Vanilla Whoopie Pie

By francesn

Makes about 30 4-inch cakes.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for a more intense, luxurious flavor, use the seeds scraped from a vanilla bean instead)
• Whoopie pie filling
• 6 heaping spoonfuls of marshmallow fluff
• 2 to 4 tablespoons vanilla
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/wicked-whoopie-pie#ixzz2KpxryreF

Preparation

Step 1

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of wax paper.

In work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening, and both sugars until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the buttermilk and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup, combine the milk, baking soda, and vinegar. Add milk mixture to the batter along with the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Add the vanilla and beat on medium for about 2 minutes until completely combined.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

To marble batters: Pour half of vanilla batter into large, shallow bowl. Add half of chocolate batter. Draw rubber spatula or large wooden spoon gently through two batters, swirling them together to create marbling. (Do not mix them.) Repeat with remaining batter.

Using an ice cream scoop or a 2-tablespoon measuring spoon, drop the swirled batter one scoop at a time onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time for about 15 minutes each, or until the cakes spring back when pressed gently. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Makes about 30 4-inch cakes.

For Whoopie pie filling
Whip all ingredients together for at least 10 minutes until fluffy. When whoopie pie shells are cooled, take a heaping spoonful of filling and place in the middle (between 2 shells like a sandwich). You may wrap the whoopie pies in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Wicked good!

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/wicked-whoopie-pie#ixzz2KpxFyjIN