Whoopie Pies: A Family Activity

 Chocolate and Lemon Whoopie Pies

 The more times we make whoopie pies for customers, or for our local farmers' markets, or for large family gatherings the more ideas we get for trying new flavor ideas.  It seems as though we sell more of the traditional kind (chocolate cake with vanilla filling) however many people come up to us looking for new flavors to try;  Vanilla cake with vanilla filling and a teaspoon of our homemade strawberry jam, chocolate cake with coconut filling and rolled in toasted coconut, chocolate cake with peanut butter filling, vanilla cake with a maple filling, pumpkin cake with a spice filling and the list goes on.

 My children age 13, 11 and 7 are always a part of the cooking and idea giving process.  When the whoopie pie idea session begins they come out with some very interesting combinations like peanut butter cake and strawberry jam filling, strawberry cake and cream cheese filling,  red velvet cake with lemon filling, chocolate cake with lavender filling etc.  I think they try to out do each other with the most interesting combination.  As we begin to experiment,  my children are always there to taste test, add their comments on how to make it better or just to give their final O.K.

Try our recipe for our traditional  whoopie pies and enjoy baking with your family.

Chocolate Whoopie Pie Recipe
2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar in a standing mixer.  Add egg and vanilla. Sift all dry ingredients into medium sized bowl.  Alternate dry ingredients with milk until all is mixed well.  Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon full onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 14 minutes. Remove from baking sheet until completely cooled.
Vanilla Filling
Put equal parts Fluff, crisco, and powdered sugar in standing mixer with a whisk attachment.  Mix until well blended add a teaspoon of vanilla.  Fill whoopie pies.