Whoopie Pies

First things first. I was/still am, HIGHLY disappointed in a realization that happened this weekend. As crazy as it may be, I have never made or even considered making a red velvet cake. So, as you can probably imagine my utter disgust when it came to making "red velvet" whoopie pies. For those who were in the dark like I was...the "red" in "red velvet" is actually just food coloring!!!! AGH! I can't believe that something so well known and supposedly loved...gets its name because of food coloring! What a crock! That being said, the whoopie pies that I made this weekend are no longer "red velvet," they are chocolate...I refused to put food coloring in it .....call me crazy....

I have wanted to make whoopie pies for a long time...they show up a lot on blogs and recipe sites. I would always put it on a "to make" list but I haven't gotten around to them until now.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling (originally red velvet)
source: Better Homes and Gardens

For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring (2 Tbsp.) *I omitted*

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2.In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined. Stir in food coloring.

3.Spoon batter in 1- or 2-inch diameter rounds, about 1/2-inch high on prepared baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between each round.

4.Bake 7 to 9 minutes for 1-inch cookies or 9 to 11 minutes for 2-inch cookies, or until tops are set. Cool completely on baking sheets on rack. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets and frost with favorite filling.

For the filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Be careful no to over beat the filling, or it will lose structure.
2.Pipe filling in between onto bottom of one whoopie pie and sandwich between another whoopie pie. Store whoopie pies in fridge until ready to serve, then allow whoopie pies to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

And for the ratings!

1. Taste - P gave it a B + which in my rating system would equate to an 8?!

2. Cuteness- Pretty cute...but not anything special. I would give it a 7

3. Packability- Seeing as the filling is perishable I would say this dessert belongs to the eat right away list. Why do I keep trying these?? I guess I'll give them a 4...the cookies held up to packaging!
4. Cost- Not to shabby (as if I would spend an exorbitant amount on ANYTHING!) I had everything on hand...the most "unusual" product is the buttermilk and if you don't have that, its easy to make with regular milk. I give this one a 8 on the scale in the cost department!

That's it for this week! Shouldn't my husband be a hand model???