Someday I’m going to live in a warm climate. Someday.
But for now, I just have to do things to keep myself from getting all maudlin. Enter these whoopie pies!
Once a year, I bake a few carrot cake recipes in honor of my sister-in-law. Her birthday is next week, and she loves carrot cake. A lot. So in the next few days I’ll grab a grater and make a homemade carrot cake. That’s how grateful I am that somebody loves my brother! I kid, I kid. He’s very lovable.
For these, I used a mix. Duncan Hines (a.k.a. “Uncle Duncan” in my family) makes a “decadent” series of cake mixes with cool stuff added in, so this is from their carrot cake mix. It has a little raisin and carrot pouch in it that goes in the cake. Cute!
So I modified the instructions on the box, added frosting, and whoopie! Pies, that is.
They were super soft and something to celebrate. And I didn’t even have to convince my son that they were good since there was no chocolate involved. He thought it was pumpkin, though. His palate needs just a bit of work.
So happy almost birthday week to my sister-in-law! Everyone needs a favorite cake flavor (peanut butter brownie, anyone?). Hope you get yours on your birthday!
Whoopie Pies:
Filling
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the whoopie pie ingredients until a smooth batter forms. Spoon the batter onto the prepared cookie sheets in 1 and 1/2-inch circles, spacing the circles 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes.
While the whoopie pie cakes are cooling, make the frosting. Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating after each addition. When the powdered sugar is fully incorporated, add the vanilla and beat again. Finally, add the cream cheese, mixing one last time.
When the cakes are completely cool, either spread the frosting generously between two cakes or pipe it on. You can cut a hole in the corner of a Ziploc bag if you don’t have a pastry bag or piping tip.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
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