Twinkies, Cupcakes, Ding Dongs
Originally branded as Continental Baking, Hostess manufacturers a variety of sweet cake-style packaged treats.
The Chocolate Hostess Cupcake was introduced in 1919, followed by the famous golden snack cake about ten years later. It wasn’t until 1967 that the creme-filed chocolate snack cakes with chocolate icing came on the market.
Hostess sweet snacks are part of the J.M. Smucker Company.
Read this report for a detailed overview of the nutrition facts, ingredients, and allergens in the top three snack cakes.
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QUICK SUMMARY
Twinkies
Original Hostess Twinkies are individually-wrapped sweet golden sponge cake pastries with a creamy filling. Nutrition facts are based on a single serving measured one cake.
Calories in Twinkies
There are 140 calories in a Twinkies sweet golden cake.
Here is a summary of calories by macronutrient, per serving:
The greatest proportion of total calories (68%) is derived from carbohydrates (most of which are added sugars). Dietary fats make up 28% of the calories, and the remaining 4% is from proteins.
Golden Twinkies
% calories from fat, carbs and proteinCheck nutrition facts label on the package of your favorite packaged treats to check the amount of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. A 20% or greater daily value is considered high.
Nutrition Facts: Twinkie
Here is a summary of nutrition facts for Hostess Twinkies cakes.
Amount (%DV) per cake (38.5g)
Red indicates a high %DV.
|
Calories |
140 |
%DV |
|
Total Fat |
4.5g |
6% |
|
Saturated Fat |
2g |
9% |
|
Trans Fat |
0g | |
|
Cholesterol |
15mg |
5% |
|
Sodium |
180mg |
8% |
|
Carbohydrates |
24g |
9% |
|
Dietary Fiber |
0g |
0% |
|
Total Sugars |
15g | |
|
Added Sugars |
15g |
31% |
|
Protein |
g |
%DV based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calorie needs vary and your %DV may be higher or lower. Provided for informational purposes only. Consult with your physician for dietary or healthcare advice.
Daily Value
Daily Value (%DV) measures the amount of a nutrient per serving, relative to the recommended limit. Use %DV to compare and select foods for a balanced diet.
As shown in the chart below, Twinkies are high in added sugars.
|
1 Twinkie Cake |
%DV |
Level |
|
Saturated Fat |
9% |
MED |
|
Added Sugars |
31% |
HIGH |
%DV based on 2,000 calorie diet. FDA suggests a %DV of 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.
Ingredients
Sugar is listed as the first ingredient in Twinkies. Added sugars also include high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup solids.
Twinkies are made with bioengineered food ingredients.
Here is the complete list of ingredients in Hostess Twinkies.
Ingredients in Twinkies |
|---|
|
Sugar, Enriched Flour, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Tallow, Dextrose, Egg, Soybean Oil, Modified Food Starch, Glycerin, Whey (from milk), Corn Starch, Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Hydrogenated Tallow, Baking Soda, Cottonseed Oil, Soy Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Sorbic Acid and Potassium Sorbate (retain freshness), Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Polysorbate 60, Mono and Diglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Monocalcium Phosphate, Enzymes, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Yellow No. 5, Red No. 40 |
Allergens
Twinkies are made with ingredients that contain egg, milk, soybean, and wheat.
Hostess Cupcakes
Calories in Hostess Cupcakes
There are 170 calories in a single cream-filled Hostess chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing.
Here is a summary of calories by macronutrient, per serving:
The greatest proportion (68%) of total calories in a Hostess chocolate cupcake is derived from carbohydrates (most of which is added sugars). Dietary fats make up 29% of the calories, and the remaining 3% is from proteins.
Chocolate Cupcake
% calories from fat, carbs and proteinTime to Burn Calories
An average adult would need to run at a moderate pace for approximately 15 minutes to burn off the calories from a Hostess cupcake.
Here is a list of approximate times required to burn 170 calories, by type of exercise.
FITNESS TIME TO BURN 170 CALORIES
Estimate based on moderate level of activity by an adult with average BMI.
Daily Value
Review the following chart. There are 19 grams added sugars in one Hostess chocolate cupcake topped with an icing swirl. That is high.
|
1 Cupcake |
%DV |
Level |
|
Saturated Fat |
13% |
MED |
|
Added Sugars |
39% |
HIGH |
%DV based on 2,000 calorie diet. FDA suggests a %DV of 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.
Nutrition Facts: Cupcake
Here is a summary of nutrition facts for Hostess Cupcakes.
Amount (%DV) per Cupcake
Red indicates a high %DV.
|
Calories |
170 |
%DV |
|
Total Fat |
6g |
8% |
|
Saturated Fat |
2.5g |
13% |
|
Trans Fat |
0g | |
|
Cholesterol |
5mg |
1% |
|
Sodium |
230mg |
10% |
|
Carbohydrates |
29g |
11% |
|
Dietary Fiber |
1g |
3% |
|
Total Sugars |
20g | |
|
Added Sugars |
19g |
39% |
|
Protein |
1g |
%DV based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calorie needs vary and your %DV may be higher or lower. Provided for informational purposes only. Consult with your physician for dietary or healthcare advice.
Ingredients
Sugar is listed as the first ingredient in Hostess Cupcakes. Other added sugars include high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, and agave syrup.
Hostess cupcakes are made with bioengineered food ingredients.
Here is the complete list of ingredients.
Ingredients in Cupcakes |
|---|
|
Sugar, Enriched Flour, Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Corn Syrup, Cocoa, Tallow, Soybean Oil, Glycerin, Cocoa (processed with alkali), Modified Food Starch, Corn Starch, Baking Soda, Salt, Whey (from milk), Calcium Carbonate, Corn Syrup Solids, Calcium Sulfate, Egg, Sorbic Acid and Potassium Sorbate (retain freshness), Agave Syrup, Inulin, Egg Whites, Dextrose, Hydrogenated Tallow, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Mono and Diglycerides, Bleached Wheat Flour, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cottonseed Oil, Soy Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Agar, Cellulose Gum, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Titanium Dioxide (color), Monocalcium Phosphate, Enzymes, Locust Bean Gum, Disodium Phosphate, Chocolate Liquor, Defatted Soy Flour |
Allergens
The cupcakes are made with ingredients that contain egg, milk, soybean, and wheat.
Chocolate Ding Dongs
August 2025: J.M. Smucker Co. recalled select lots of Ding Dongs due to the potential presence of mold in the product. Discard any product with a best by dates between August 20, 2025 through September 2, 2025. Contact Hostess Brands at 1-800-483-7253.
Calories in Hostess Ding Dongs
There are 160 calories in one chocolate cake with icing and a creamy filling.
Here is a summary of calories by macronutrient, per serving:
Over half (53%) of the calories in a Hostess chocolate Ding Dong is derived from carbohydrates, including added sugars. Dietary fats make up 44% of the calories, and the remaining 3% is from proteins.
Chocolate Ding Dongs
% calories from fat, carbs and proteinNutrition Facts: Chocolate Ding Dongs
Here is a summary of nutrition facts for one Hostess Chocolate Ding Dong.
Amount (%DV) per 1 Cake
Red indicates a high %DV.
|
Calories |
160 |
%DV |
|
Total Fat |
8g |
10% |
|
Saturated Fat |
5g |
25% |
|
Trans Fat |
0g | |
|
Cholesterol |
0mg |
0% |
|
Sodium |
140mg |
6% |
|
Carbohydrates |
21g |
8% |
|
Dietary Fiber |
1g |
4% |
|
Total Sugars |
15g | |
|
Added Sugars |
15g |
30% |
|
Protein |
1g |
%DV based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calorie needs vary and your %DV may be higher or lower. Provided for informational purposes only. Consult with your physician for dietary or healthcare advice.
Daily Value
As shown in the chart below, a chocolate Ding Dong cake with a creamy filling is high in saturated fat and added sugars.
|
1 Chocolate Cake |
%DV |
Level |
|
Saturated Fat |
25% |
HIGH |
|
Sodium |
30% |
HIGH |
%DV based on 2,000 calorie diet. FDA suggests a %DV of 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.
Ingredients
Sugar is listed as the first ingredient in Hostess Ding Dongs. Other added sugars in the recipe include high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and corn syrup solids.
Hostess Ding Dongs contain bioengineered food ingredients.
Here is the complete list of ingredients.
Ingredients in Ding Dongs |
|---|
|
Sugar, Enriched Flour, Water, Palm Kernel Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Cocoa, Cocoa (processed with alkali), Glycerin, Modified Food Starch, Baking Soda, Mono and Diglycerides, Whey (from milk), Salt, Corn Starch, Egg, Soy Lecithin, Preservatives (Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Natamycin), Dextrose, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Egg Whites, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cellulose Gum, Polysorbate 60, Monocalcium Phosphate, Enzymes, Defatted Soy Flour |
Allergens
The cupcakes are made with ingredients that contain egg, milk, soybean, and wheat.
NOTE: Summaries of calories by macronutrient in this report are rounded estimates based on the nutrition facts provided by Hostess Brands.
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Nutrition facts, prices, and ingredients are based on available information as of the date of publication. Restaurants and food manufacturers may change recipes or formulations without notice. Check package labels and ask the product manufacturer or restaurant for the most up-to-date information. Unless otherwise stated, %DV is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. All reports and reviews published on this site are for informational purposes only. NutritionandIngredients.com does not provide healthcare advice or dietary recommendations. Always consult your licensed physician for any healthcare or dietary advice.