Whoopie Pies

by Erin {Lemon Sugar} on August 28, 2011 · 9 comments

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I did a lot of baking this past week.  I think I made eight different recipes in five days.  In fact, right now I’m working on this blog post in an effort to ignore the mess I made in my kitchen.  It’s not pretty.  I even promised my family that I would host Sunday dinner this week to force myself to get it cleaned up…so far it’s not working.  Sigh.

Since I had so much baking to do, I had to make sure that some of the recipes were quick and easy, so I started with Whoopie Pies.  Have you had one of these before?  They’re delish.  And so, so, so easy…they’re great for entertaining, for kids, for gifts and even for pot-lucks because they travel really well.  I’ve made these a few different ways but this particular recipe is my favorite.  You can make them REALLY easy by using a box cake mix – you just prepare the cake batter per the instructions on the box but you reduce the water to 3/4 cup.  While that recipe is great in a pinch, I will always take the extra 5 or 10 minutes and make them from scratch because the flavor is just that much better.

Whoopie pies are essentially soft, cake-cookies filled with marshmallow creme.  I’ve debated changing the filling recipe because I don’t really care for the way the filling tastes alone – although it works very nicely once in the cookie itself.  So, take my word for it, if you taste the filling and don’t like it – don’t worry.  When you smoosh it between the two chocolate cake pieces, it works.

The original recipe calls for four-inch round discs,but I like to make them smaller – mine were about two and a half inches in diameter.  I would recommend using parchment paper on your cookie sheet to prevent them from spreading too much.  I’ve used my silpat mat before and it’s just too slippery – the discs spread out and in my opinion were too thin.

Hope you enjoy this one! 


Cake Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
Filling Ingredients:
7oz Marshmallow Creme (Marshmallow Fluff)
1 and 1/4 cup shortening (may substitute unsalted butter)
3 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar
2 Tablespoons vanilla
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/8 to 1/4 cups whipping cream
 
 
To make cake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.
 
 
Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about two inches apart onto two parchment covered baking sheets.  (I put my batter in a piping bag and piped the mounds onto the sheet, I just thought it would be easier.) Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.
While cakes are cooling, prepare frosting.  Combine shortening (or butter) and marshmallow creme in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until thoroughly combined.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla and corn syrup and pulse to combine.  Add whipping cream slowly and beat until light and fluffy.  Just add enough whipping cream to meet the desired consistency of your filling – I used about 1/4 cup.

Spread filling onto cookies (again, I used a piping bag and piped them – its much easier.)  Sandwich the cookies together, and enjoy! 

Makes approximately 24 two and a half inch sandwiches.   Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

Source:  Cakes:  Epicurious.  Filling:  Adapted from While He Was Napping

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  • http://www.bakeaholicmama3.blogspot.com Carrie@Bakeaholicmama

    We love whoopie pies in this house! My boys get them everytime we go to the bakery or to the farmeres markets. I’ve been meaning to make some for quite sometime. This post just gave me the push to do it!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/01439956563085063302 Kristan

    I love whoopie pies and these look perfect!! Such gorgeous photos, too.

  • http://www.sweetsnstuff.webs.com Michelle Clark

    There isnt much that satisfies a sweet tooth as well as a Whoopie Pie does!

  • Anonymous

    How much whipping cream?

  • Anonymous

    I love Whoopie Pies! These are easy to make and taste and look better than the one you can buy at the Valero gas station. Yummy dessert for tonight!
    Gigi

  • Angelique

    I love whoopee pies, but never made them before. I can’t wait to try this recipe,hopefully soon

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/17428402457651662892 Patricia

    For the instructions on the cream filling, it says to add whipping cream after blending the other ingredients, but the amount of whipping cream isn’t listed. Could you update this? I can’t wait to make these…..:o)

  • http://www.lemon-sugar.com Erin @ Lemon Sugar

    @Patricia Oh my gosh, you’re right! I just added it in. Really, the whipping cream just helps you control the consistency of the filling, so you can just use as much or as little as you want. I wanted mine to be pretty smooth, so I used the whole amount.

    Thanks, and sorry! Let me know how they turn out!

  • jackie

    Ok, I am now adding THIS recipe to my weekend baking list. Thanks to your website, my kids are going to think they’ve died and gone to heaven.

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