Cooking the Books: Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies

(from Pumpkin Roll by Josi S. Kilpack)

1 box devil’s food cake mix*
1 (3.4-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth and thick—at least 2 minutes. Drop six large spoonfuls of batter onto silicone mat-lined, parchment-lined, or well-greased cookie sheets.

Use the back of a spoon if necessary to flatten slightly so that each pie is no more than three-fourths of an inch tall.

Bake for 11 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool on pan 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before assembling pies.
Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freeze individually wrapped cakes in wax paper.

Makes 8 to 10 pies.

*Can substitute any other type of cake mix, but if so, change pudding flavor to vanilla or another, more suitable,flavor.

Filling Choices*

Buttercream

1 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons milk

Cream butter and powdered sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until fluffy. Add flour and milk and mix until well blended. Use additional flour or milk to get the correct consistency—a thick but airy frosting. Layer fillingbetween two cakes, bottoms together.

Marshmallow

3/4 cup Crisco shortening (do not use butter Crisco)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (7- to 8-ounce) jar Marshmallow Fluff

Beat shortening and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add vanilla and Marshmallow Fluff. Mix until wellblended.

*Can add 1/2 teaspoon of a flavored extract to filling: mint, lemon, strawberry, orange, etc.

My thoughts on the recipe: I know this isn't a new or exotic kind of recipe. Lots of people make Whoopie Pies all the time, but I never had, so I decided to try it. And they were good. Very good. I used the cake recipe as written as well as the buttercream frosting (since the only jar I had of Marshmallow Fluff has, I think, judging from the 1/2 inch of yellow liquid lurking at the bottom of the jar, been around since last Christmas). Next time I make them, though, I'll ignore the instructions to drop "six large spoonfuls of batter" onto the cookie sheet - my cookies turned out way too large. I would recommend just making them a standard cookie size. Also, the frosting recipe makes TONS. Either halve the recipe, make double (or triple) the amount of cookies, or use the extra frosting for another baking project. Speaking of frosting, next time I make these near a holiday, I think I'll dye the frosting a different color - orange for Halloween, red for Christmas or Valentine's Day, green for St. Patrick's Day, etc.