Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

I am, apparently, late in jumping on the Whoopie pie bandwagon.

According to the New York Times, they were "having their moment" in March of 2009 so in many ways this is kind of an E! True Hollywood Story: Where Are They Now? kind of deal. 




And come to think of it.  Why is there no E! True Hollywood Story for baking?  I mean, don't you all want to hear about whether or not the mincemeat pies of yesteryear have made it out of their drug-induced comas without any permanent brain damage?  Whether the macaroons, behind that refined and delicate exterior, are actually sex-addicted nymphomaniacs as some of us have suspected for years?  (Okay, maybe I'm the only one who thinks about these things.  Don't judge me.)



Well, better fashionably late than never is what I always say.




And with the tangy sweet hint of chocolatey goodness smothered in cream cheese frosting that anyone with a pulse can't help but find themselves addicted to.  We all know the party doesn't start until Miz Velvet arrives anyway.

She's the life, baby.  Live it up. 



REMEMBER TO EMAIL ME YOUR RECIPES FOR REGIONAL RECIPES: JAPAN!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Makes about 30 2-inch pies, adapted from Annie's Eats

4 cups AP flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 oz red food coloring
8 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375.  On a piece of parchment paper that is sized to your cookie sheets, trace evenly spaced circles (or whatever shape you want your whoopie pies to be).  I would do this for about four pieces of parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the brown sugar and butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs until incorporated, scraping down the sides as necessary.  Blend in the vanilla.

3. With the mixer on low speed, add in 1/3 of the flour mixture.  When just incorporated, add in half of the buttermilk, mixing until just incorporated.  Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk, until all of the flour has been added.  Do not overbeat.  Blend in the food coloring.

4. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a super large plain round tip.  I would venture to say that mine wasn't large enough, so it really is good to have one of those wide gaping holes of a tip.  Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper using the stencils as a guide.  Bake 7-9 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the tops are set.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes and then move to a cooling rack.  Repeat with the remaining  batter.

5. Once cookies have COMPLETELY COOLED,  make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and the butter together until thoroughly blended.  Add in the vanilla.  Gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar until totally incorporated, then up the speed and beat until smooth.

6. Transfer the frosting to a clean pastry big fitted with a large plain round tip.   Pair the cookies by shape and size.  Pipe the frosting onto the flat side of a cookie, leaving some space around the edges.  Sandwich the cookies together so that the flat sides are facing each other and press gently to allow the filling to spread.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This is my submission to Foodie Fridays hosted by Designs by Gollum.