Reader favourite: Whoopie Pies!

Current obsession: Whoopie Pies.

Anybody tried them? I say they are kinda like a ginger kiss, but tastier. They’re kinda cakey, kinda cookie-ish, or like the best part of the cupcake (the top and the icing). One thing’s for sure they are pretty freakin’ yum.

According to my Whoopie Pie recipe book they originate from the Amish people, when the woman would bake cakes and use the left over batter to make little treats and when their husbands and children found them in their lunch boxes they’d shout “WHOOPIE!”.

I made two kinds of Whoopie Pies this week, Red Velvet with Cream Cheese filling. And Chocolate with Salted Caramel filling. The favourite was completely 50/50 but today I’m going to share the recipe for the chocolate with salted caramel filling (salted caramel is my other current obsession).

For the cookies:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 cup very strong brewed coffee
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken

For the filling:

1 cup of butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup of caramel sauce (recipe follows)

1. Place butter and vanilla in a bowl and beat on high until butter is pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Turn mixer speed down to medium and add icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Beat until combined.
3. Add in caramel sauce and beat until combined.

Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons of cream
1/2 teaspoon of salt

1. Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
2. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high.
3. Now and then, using the handle give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute.
4. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly.
5. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling).
6. Add salt and stir to combine

To assemble:

Once the cookies are cooled you can assemble your whoopies, try and put them into pairs that are evenly sized and either pipe or just use a knife to put your filling on one cookie then sandwich the other down on top. I like to drizzle mine with left over caramel sauce. And serve, omnomnom!

Tips:

• If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand you can substitute it by placing 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and then fill it the rest of the way up with regular milk. I tend to do this cause I struggle to use a whole carton of buttermilk before it goes off.
• If your filling is looking pretty soft I like to chill mine for 15 minutes or so before putting the whoopies together.
• When making the caramel sauce don’t mix your sugar/water in the pot, this may be obvious to the rest of the world but not to me, the first time I attempted to make it it totally seized up and crystallised on me.

Have fun with them!

Create crazy flavours and tell me all about them below!