Evaluation of a Raspberry Zinger

I chose Raspberry Zingers to evaluate today. To say they are displeasing is putting it mildly. However, I remember them from the years 2000-2007, things have changed since then, to put it mildly. I used to work at Wonder/Hostess Bakery Outlets until they went bankrupt in 2007. I remember them vividly as these delicious unhealthy snacks, though that was years ago when it seems everything tasted better. Eating several a week, and sometimes that was all I ate that week, I have vivid memories of these delicious snacks. I am not certain how many years they disappeared for, but they are back at it again. Clearly with new recipes as well.

The first thing that has changed is the size. They are now smaller and come in packs of three, instead of two larger cakes. The package looks to be the same size, so I assume you are getting the same amount of cake just broken down into smaller sizes. They most likely made this change for caloric adjustments. I did not think to check the nutritional information, as I would not have a comparison from the past. The packaging also has the same appearance as its former counterpoint. The scent was the same soft cake smell that I remembered as well.

The cream filling has changed a lot. It now has an orange citrusy flavor added to the cream. Considering it is a raspberry snack cake, I was shocked by that flavor profile. The texture of the cream filling was similar to the cream's past texture. An oil-based cream the glides on the tongue, though now with the bite of orange flavor. Also, when biting into the snack cake it has a dramatically lower quantity of cream filling. Within certain bites there was no cream at all, the rest of the bites had low volume. I made sure to open all three cakes for comparison and they had a consistently low quantity of cream filling.

The cakes seem to be overcooked, as it was very dry. If they are not overcooked, then the lack of moisture is from the lack of cream. They were once moist fluffy bites of heaven, now they have been turned into dust. They are not that dry but in comparison that is how it felt. They still have the yellow cake mix the Raspberry Zingers and the Twinkie were known for, though now there is that weird aftertaste. The aftertaste is a bitter dry flavor, that could be attributed to the orange flavor in the cream, the raspberry coating sauce, or the dryness of the cakes. The once moist fluffy cakes are now almost crumbly.

The raspberry coating seemed to be the same flavor as before. There was slightly less coating on the snack cakes showing the yellow cake bottom more, but the flavor was how I remembered it to be. It was the same red color as before, an amaranth pink-red color then rolled in the white coconut. The flavor of the raspberry coating was never prominent and now is no different. Unless that is where the bad aftertaste came from. Texturally the raspberry coating used to make an almost slick feel to the top layer of the cake, now it no longer does. This could be attributed to the dryness of the cakes or a different raspberry coating recipe.

The coconut was the same sweetened coconut flakes it has always been. There were no differences to note here. I was pleased they kept this the same and the flavor was not different in any way. Though I am not certain how they could change something as simple as sweetened coconut flakes. They are the small flakes to get maximum coverage. They roll the raspberry-covered cakes in the coconut then place it on their flat paper board, which we use as a mini plate. Then wrap it in the labeled plastic wrap, to place in your local stores.

Now that we have broken it down into its separate parts, I can delve deeper into why I believe the new Raspberry Zingers are just not that fabulous. It very well could be bad feelings associated with Wonder/Hostess as a company since I lost my job, and almost my sanity, when they bankrupted. However, I remember being excited when I heard Hostess cakes were coming back. So, I truly think it is from the actual differences in the cake. Putting Orange flavoring in a raspberry cake is confusing to the senses and inherently unpleasant. Had they changed the name to Orange Zingers, I do not believe they would have been all that bad. As the raspberry coating has such a low flavor profile, it is mostly just coloring.

I am certain that the flavoring of the cream, and the lack of the cream, play a huge part in my dislike of the new version. Never skimp on the cream for a cake with a large person or a child. The cake being drier could be in part due to the lack of cream as well. Which leaves you with a dry mouthfeel and you craving milk, or its nondairy counterpoint. If I were to work for Wonder/Hostess again I would write to upper management and inform the customers of the changes.

Times have changed and those that buy these types of treats or snacks are much younger and do not know what they should taste like. I find myself sounding like my parents, “when I was younger”. As a kid, I thought they were being ridiculous. Now that I am older, I find myself wondering. What would a Raspberry Zinger taste like in my father’s generation, or even my grandfather's? If the flavor profile has changed this drastically in just fifteen years, I can just imagine what they would have tasted like sixty years ago.