Recipe: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Marshmallow Cream Filling...for a Virtual Baby Shower!!

Two of my favorite things in this world are pumpkins and babies.

It should come as no surprise then that I treat my winter squashes with the kind of care and affection that I intend to someday devote to my future children...minus the eating part.  Although, actually...I make no promises that I won't ever lightly nibble on a chubby cherubic baby leg when it comes into my possession, but really who could blame me.

Anyways, my point being that when I was trying to decide what to make to celebrate the fact that the super sweet Rachel of The Avid Appetite is having a baby girl (!!!!), going pumpkin was a no-brainer.

And sandwiching some maple-marshmallow cream filling in-between some soft pumpkin cookie layers was a given.



I first met Rachel when we went out to dinner at a vegan restaurant with our mutual friend Lauren and we all hit it off instantly. We had such a fun time bonding over the food at the vegan restaurant we went to, chatting about blogging and just life in general. It's always so great when total strangers can connect like that.  Anyways, I am SO excited for her and husband and wish them all the best in the world! I'm sure their baby girl will be just as sweet as her mommy is.

Stop by these other blogs to see what sorts of deliciousness they've made to celebrate!

Garlic Mini Monkey Bread from Yums and Loves
Candy Stuffed Peanut Butter Bars from the Lean Green Bean
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Marshmallow Filling from Eats Well with Others
Baby Shower Chocolate Clusters from Keep It Sweet Desserts




Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Marshmallow Cream Filling
Makes about 23 pies, adapted from Bon Appetit October 2009

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 7 oz marshmallow fluff
• 2 tsp maple extract
• 3 cups AP flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp cloves
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup almond milk or regular milk

Instructions

1. For the filling, using an electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and 1 cup butter in a large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add marshmallow creme and maple extract.  Beat until blended and smooth.  Can be made 2 hours ahead.  Let stand at room temperature.
2. For the cake, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves into a large bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars in another large bowl until blended.  Gradually beat in oil.  Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions.  Beat in pumpkin.  Add dry ingredients in 2 additions, with milk added in-between, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl.  Cover and chill batter for 1 hour.
3. Arrange 1 rack in bottom third of the oven and 1 rack in top third of the oven.  Preheat to 350.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.  Spray lightly with nonstick spray.  Spoon (or pipe) batter onto baking sheets (about 12 per sheet), spacing apart.  Let stand 10 minutes.
4. Bake cakes until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking.  Cool cakes completely on baking sheets on rack.  Using metal spatula, remove cakes from parchment.
5. Line cooled baking sheets with clean parchment.  Spray with nonstick spray and repeat baking with remaining batter.
6. Spoon about 2 tbsp filling on flat side of 1 cake.  Top with another cake, flat side down.  Repeat with remaining cakes and filling.