Let’s Make Whoopie!
Is it just me or is everyone fed up with being fed up? First there was the US election and the Trump Presidential victory, then there was Brexit, then there was Marine Le Pen pushing the French National Front to new frontiers and now, just as we thought we were in for a little respite, we have another UK General Election – ugh!
The entire world seems to be up in arms, complaining about this, divided by that – protests are now a banal weekly occurrence in Seattle. So who fancies joining my anti-protest protest? And what better way to show and share the love than by making whoopie – Whoopie Pies that is!
Whoopie Pies are not pies. Yes they have a filling, yes they have a base, yes they have a topping, but that is where the similarity ends. These tasty treats are more of a cake and cookie mélange, sandwiching a fluffy creamy centre between two cake “buns”.
Created by the Amish, Whoopie Pies were simply a means of using up leftover batter and were given their name by the sound the children would make when given these tasty treats. In some parts of Western Pennsylvania, they are also known as gobs, which I find hilarious, as this is rather inelegant slang for the word “mouth” in the UK!
This easy recipe for Cookies & Cream Whoopie Pies is absolutely addictive. The cookies and cream marshmallow filling is light and fluffy, while the cookie pieces offer a surprising crunch, and all of this is presented within a soft, moist chocolate sponge sandwich – I’m talking pure cake heaven! So let’s make your loved ones shout Whoopie by shoving a Whoopie Pie in their gob!
To make the Chocolate Whoopie Cakes you’ll first need to pre-heat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and grease a cookie sheet, or line it with a non-stick baking mat.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugar, salt, butter, vanilla extract and the egg. Then, in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and cocoa powder.
Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mix, alternating with the water and the buttermilk. TIP: If you can’t find buttermilk then you can easily substitute it by using a ½ tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough regular milk to make up ½ cup. Stir to combine, then let it stand for 5 minutes before using.
Once the batter is mixed, drop the batter in evenly sized rounds onto the cookie sheet. The batter will spread while baking, so ensure the batter is spaced on the sheet and bake in batches if necessary. TIP: I used a Cupcake Scoop to ensure my Whoopie Pies were evenly sized.
Bake the cakes in the oven for 7-8 minutes, then set them aside on a rack to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it becomes pale and fluffy. Then add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla extract and continue mixing until well combined. Why not try using my easy Home-Made Marshmallow Fluff Recipe instead of store-bought fluff?
Now the fun part – smash the cookies into small pieces. I used Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, but you can substitute these with any chocolate biscuit, such as Oreo’s or Bourbon Creams – just be sure to scrape out any cream filling before crushing! Fold the cookie pieces into the marshmallow filling with a spatula to finish your cookies and cream marshmallow filling.
Sandwich a big spoonful of filling between two chocolate Whoopie cakes and pop a gob into your gob – simply divine!
Cookies and Cream Whoopie Pies
Ingredients:
Chocolate Whoopie Cakes:
- 1 Cup Sugar
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 Cups All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- ½ Cup Cocoa Powder
- ½ Cup Warm Water
- ½ Cup Buttermilk
Cookies and Cream Marshmallow Filling:
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 2 Cups Sifted Confectioners’ (Icing) Sugar
- 7½ oz (212g) Marshmallow Fluff
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 10-15 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (or other Chocolate Cookie)
Instructions:
Arugula & Rocket 