Depending on which region of the country you hail from, you may or may not be familiar with the delicious joy that is the whoopie pie. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then welcome to your lucky day. Whoopie pies are cake-y sandwiches with silky, fluffy frosting middles. Wrap your hands around one and you'll never want to let it go. The recipe I'm sharing is a big one, making about 20 pies. You can easily cut it in half; however, whoopie pies freeze beautifully, so I like to make a full batch and then keep the freezer stocked with them. (Hint: Keep them out of the fridge. It will dry them out quickly!)
Are you drooling yet? Let's get started.
Chocolate Whoopie Pies 3 cups sugar 1 cup butter, softened 4 large eggs 1/2 cup oil 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla 6 cups flour 2 cups cocoa powder (unsweetened) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 3 cups milk Filling 1 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream topping 3 cups powdered sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 cup half and half Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla and mix until well combined. In another large bowl, sift flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Alternately add flour mixture and the milk to the egg and sugar blend, mixing well. Using a 1/4 measuring cup or large ice cream scoop (remember, you want them to be uniform), place six circles of batter on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. For the filling, combine all ingredients except for the half and half in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until a thick, uniform paste forms. Slowly add in the half and half until you reach a thick, creamy texture. You may add more or less half and half, depending on your taste. Once the cakes have cooled, spread the filling between two cookie cakes. Wrap individual whoopie pies in plastic wrap for best handling and storage.