Whoopin' it Up with Some Whoopie Pies!

My poor family! Ever since I started this blog I have been neglecting them. Every meal must be photographed 4200 times before they are allowed to dig in. I justify it by creating memorable meals, I hope. 

I have been working on my photography skills, and I think I need a new camera. (Justification???)

Tonight we are whoopin' it up, with whoopie pies. I see these more in New England than here in the Midwest. I decided to make them on a whim once and was blown away at how delicious they were. I have to admit, when I first saw them I thought they would be overly sweet and sugary, like a bad piece of wedding cake. 

 On the contrary, my friends. They taste like a cupcake sandwiches, AMAZING! 

The recipe is from one of my all time "go to" periodicals, Cooks Illustrated: American Classics 2009.

Note: Don't be tempted to bake all the cakes on one baking sheet; the batter needs room to spread in the oven while it bakes.


Cakes:
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup Dutch-pressed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk


Filling:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 1/2 cups marshmallow creme


1. FOR THE CAKES Adjust oven racks to upper and l over-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
2. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter ans sugar in large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg until incorperated, scraping down bowl if needed, then beat in vanilla.

Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk. Repeat with half of remaining flour mixture then the last of buttermilk and finally remaining flour mixture. Using rubber spatula, give batter a final stir.

3. Using 1/3 -cup measure, scoop 6 rounds of batter onto each baking sheet, spacing mounds about 3 inches apart. Bake until cakes spring back when pressed about 15-18 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool completely  on baking sheets, at least 1 hour.

4. FOR THE FILLING: With stand mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Beat in marshmallow creme until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate filling until slightly firm, about 30 minutes. (Bowl can be wrapped and refrigerated up to 2 days.)

5. Dollop 1/3 cup of filling on center fo flat side of 6 cakes. Top with flat side of remaining 6 cakes and gently press until filling spreads to edge of cake. Serve. (Whoopie pies can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days.)