Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, January 2003
Ingredients
For the cakes (makes 40 cakes, for 20 pies when assembled):
- •240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- •58 grams (⅔ cup) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- •6.2 ml (1¼ teaspoons) baking soda
- •2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) salt
- •5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla
- •1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- •213 grams (1 cup) packed brown sugar
- •1 large egg
- •237 ml (1 cup) well-shaken buttermilk, or 59 ml (¼ cup) plain yogurt with milk added to make 237 ml (1 cup)
For the filling (fills 25 pies; recipe may be doubled):
- •237 ml (1 cup) whole milk
- •75 ml (5 tablespoons) Wondra flour or sifted flour (I use Wondra to ensure lump-free results)
- •113 grams (½ cup) butter
- •113 grams (½ cup) shortening
- •1.2 ml (¼ teaspoon) salt
- •227 grams (1 cup) confectioners sugar
- •5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Preparation
For the cakes:
1. Preheat oven to 177°C (350°F). Line baking sheets or jelly roll pans with parchment paper.Place all cake ingredients except for milk into the bowl of a food processor with a steel blade. Process until the butter is well distributed and mixture is very thick; scrape down sides as needed. While running the machine, gradually add the milk through the chute in the lid until a smooth batter forms. Remove blade, scrape it and the sides of the container. Using a small cookie scoop, transfer portions of batter, which have been leveled off with a blade, to the lined baking sheets.
Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.
For the filling:
1. Measure milk into a saucepan. Stir in Wondra or sifted flour. Using a whisk, cook on medium heat until thick. Remove pan from heat and cool to room temperature.In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and shortening. Add salt, sifted confectioners sugar and vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. With mixer on slow speed, add the cooled flour mixture 15 ml (1 tablespoon) at a time. Beat on medium high for 3 – 4 minutes or until mixture has a fluffy-creamy texture.
To assemble Whoopie Pies:
Transfer some of the filling mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Turn half of the cakes bottom side up and pipe generous mounds (approximately 30 ml/2 tablespoons) of filling onto their centers.
Top with a plain cake, bottom side down, pressing gently to cause the filling to barely spread to the edge.