Cookbookmaniac
Whoopie Pies – Chocolate and Vanilla Buttercream
Whoopie Pies – Chocolate and Vanilla Buttercream

I’ll admit it right now. I am not very good at taking orders from people, especially when it comes to food. My eyebrows furrow and my toes curl up when I hear a command. The kitchen is the one place that I want complete control and complete freedom to do what I please.

However, when Pizzaboy sent me an email with a picture of something he saw on the internet, my toes started to curl and I pursed my lips. ‘What is it that you want now?!’ I ask. The attachment was the most enticing picture of a whoopie pie.

“Hell yeah! I’ll make that!”
“Really?”
“Yeah!”
“Oh… cool!.”
The things we do for love.

I’ve never eaten these before. I am pleasantly surprised by it’s soft cake-like texture and it definitely sinks right into your mouth. My mind is going insane with all the potential flavour combinations ideas.

ps. they are a heck of a lot easier to make than their French counterparts *cough* macarons *cough*

whoopie pies recipe

Recipe is from Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell

Ingredients for the cake biscuit
1 2/3 cups plain flour
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

1/ Position the rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 170 degrees (375F). Line two baking sheets with silicone mat or cooking paper
2/ Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
3/ In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening and brown sugar on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy and smooth (about 3 minutes).
4/ Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat for another 2 minutes.
5/ Add half of the flour mixture and half od the milk to the batter and beat on low until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk. Beat until completely combined.
6/ Using a spoon, drop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
7/ Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes each, or until the pies spring back when pressed gently.
8/ Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

best whoopie pies

Ingredients for the vanilla buttercream
3 cups pure icing sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the icing sugar with the butter, starting on low and increasing to medium speed, until the mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute. Add the milk, vanilla and salt and beat on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

making Whoopie Pie

Assembling the Whoopie Pie
Scoop the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Flip the cake biscuit base over and pipe out a generous amount. Gently place another cake biscuit on top of the iced cake biscuit.

Whoopie Pie recipe

Tips from the cookbookmaniac
* These expand a lot in the oven. It is very important to keep a 2 inch distance between the each scoop of the batter
* Whoopie Pies should have a smooth humped top. My whoopie pies turned out cracked, but… I don’t mind them that way.
* I think I will have to double the quantities the next time I make these. Pizzaboy gobbled them up in an instant.

chocolate whoopie pies recipe

Pizzaboy tried to eat a Whoopie Pie in one mouthful. Needless to say this photo was his unsuccessful attempt.

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Comments
  1. Sophia

    That looks SO pretty and may I just say that it looks even better than Bakerella’s version πŸ™‚ So what is it exactly? A cake or cookie? (I may need to make it to find out, huh?)

    Ps. LOVE your blog πŸ™‚

  2. Helen (grabyourfork)

    Love the animated gifs. I thought I was seeing things at first! The decorations are effective too.

  3. Maria

    Hey love your animated images Amy! Well done with the whoopie pies! I can think of one flavour combo I might have to try too ;o)

  4. sara

    SO cute! Love these. πŸ™‚ The sprinkles really make them!

  5. chocolatesuze

    dude awesome pics! and hee the gifs have me mesmorised!

  6. catty

    Awesome work with Foodgawker and Tastespotting and you know why? because the whoopie pies are SO DAMN CUTE!!

  7. Michelle

    Your photos knocked my socks off! : ) Makes me want to run to the kitchen and make some whoopie pies. Great job!

  8. grace

    scrumptious! i love the moving picture and the use of sprinkles–these are completely perfect!

  9. angie

    Love the animated gifs! Aww these are adorable, might have to push it up the ‘to do’ list soon, you’ve inspired me!

  10. Jenny

    love Love LOVE that the sprinkles match the polka dots. How clever is that!?!

  11. Lauren Zabaneh

    these are more than adorable! they looks so yummy, you’ve got me craving them. love your pics, they are amazing. great job. so glad to have found you on tastespotting.com! cheers!

  12. Emily

    The pies look great and I love your fancy video/photos. I actually piped mine rather than scooped them out and the tops were a bit smoother, but I still think your pies look gorgeous.

    Yum!

  13. OohLookBel

    They’re adorable! And *love* the matching spotted background paper.

  14. Richard Elliot

    Delish!

    The animations are very cool.

  15. Angie’s Recipes

    Yummy!
    Beautiful pictures! Animated picture is cool.

  16. pigpigscorner

    So pretty with the colourful sprinkles! Whoopie pie is definitely on my to-make list!

  17. Anne’s Kitchen

    Wow, I love your pictures! Very nice!

  18. Conor @ HoldtheBeef

    you have truly given justice to the awesome name of these things πŸ˜€

  19. MaryMoh

    Wow…beautiful…looks delicious! Amy, I have been thinking about whoopie pies lately. The name sounds cute. I have wanted to try. Now looking at yours, I want to try even more πŸ˜€

  20. Minnie

    They look amazing! Will be breaking these babys out at our next BBq!

  21. Juliana

    The whoopie pies look beautiful, so fluffy and light, love the video of the whipped cream filling the pie πŸ™‚

  22. john@heneedsfood

    Such a cute name for these adorable pies!

  23. oneshotbeyond

    such a great job on these…kids would love them!

  24. Maria@TheGourmetChallenge

    oh wow!! I just love your animated photos…they are so cool!!

    I had one of these the other day, it was ginger flavour with vanilla buttercream. Such a revelation!

  25. mademoiselle dΓ©licieuse

    I’m trying to imagine whether they’re more cake-like or biscuit-like in texture. Classic flavours that definitely work though. And for the life of me, I can’t remember why they’re called whoopie pies!

  26. cityhippyfarmgirl

    Bicka! Bicka! Bicka! Little Monkey just caught sight of your whoopies, and I think he approves. I have never heard of them, but they look good… perhaps a little too good!

  27. audrey

    This is great, got to get my fifth aunt to bake this for my big day. She love baking cookie ,cake now whoopie pie :). Love the picture.

  28. hollypop

    i just ordered this book because of you <3

    adorbs. and love the gifs.

  29. Emma @CakeMistress

    Aww, they’re adorable! Love the confetti garnish.

  30. Ladybird

    Oh my! I’ve never tried whoopie pies before – I want! I want! I Want!

    Love the sequenced photos πŸ™‚

  31. panda

    i have my eye on this cookbook! your whoopie pies deserve a whoop whoop! very pretty!

  32. Laura

    So cute! I’m having a love affair with sprinkles lately…

  33. Liz

    I love this!! I love baking foods that catch the eye of kids! Those little sprinkles make all the difference. Great job!

  34. ToniTones

    Mmm, they look fab! You had me at ‘much easier than their French counterparts’ Lol.
    Love the pic with the coloured polka-dot paper πŸ™‚

  35. B

    These turned out GREAT. This was my first time making whoppie pies and I followed the recipe to the T for both the the whoppies and the buttercream. I didnt have parchment but pam spray worked great. They took about 14 minutes in my oven. Delecious, not too sweet cakes where a wonderful contrast to the sweet buttercream… Texture was spot on perfect. Will be making again during the holidays when family comes for a surprising fun dessert.

  36. Dai Hebert

    Whoopie Pies – Chocolate and Vanilla Buttercream | cookbookmaniac is definitely a very well put together blog. I dont think my web-site timetoshine.com.au has a lot in common with yours, though I can (and have) learnt quite a bit from you, cheers, Dai Hebert

  37. Lisa

    I don’t usually reply to posts, but I will in this case. Good job. I look forward to reading more