Peanut Butter and Chocolate Whoopie Pies

A whole wheat whoopie pie? Yes, teamed with peanut butter and chocolate. Who can go wrong with a mixture like that?   

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 whole wheat flour, white wheat or all-purpose
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Filling:

• 1/3 cup dutch-processed cocoa, sifted
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar, sifted

Instructions:

• Oven Temperature: 375 degrees F
• Cooking Time: 12 -14 minutes
• Makes: 18 small Whoopie Pies (36 individual), or 8 large Whoopie Pies (16 individual)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease.

Cakes:
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape the bowl after each addition. 

Add one third of the dry ingredients and mix until moistened. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed. Add the remaining flour and buttermilk. Scrape the bowl again as the peanut butter tends to stick to the bottom.

Scoop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 2 tablespoons measurements, or, with a #30 cookie scoop (scant 1/4 cupful) for large pies. Scoop by tablespoon for small pies. Leave about 2" between cakes.

Bake for 9-11 minutes for smaller pies, 12-14 minutes for larger pies, until they spring back when lightly touched, or a cake tester inserted in the middle of the pies comes out clean. Remove the whoopies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before filling.

Filling:
Place the cocoa, chips and salt in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla, and set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and shortening with half of the powdered sugar until it's fluffy.

The mixture will go through a crumbly stage, where it doesn't seem it will come together. That's OK, just keep beating.

Once the mixture becomes smooth, add half of the cooled chocolate mixture, and beat until it's well blended. Be sure to scrape the bowl as the chocolate tends to stick to the bottom.

Add the remaining chocolate and powdered sugar and beat until you have a fluffy, spreadable mixture. Add another tablespoon or two of cream if necessary, to adjust the consistency of the filling.

Spread the flat sides of half the cakes with a thick layer of filling (about 2 tablespoons for the large pies). Top with the remaining cakes, flat side down.