company of Indianapolis, maker of Wonder Bread, began making chocolate cupcakes in 1919. These cakes did not contain the white filling until after World War II. Taggart Baking Company was acquired by Continental Baking Company in 1925. Continental wanted additional products to sell to grocers, and in 1927 they hit upon spongecakes used for making strawberry shortcake. Continental gave the brand name of “Hostess” to its new line of individual-sized cake products.

While shortcakes sold well during strawberry season, Continental sought year-round sellers. One of their creations, which debuted in 1930, was Twinkies—cream-filled spongecakes that are still the most popular Hostess product. Other individually packaged Hostess items are chocolate cupcakes, Ding-Dongs, Ho Hos, Suzy Qs, Sno Balls, and individual fruit pies. Continental advertised these products extensively and in the 1970s created cartoon characters to represent them—Twinkie the Kid, Happy Ho Ho, King Ding Dong, Captain Cupcake, and Fruit Pie the Magician. The company began an unusual promotional campaign in 1991, when it produced “Hostess Turtles Pies” prior to the release of the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II. These pies were advertised as “Fresh from the sewers to you!”

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