May 16, 2015
One last make ahead dessert for our graduation weekend at Miami University is Whoopie Pies. I have been enjoying these luscious chocolaty delights for over forty years. A sailing camp mom from Pymatuning Yacht Club in Jamestown, Pennsylvania used to make these for our farewell suppers at the end of camp every year. They make great school birthday treats, or are good for any occasion.

I had to take a bite!

The pies are actually cookie size cakes that are filled with a fluffy white frosting. Varieties of whoopie pies abound now on Pinterest and in cookbooks. I like a pumpkin whoopie pie in the Fall, and I’ve had Red Velvet whoopie pies that taste pretty darn good too – but my favorite is still rich chocolate with white frosting.

I like to make the batter ahead and let it chill for a few hours. The original recipe called for Crisco shortening in the batter, but I use butter. I’ve also tried using coconut oil – or part coconut oil. It works as long as you melt the coconut oil but it adds a different flavor to the cakes. When you let the batter chill, the butter will maintain its form better and keep the cakes from spreading too much while baking. I like them with a nice puffy dome! Be sure to sift the dry ingredients. If the cocoa powder is evenly distributed into the flour, the color of the cakes will be more uniform. There is some magical chemical process with the addition of baking soda at the end with hot water and the buttermilk. Just trust me and follow the instructions!

butter and sugar needs to be creamed very well. you don’t want to see any chunks of butter.

this is what the dough should look like after adding the eggs.

the batter as you blend hot water, soda, buttermilk and the mixture that was already in the bowl…almost finished!

finished batter, best to chill it for a few hours. It should be nice and shiny.

There is a caveat to the frosting recipe. It calls for 2 raw egg whites. Many are afraid of the health threat with raw egg whites. I tend to buy organic brown eggs that are very fresh – so I use them. There are egg white substitutes to buy – or they say pasteurized egg’s whites are a safer option too. If you follow the steps for the filling properly, it will fluff right up. I do use Crisco in this recipe as it holds up nicely and keeps the frosting pure white.

first step of frosting. I forgot to take a picture of the final product with the crisco and remaining powdered sugar!

I recommend buying good quality vanilla. There is vanilla in both the batter and the frosting for this recipe. Even with a chocolate cake batter, the vanilla really enhances the flavor of the cake. Vanilla flavored extracts are much cheaper but the flavor does not compare to a pure vanilla extract. I believe, in general, you do get what you pay for. I often look for specialty vanilla extracts (like madagascar bourbon) in stores like TJ Maxx or HomeGoods.

fresh from the oven and cooling before frosting

The whoopie pies can be made several days ahead if you keep them refrigerated. I prefer to eat them when they are cold. They taste the best with a glass of ice cold milk! The whoopie pies also freeze well as long as you use wax paper to separate them so that when they thaw, the little cakes don’t stick together.

Whoopie Pies

Preparation time about 30 minutes without chilling time added. 3 hours from start to finish if you chill the batter.

Serves 20

Ingredients

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cakes:

4 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening (I use butter)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup very hot water
2 tsp. baking soda

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frosting:

4 cups confectioner’s sugar
4 Tbs. flour
4 Tbs. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites
1 cup Crisco

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350′ – if you chill the dough, this can wait until 20 minutes before baking.

Sift together first three ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and beat well. Add some each of the dry ingredients, buttermilk, hot water and baking soda. Mix until combined, then add the remaining ingredients and beat until mixture is incorporated and glossy. A few lumps will not hurt. I suggest letting this batter chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. I use a small size scoop that helps push the batter out. Be sure to leave at least 2″ between each cake as they will spread. Bake for 9-10 minutes until the cakes just begin to crack on top. Let cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a rack to completely cool.

For filling, cream together 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, the flour, milk, vanilla and egg whites. Add remaining sugar and crisco. Whip until fluffy and fully combined.

When cakes are completely cool, place filling between two cakes. These will freeze well. It helps to have waxed paper between layers so they don’t stick together when thawed.

 

Notes