Different fillings can be used to create different whoopie pies in terms of appearance, texture, and flavor. Garnishes can be used in the frosting as well. Alternatively, before baking, the cake may have decorations added, either on top of or folded into the cake batter (sprinkles, fresh fruit, nuts, and spices!). In order to create a multicolored or marbled cake (vanilla/chocolate swirl! Neopolitan! ), you can use various colors or flavors of cake batter (scooped alternately or swirled together). With whoopie pies, garnishing is applicable earlier in the process than usual, so I’m going to mention it now instead of at the end of the article. Alternatively, you can combine different fillings to create a variety of looks and textures (more on that later). Whoopie pies can be filled with anything you like, including ganache, jam, fruit curd, custard, and caramel, to name just a few delicious options. That doesn’t mean, however, that it can’t be played with. This texture complements the aforementioned cake, which I adore, incredibly well.
Traditionally, the filling was a highly aerated frosting or, very frequently, marshmallow. , sticky and overly tender) to handle filling and sandwiching. A batter that is overly liquid won’t hold its shape and will be too wet (i e. Additionally, the batter itself must be firm enough to scoop with ease. A higher amount of chemical leavener will increase the initial oven spring (the amount a cake will rise before it is set).
Many traditional cake batters will require additional chemical leavener to accomplish this However, because the cakes are baked without a pan, they don’t continue to rise up (because there is nothing to support the sides), and instead set to be chewy on the outside and soft and airy in the center. Even when I experiment with flavors and base recipes, I like to keep my whoopie pies looking the same. Despite this, they have a lovely mounded appearance in the center. Even when stacked two high, traditional whoopie pies are flat enough to be easily bitable. According to this definition, you could actually make a whoopie pie using almost any cake recipe you like, just as traditional recipes are frequently transformed into cupcakes.īe aware that your recipe might require minor modifications in order to achieve perfect whoopie status. They date back to the early 1920s, when different varieties were offered for sale in packs as some of the first “snack cakes.” “.Ĭontrary to their name, whoopie pies are actually small cakes with frosting in the middle. A creamy filling, typically vanilla, is sandwiched between two disks of spongy (but moist) chocolate cake in the traditional recipe. It’s unclear exactly where it came from because several New England states want to claim they are its birthplace. Whoopie pies are a tradition in America both the concept and the recipe came from here. And also just because, you know, WHOOPIE!. I use this time of year as an excuse to make whoopie pies for those who are in school, even though I haven’t been in school in a while. And even though I like them all year round, I can’t help but think of back-to-school season when they come together: crunchy leaves, recently sharpened pencils, and BFF lunchbox swaps. I appreciate how easy it is to make and how many different ways there are to accessorize it. It is the ideal dessert that is handheld, convenient, and enjoyable to eat. I adore the joy the name evokes (and I firmly believe it should always be followed by an exclamation point because it just feels right).