Chocolate And Mint Whoopie Pie

Chocolate-Mint-Whoopie-Pie-Treats-and-Eats

I don’t know what to do with myself this week. The weather keeps bouncing around between the low 30’s and the mid 50’s and I’m feeling annoyed. Be (almost) winter or be nothing! That’s what I would yell at the weather if I could. But clearly I can’t, and I probably should have accepted the wildly fluctuating New England weather by now. But at least I have these beauties to make me feel better.

It’s not too early for holiday desserts, right? Because this chocolate and mint whoopie pie is sort of out of this world good. And I don’t even like whoopie pies that much. Correction, I thought I didn’t like whoopie pies. But now I realize that’s because I had only had the prepackaged mass produced variety where the cake tasted oddly chewy and spongey. But let me tell you, the mass produced whoope pie is NOTHING like one that is freshly made. Especially if you use good quality cocoa powder. So if you like those, you’ll love this! And even if you dislike those, you’ll love these. Chocolate cake? Good. Whipped vanilla cream cheese filling? Good. Mint candy canes? Good. Easy to pull together with ingredients you likely have on hand? Good. So if you put that all together, good + good + good + good = super delicious and perfect for the holidays. It’s basic math people, just go with it.

Chocolate and mint whoopie pie

Makes: 16-18 whoopie pies Chocolate-Mint-Whoopie-Pie-Treats-and-Eats

Ingredients

CAKES 

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp cream of tartar
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk

FILLING

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1½ Tbsp vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of cinnamon
Crushed candy canes

Directions

Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

To make the cake

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar to a medium bowl. Whisk until the ingredients are well combined.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or standing mixer. Add in the vanilla and eggs and beat well. Turn the mixer to low, and slowly beat in the dry ingredients alternating with the milk, until well mixed.

Use an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) to scoop batter onto each baking sheet. Keep the cakes about 2 inches apart. Place the baking sheets in the oven (upper and lower thirds) and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until risen and full cooked. Be sure to switch the pans halfway through to ensure even baking. Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with the rest of the batter.

To make the filling

Add the cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat until well blended and fluffy.

To assemble

Add about 3 tablespoons of the filling to half of the cake rounds, spreading the filling to the edges of the cake. Cover each filled half with the remaining half. Roll the edges in the crushed candy canes.

Notes

Adapted from Food & Wine

These are best on the day they are made. The tops will get sticky on day two, but they will still be delicious.