super bowl sweets

On February 2, most of America will be firmly ensconced in cushy couches, eating chips, wings, pizza and other gut enhancing foods. I am so there, gut notwithstanding. Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest food-consumption day in the good 'ole USA, behind only, you guessed it, Thanksgiving. For shame, I've never dwelt too hard about the dessert portion of it, as the wings/pizza/chips combo loom larger than usual and take precedence. I usually make a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

halloween whoopie pies

"WHOOPIE!" Don't you just want to holler it when you see that word?

The Amish have a thing for the whoopie pie, as do New Englanders. Maine legend states that a baker had extra cake batter, poured it into molds, slapped some frosting in between, and there was born the whoopie pie.  I like the Amish version of the beginnings, where the Amish women placed these cake treats into school children's lunch pails. Upon opening up their meal, the kids would yell, "Whoopie!"

You should bake up a batch (or maybe pumpkin ones!) and see if kids will exclaim the same.

red velvet whoopie pie

These cute cookie-cakes have been on my mind ever since early November, when The Wyckoff Friend sent me a link to a Better Homes and Gardens recipe.  I was intrigued, but didn't get around to making one until this past week, when I was inspired by BAKED's recipe.

(I need to digress a bit and sing the praises of BAKED's sophomore cookbook, BAKED EXPLORATIONS. It is beautifully art directed; the whole feel of the book—photos, layout, typefaces are arresting, appealing, and gorgeous.  I loved looking through it. Try to check out the book if you're ever at the library or bookstore.)

The Red Velvet Whoopie Pie seems appropriately, festively hued for Christmas. I didn't make the BHG peppermint cream cheese (I've had bad experiences with peppermint extract), but if you'd like a bit of peppermint, I suggest rolling the edges in and sprinkling on top some crushed peppermint candy.

pumpkin love ~ pumpkin whoopie pies

I was delighted to be invited, by Carmen of Baking is My Zen, to participate in a Pumpkin Love Blogfest. We chose favorite pumpkin recipes and are sharing them with each other and our readers.

For my Pumpkin Love post, I couldn't resist making BAKED's Pumpkin Whoopie Pie. Not quite a cookie, not a quite a cake, they are moist, flavorful, spicy, soft and unbelievably delicious.  The cream cheese filling adds a lovely tangy counterpoint.  To add a little texture, I topped it with some smashed almond brittle.