Vanilla Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Ganache

I’m just going to assume you and I regard chocolate in the same way.

You know, that it’s standing on the same threshold as never-ending happiness and two steps above all tangible worldly entities?

Good. It’s nice to know we’re on the same page.

 

It should come as no surprise to you, then, that I spent the majority of Thursday pondering the whoopie pie in just the same serious manner as I might think about other critical issues like…the crisis in the Middle East… world peace… the divorce rate of celebrity couples… and mostly, things made of, containing, or pertaining to chocolate and vanilla.

Could I do vanilla cakes outside, dark chocolate inside? Would they taste as rich and lovely as the traditional black and white sandwich? Would I be able to pull it off? Is Ryan Reynolds ready for a new relationship?

Well, the answers are: Yes, yes, yes, and fingers crossed.

These white whoopies are wonderful. The cakes are moist, tender, and vanilla-scented, with beautifully intense dark chocolate cream filling. They remind me of a softer, fluffier Milano cookie. They’re much less sweet than old-fashioned whoopie pies, and I love that they taste more grown up, more sophisticated.

 

 

Here’s how I made them:

 

Cream one softened stick of butter and one cup of sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Add two eggs and half a cup of buttermilk and beat for about one minute, until well incorporated. In a separate small bowl, whisk two tablespoons of regular cow’s milk (not buttermilk) with one teaspoon baking soda and one teaspoon of vinegar. Stir this into the batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Add two teaspoons of vanilla extract and stir to ensure that no lumps remain in the batter.

Spoon heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. The whoopie pies will spring back when you press on them lightly with a finger.

Make chocolate ganache (recipe below), let it cool completely until thick and spreadable, and spoon a tablespoon of it on the underside of one cake. Top with another cake and press lightly so that the filling reaches the edges.

Vanilla Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Ganache

(Recipe adapted from Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell)

makes about 2 dozen assembled whoopie pies

For the Cakes:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

½ cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Ganache:

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped finely

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter (I used salted)

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and buttermilk and beat until combined.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the milk, baking soda, and vinegar. Stir this mixture into the butter-sugar-egg batter.
  6. Add the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until just incorporated.
  7. Stir in vanilla extract and give the batter one final stir to make sure no lumps remain.
  8. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between each.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The whoopie pies should spring back when you press them gently. Let the cakes cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Make chocolate ganache: Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl. Microwave the heavy cream in a glass measuring cup for about 45 seconds to a minute, or until it begins to bubble. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stir once, and then let the mixture sit for five minutes so that the chocolate can melt. Stir until smooth and then let the mixture cool completely to thicken. You can also refrigerate it briefly to thicken it faster.
  11. Spread a tablespoon of ganache onto the underside of one pie and top with another, pressing gently to push the filling to the edges.
Share:

Subscribe!

12 thoughts on “Vanilla Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Ganache

  1. Pingback: Vanilla Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Ganache « Topicco – Find, Read, Share

  2. Pingback: Mint Chocolate Whoopie Pies « Ari's Menu

  3. Pingback: Banana Puddin’ Whoopie Pies « Whoops(ie)! This blog needs a new name!

  4. Pingback: Mint Chocolate Whoopie Pies | Ari's Menu

  5. Latia

    Or you could be anonymously feeding the local football club, they giving seconds
    of thanks before diving in. People who keep kosher will have special needs that must be catered to.
    Some of the most important features offered
    at the restaurant include catering, takeout and delivery.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Rachel K Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.