whoop whoop whoop!

[throws right arm in the air and proceeds to move it in a circular motion, arsenio hall style]

To say that I was 'making whoopie' is just too expected. Love the pun, though.

I've had this whoopie pie recipe bookmarked for a while now. A couple years ago, they were quite popular on the blogs that I frequented, so after seeing it again, finally I was like, "Hey, I should try those one day!" I might add that I never had a whoopie pie either. They just looked yummy. I mean, I love my cupcakes, so why wouldn't I love a whoopie pie? Two cake-like cookies with fluffy filling in-between -- yes, please! hehehe

So I'm not teaching this year. I suppose that's fine...at least I'm working, right? I do, however, work directly with a handful of teachers. I could count them on one hand. It's not what I'm used to, but again, that's fine. The kids are great, and that's important. :) 

One of the teachers that I work with especially loves the peanut butter and chocolate combination. Being the baker that I am, I want to make things that people will love. So for her birthday a couple months ago, I made some peanut butter delights. She loved them. I mean, who in their right mind wouldn't? And then, a few weeks ago, she tells me that her student made something and that it rivals my peanut butter delights. Wow. Those are some choice words, lady. So in the quick glance of what she showed me, I realized it was this. I mean, how can I compete with creamy, chocolatey, peanut buttery goodness?

Enter: the whoopie pie. I don't take her to be a cupcake girl, such as myself, but I thought the whoopie pie would suffice. Now, she didn't mean to prompt a competition, but really? I don't need to win, but I figured, who wouldn't want some whoopie?  

left: peanut butter whoopie pie with peanut butter chips; right: nutella whoopie pie

Classic Chocolate Whoopie
from Whoopie Pies (I think I may have to purchase this book now!)

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat butter, shortening and sugar with a mixer on low until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat for two more minutes. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk and beat on low until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour and milk and beat until combined. Using a tablespoon (I used a 1-inch cookie scoop, but then decided piping it was easier), drop batter on baking sheet two inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes each or until pies spring back when pressed gently. Remove from oven and cool for about five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

1 Tbsp of batter should make about 48 two-inch cakes or 24 pies.

2 Tbsp of batter should make about 30 four-inch cakes or 15 pies.
(I probably used 1-1/2 tbsp since I made about 20 pies)

Salty Peanut Butter Filling

adapted from Whoopie Pies

(I ran out of pb)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (or crunchy) [ I used 1/2 cup]

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened [I used 1/2 cup]

3/4 cup confectioners sugar [I used 1/2 cup]

1/2 teaspoon salt [I used slightly rounded 1/4 teaspoon]

In a mixing bowl, beat peanut butter and butter together on low until creamy. Add sugar and salt and beat on low until incorporated. Increase speed to medium and beat for about four minutes until the filling is light and fluffy. Spoon or pipe filling on flat side of one cooled cake. Top it with a second cake and press gently. *Use peanut butter chips on the sides of the filling -- adds a great texture and more peanut buttery flavor*

Based on the filling recipe above, I also made a Nutella filling (which could very well be in the book and I just don't know yet!)

1/2 cup Nutella, rounded

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners suger

1/4 teaspoon salt

Store whoopie pies in an airtight container.

***

I loved these!! I packaged some up for the aforementioned teacher, as well as another teacher that I work with. Such a nice treat during finals (so sue me, I'm about a month behind on my blogging).

They're a great alternative to cupcakes, especially when packing them for lunch ;) Then you don't have to worry about the frosting getting messed up, since it's sandwiched between the cakes. Yah, I definitely think I'm gonna order this book. Update: I just received the book from Amazon -- more whoopie is in my future.