A whoopie pie is like an inside-out cupcake – cake on the outside and frosting in the middle. It looks like a sandwich cookie, but has a cake consistency. It’s the best of both worlds.
It’s easier to eat than a cupcake, because the frosting is tucked neatly between the layers.
The quintessential whoopie pie is chocolate cake with a white frosting, often made of marshmallow fluff. Purists scoff at other flavors, but this is a dessert that lends itself to numerous variations.
Pumpkin is especially good because pumpkin puree guarantees the cookies will be soft – crucial to whoopie texture. Plus it’s a seasonal flavor that makes the pies perfect for Halloween parties or post trick-or-treat get-togethers, for adult tastes as well as kids’.
Whoopie pies are easy to make. Sugar pumpkin puree is delicious when you go to the trouble to make it, but canned pumpkin is easy and more consistent. Don’t buy the canned pumpkin with added spices. It’s much better to have control over the amount of cinnamon and ginger you want.
After you pull the cakes from the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet. I put the baking sheet on a cool stovetop or large, thick bamboo trivets so air circulation gets around it.
You can bake the cakes a day before assembling the whoopie pies; store them unfilled at room temperature. Once the pies are assembled, refrigerate them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh a couple of days.
For a printable version of the recipe, click the link:
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