With trends I often find that I can easily be out of the loop, until I realize said trend is everywhere I turn and ready to smack me in the face. This late blossom often does not stop me from wanting to try out the “it” thing of the moment. Whoopie pies have had their run on the blog scene (even Sweet Athena Linz was in on this back in December), yet I couldn’t resist trying out these morsels for myself.
Let me just start by saying that they really are like any good trend, extravagantly rich and over the top, yet oh so much fun.
I decided to try out a recipe for Banana Whoopie Pies with Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting from the blog Une-deux Senses. I thought this was perfect since part of the blog’s main focus is food and fashion.
Yields: about 20 mini whoopie pies
Original recipe here.
For the banana cakes:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup mashed banans (1 large extra-ripe banana)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed lightly
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
For the nutella cream cheese frosting:
1/2 stick butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, cut into cubes
1/2 cup nutella
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside. In another small bowl, stir to combine the mashed bananas and sour cream, set aside. Beat the butter and sugars on medium high for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the banana mixture and flour to the butter mixture in two separate additions, alternating between wet and dry. Using a scoop or a piping bag fitted with a large tip, form small mounds on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 – 1 1/2 inches between each. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes and let cool before filling.
To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium high for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the nutella and vanilla until completely incorporated. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until desired consistency, until stiff peaks are reached. Using a piping bag or spoon, spread a small amount of frosting onto the bottom half of the cakes, and top with another cookie. Roll in sprinkles, if desired. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Making the pies was really simple. If I were to do it again I would double the cake batter part, but not the frosting. I had way too much frosting left over. It also didn’t make as many pies as expected, so for a party I would want to have more.
I will confess that I did not stay true to the recipe. You know when you are baking along and think you have all the ingredients and then you realize, ‘zoot!’ I am almost out of an important ingredient! Well, this is where you might hurry to the store and buy said ingredient. Not me, on the afternoon I made these whoopie pies, I decided it did not matter if I was 1/2 cup low on flour, I would just add pancake mix and a pinch less of baking powder, baking soda and salt. It actaully worked too!
I would also like to note that there is either one big downside or upside (depending on your life philosophy) to baking this recipe. Plenty of leftover nuttella. I found myself in my kitchen more than once eating one of my favorite guilty snacks, a spoonful of nutella and a spoonful of peanut butter. Seriously, so good.
If you are looking try out other whoopie pie recipes, check out Craftzine and their review of the book, ‘Whoopie Pies‘.
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