makin' whoopie (pies, that is)

ach year we bake something special for our clients for the holidays. Last year, it was French macarons, and this year, we dipped our toes into Whoopie Pie making. Using an adaptation of a Food Network recipe, we opted for the classic Whoopie: chocolate with creamy white filling.

WHOOPIE PIES

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

1 cup butter

4 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups milk

Filling, recipe follows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, or preheat a convection oven to 315 degrees F. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter, and eggs together until well combined. Add the oil and vanilla and beat again. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add half of the dry mixture to the egg mixture and beat or stir to blend. Add 1 1/2 cups milk and beat again. Add the remaining dry mixture and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk and beat until blended. With a large spoon, scoop out 32 circles of batter onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Spread filling onto 16 circles and place remaining circles on top, to make 16 Whoopie Pies.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups shortening

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 1/3 cups marshmallow topping

Dash salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 to 1/2 cup milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all ingredients except the milk and beat well. Add just enough milk to achieve a creamy consistency. Spread filling across cooled cookie circles.

We nestled them into green and white tissue paper and packaged them in white bakery boxes.

Rachel designed a Madison Modern Home label with holiday wishes that we affixed to the top of the boxes with double-stick tape.