Whoopie Pies - little filled cake sandwiches
Recipe given to me by a Mennonite friend. She didn’t know where it came
from, so I don’t either. I rewrote/adapted it after doing it a few times
and checking a couple cookbooks. I get 28-33 little cakes (some people
call them cookies or even cupcakes) from this recipe (eat the odd one to
hide the evidence). I've made them for big family get-togethers or
picnics with lots of people.
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, whites reserved for filling
1 cup cocoa
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk (see comments at end)
Heat oven to 350F. Cream sugar and shortening together. Stir in eggs,
mixing thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together and add to the creamed
mixture alternately with milk in three additions. Batter should be
stiff. If too thin, add flour by the tablespoon and mix in well. Drop by
1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) onto greased cookie sheets three inches apart.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes. They’re done when gentle pressure in the middle
comes back to shape quickly, or do a toothpick test to be sure. It
should come out clean if stuck into the center. Cool to room temperature
before filling.
Filling:
2 egg whites
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons milk
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar (1 pound)
Beat egg whites until stiff and shiny. Whip in shortening and vanilla.
Mix milk in, then sugar. Beat smooth and fluffy. Spread filling on the
flat side of a cake; top with another cake. Repeat with all cakes and
filling. Keep in the fridge (up to maybe four days) or freeze (they’ll
last a good month frozen). It’s nowadays generally customary to wrap
them individually in cling wrap.
VARIATIONS:
An alternative filling that’s a bit faster and has a somewhat different
texture. Gets away from the raw egg issue.
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup marshmallow creme
1 or 2 tablespoons milk
Cream shortening and sugar. Add vanilla and marshmallow with enough milk
to make it fluffy. Use as above.
Peanut Butter Filling
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
With an electric mixer, whip butter and peanut butter together. Add
confectioners' sugar and milk. Beat at medium speed until mixed, then
high speed until fluffy. Use as above.
COMMENTS: Use either liquid buttermilk or powdered buttermilk (made
according to package directions). Or substitute a cup of yogurt or even
creme fraiche. To make sour milk, put a tablespoon of lemon juice or
cider vinegar in a one-cup measure and fill with milk, letting it curdle
and get ugly for a few minutes. Some people make them with "salty"
butter in either the cakes or filing or both. Leave out any other salt.
Others use brown sugar rather than granulated for the cakes.