KANSAS CITY — Hostess Brands, L.L.C. has launched a contest encouraging people to submit their own Twinkies-inspired recipes for a chance to be included in the new edition of “The Twinkies Cookbook.”

The new edition of “The Twinkies Cookbook” will celebrate the return of the iconic snack cake, which began its “comeback” on July 15, 2013. Since that time, 500 million Twinkies have been baked and shipped, according to Hostess Brands.

“On average, Hostess has produced 500 million Twinkies annually, but since returning to shelves last July, demand has been tremendous, pushing us past that milestone faster than ever,” said William Toler, president and chief executive officer at Hostess Brands, L.L.C. “This is the perfect opportunity to celebrate America’s renewed love affair with Twinkies by creating a comeback edition of ‘The Twinkie Cookbook’ and inviting fans to be part of the next chapter of Twinkies history.”

To submit recipe ideas, Hostess fans may visit www.hostesscakes.com. The deadline for submission is July 31. From the recipes received, a collection will be chosen for inclusion in the comeback edition of “The Twinkies Cookbook.” Creators of the recipes selected will be notified soon afterwards. All submissions become property of Hostess Brands, L.L.C.