I Hate(d) Birthday Cake and My Version of the Whoopie Pie

Over the last few years, especially in America, cakes and cupcakes, have gone through some revolutionary times. Go to a birthday party today and the host has made an amazing cake or gotten one from a bakery that always seems like the best cake ever. Times have changed because there once was a time when I hated Birthday Cake. I dreaded the cake portion of any birthday party, especially because the frosting made me sick to my stomach, and I immediately wanted to call my mom to come pick me up. Thinking back I think it was because when I was growing up cakes were most likely bought from the local Safeway's and produced en mass with ingredients more suited for making plastics or cleaning solutions. I always requested cheesecakes and ice cream cakes for my birthday to avoid consumption of frosting.

Along those same lines I have never eaten anything made by Hostess. That means my lips have never touched a Twinkie, Ding Dong, Ho Ho, Sno Ball, or CupCake - you know the chocolate one filled with "cream" and with the squiggly white line across the top. Never did those appeal to me and now I won't ever eat one for fear that some of the ingredients might pickle my insides. 

The last thing I couldn't stomach as a kid - and still can't - is Marshmallow Fluff. My dad and sister used to eat the stuff spoonful by spoonful. My sister loved that the fluff would sort of fluff back up and hide the evidence of an extra spoonful eaten. It was also a key ingredient for the Whoopie Pie...a popular New England treat of marshmallow cream sandwiched in between two pieces of chocolate cake wafers.

My aversion to some of America's favorite treats doesn't mean I don't love the concept of frosting on a cake or a cream-filled chocolate treat. When done right, with real ingredients, its enough to make me feel like I've just taken a hit of the best drug ever.

So here's my version of the Whoopie Pie. Fresh whipped cream (not Marshmallow Fluff!) sandwiched between two chocolate cake wafers. 

WHOOPIE PIE

• 2 c all-purpose flour 
• 2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 6 oz butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 c sugar 
• 1 c creme fraiche  
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 Tbs brewed espresso, strong  
• 2 cups cream, for whipping 

Makes about 48 wafers when using a small ice cream scoop, or 24 pies. 

METHOD

Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Cream butter with sugar for one minute. Mix in vanilla and espresso. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the creme fraiche into the butter + sugar mixture with a wooden spoon - the mixture will be thick and sticky. Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop the batter onto sheet pans. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 F/ 180 C, or until the little chocolate cake wafers are just barely cooked through. Do not overbake - they must be soft and with no crispy edges. If they are little too puffy when out of the oven, press gently to flatten. Do this when they are hot but be careful not to burn yourself. Set out to cool completely.

Once cooled, whip fresh cream. I used fresh Jersey double cream and I usually don't sweeten my cream. If you need a little sweetness add a bit of superfine or powdered sugar when whipping. Dollop a large heap of whipped cream on the flat side of one chocolate wafer and sandwich with another. Clean up the sides if necessary. 

Eat immediately. Or, these are great frozen as an ice cream sandwich. Just wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze for single sized portions.

A perfect summer treat. With real ingredients.

I saw these gorgeous Kent strawberries at the market today so I served them alongside.

 

Comments

[Deelish Dish]

These look AMAZING! I love whoopie pies and have to agree that the center filling is just way to sweet and hard to stomach. Love your version!

[ann]

I too prefer cakes without frosting :) I love your pie recipe looks totally pleasing.

[lisaiscooking]

I'm with you regarding Twinkies and Ding Dongs, etc. I never liked that packaged stuff! Your whoopie pies look delicious and must have been great with strawberries.

[Natasha - 5 Star Foodie]

Those look just scrumptious! I love the espresso here and so perfect with strawberries!

[The Duo Dishes]

Those strawberries are to die for. They're huge and bright red. Great pair with chocolate and whipped cream.

[lo]

OH, YUM.
I can't think of a better combo than chocolate, whipped cream, and strawberries. And NONE of these things will pickle your insides! Double Yum!

[elra]

That sounds delicious, I never had this Pie before.

[OysterCulture]

I hear you about the cakes, the frosting is way to much, and I usually end up with that part shoved to the side. Its kind of a family thing, my Mom makes frosting by beating cream, adding a bit of sugar and any flavoring that compliments the cake, and I think that is my preferred way. I'm not much of a cake maker, so when I make cakes, that's pretty much my approach as well.

Driving down 101 yesterday, I saw the Its-It factory and your picture reminded me of them. Your post and your updated version of the Whoopie Pies seem to me like we've come full circle - now the unhealthy has become a whole heck of a lot more palatable. What we might have kind of sort of liked before because it touched our taste buds in a certain way, we now, without reservation, can indulge in because its nothing but good ingredients (albeit in moderation) except for those yummy looking strawberries. Are you going to tackle Twinkies and to me, the ominous Sno Balls next? =)

Yummy!

[lisa (dandysugar)]

I LOVE your version of the whoopie pie with fresh whipped cream. Sooo much better than the original pies. Perfect with the strawberries too.

As a kid I never ate the frosting on birthday cakes either. One of my past jobs was decorating crazy cakes with buttercreams, fondant etc. Those cakes are beautiful but just don't tempt me in that way.

But your whoopie pies, I want to bite into one as I write this! The strawberries are indeed gorgeous. Great pics.

[gastroanthropologist]

Oyster - Oh, I must admit I did eat my fair share of It's-Its. They had them at our school cafeteria in high school and I always had just enough change for the mint chocolate chip. That's a very SF treat!

Twinkies...up for recreating that, but Sno Balls...I'm really scared of those!

[Tangled Noodle]

I'm quite the opposite - I'm all about the birthday cake, especially the frosting. I'm that person who likes the corner piece for maximum icing consumption! 8-D

But I have scaled back quite a bit; although I still consider myself a sweet tooth, I now find a lot of my old favorites are really cloying. And I totally draw the line at Twinkies et al.

I can't say I've ever had a Whoopie Pie before - Marshmallow Fluff was never appealing. But if I'd come across your version, I wouldn't hesitate!

[Ann]

Please accept the Award, that I love to Pass it to you!

[Sara]

These look so delicious! I love whoopie pies, but have never made them at home before. I must try soon.

[gratinee]

These look great! I'm going to try them with ice cream. I've been craving ice cream sandwiches lately.

[Sam]

I've never tried whoopie pie before but they look delicious!

[Daily Spud]

I've never, that I can think of, had a whoopie pie or any of the other US treats you mention. In fact, I had to look up sno balls on wikipedia and, having seen them, I'm pretty sure I would be steering clear!

Having said that, we have equivalents here and I still occasionally indulge in some super-sweet artificial mallow and chocolate type treat, but it's rare enough. Fresh cream, homemade chocolate biscuits and strawberries are definitely more my speed these days!

[Jamie]

Wow and wow! When I was in NY in March I stole my brother's New York Times cooking section with the recipe for homemade Whoopie pies. I haven't made them yet, but every now and then I pull out the paper and stare longingly at the picture. Your whoopie pies are gorgeous and now I really really want some!

My brother ate marshmallow fluff and it grossed me out (as I would've said back then). Store bought cake and chemical frosting was yucky, but then again, I ate almost anything, Ding Dongs included (though NOT Twinkies!). Thanks for this recipe!

[jonquil]

i am with you on marshmallow fluff-disgusting invention, right alongside velveeta 'cheese'. found your blog via a readers' comment on coco&me.

[maria]

I love whoopie pies! I only ventured to make them once, but they were so good. I'm with you on most birthday cakes ... especially those of the past.