This is one of the very last snack cake reviews I performed before I largely stopped eating processed food. I got so excited upon spotting these, but you will see that this excitement faded very quickly.
Strawberry and blueberry donuts are just about my favorite cake donut flavors. However, I bought these with a bit of cynicism, as I had been disappointed repeatedly in the past by packaged donuts of the glazed variety.
As I pulled the donuts from the package, I immediately regretted buying them. The donuts were heavy, with a damp exterior. The donuts smelled great, and I could see little bits of strawberry throughout. Unfortunately when I bit into them, the flavor didn't exactly pack a punch in regards to strawberry flavor. The donut was heavy, chewy, and messy, due to the glaze it was covered with. In fact, I wouldn't even classify it as glaze, but more like a gelatinous mucilage.
I believe these donuts would be 100% better, if they were made with more real strawberries and no glaze at all. Fresh off of the Hostess production line, these Jumbo Donettes very well may be delightful. On the other hand, by the time they reach store shelves, the donut and glaze have begun melding and intermingling, changing the donut's consistency entirely. The result is the mess you see above.
Hostess Mini Glazed Donettes
These are 100 times better than Jumbo Glazed Donettes
In my experience, glazed donuts just don't translate well to being mass produced and packaged. It's not just Hostess either. I've eaten a multitude of packaged glazed donut brands, and not a single one has impressed me as of yet. The only exception to this rule are mini donuts that Hostess and other companies produce. For some reason, these little donuts always have a nice crisp layer of glaze on them that doesn't meld with the rest of the donut.
To give you another example, take Krispy Kreme Glazed Original Donuts. Made fresh they are wonderful. Sitting in a box for a week in the store however, not so good. At that point, they are reduced to soggy, runny, heavy globs of yeasty dough. It's the same story with glazed supermarket donuts that are made fresh, boxed, and then sit for a couple days.