Guest Post from Cupcakes and Crinoline: Chocolate Whoopie Pies!

Hello fans of Sweet Song Bird! I'm Mary Beth from Cupcakes and Crinoline and I am so happy to be guest posting here today and to share my recipe for chocolate whoopie pies with marshmallow filling.

I found this recipe a few years ago in an issue of Cook's Illustrated American Classics and had to try it and I was so glad that I did. These are moist, filled with flavor and fun to eat.

Whoopie Pies {isn't that a fun name for a food!}

Cakes:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 cup packed light brown sugar

8 tablespoons {1 stick} unsalted butter, softened but still cool

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk {I used the dry alternative-Saco Cultured Buttermilk Blend}

Filling

12 tablespoons {1 1/2 sticks} unsalted butter, softened but still cool

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 1/2 cups marshmallow creme

1. FOR THE CAKES: Adjust oven racks to upper-and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

2. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in one-third of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk. Repeat with half of the remaining flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir.

3. Using 1/3-cup measure, scoop 6 mounds of batter onto each baking sheet, spacing mounds about 3 inches apart. Bake until cakes spring back when pressed, 15 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool completely on baking sheets, at least 1 hour.

4. FOR THE FILLING: With stand mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and salt. Beat in marshmallow creme until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate filling until slightly firm, about 30 minutes. {Bowl can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days.}

5. Dollop 1/3 cup filling on center of flat side of 6 cakes. Top with flat side of remaining 6 cakes and gently press until filling spreads to edge of cake. I rolled mine in some autumn colored jimmies but you leave yours plain. {Whoopie pies can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days.}

Serves 6

Thanks to Evey and Erika for letting me be their guest today!

hugs, mb