Whoopie Pies

This past weekend, Mark & I spent some time in the kitchen whipping up a treat for the football party. Mark always likes to try new challenges, & I love anything that reminds me of PA Dutch traditions, so whoopie pies seemed like the perfect project.

The only real road block we ran into was the decision on which recipe to use. It's the classic cook vs. baker debate... I need to follow recipes exactly because I think that baking is a magic spell that you need to do just right. Mark likes to freestyle & switch ingredients. Also simple vs. healthy... sure butter & sugar can make frosting, but do I really want to be a diabetic?

Anyway, we ended up making weight watchers cakes, & the least weight watcher friendly cream possible. It's like ordering a bacon cheese burger & expecting your diet coke to balance it. Whatever. They tasted amazing. And in the end it was a good balance with the sugary icing & not-so-sweet cakes.

Taken from: Nosh With Me

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the sugar, shortening and egg white in a medium bowl until fluffy and well blended (about 2 minutes).

Stir in the flour mixture, then add the milk until just blended.

Drop the dough (it will be a cross between cake batter and cookie dough in consistency) by spoonfuls onto large, ungreased baking sheets (I used Silpats), making 36 cookies.

Bake until top springs back when lightly touched (5-7 minutes).

Cool completely on the sheets on a rack.

 

Shame on me, I didn't save the site I stole this from.

This part is magical. You swear it's never going to work for a solid 2 minutes & then suddenly *poof* it's a creamy frosting!

• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
• 1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar
• 2 cups Marshmallow Fluff**
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

* Butter may be substituted for all or part of the vegetable shortening, although traditional Whoopie Pies are made with vegetable shortening only

** Marshmallow Creme may be substituted.

 

In a medium bow, beat together shortening, sugar, and Marshmallow fluff; stir in vanilla extract until well blended.