Cupid’s Whoopie Pies
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Cupid’s Whoopie Pies
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Yield/Serves:
Makes 12 to 14 pies
- For the pies:
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 teaspoons red gel food coloring, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- For the filling:
- 16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for decorating, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Decorate these delicious red velvet whoopie pies with confectioners’ sugar and stencils, or by piping decorations with leftover filling. Print out the heart template on the last page. If using parchment paper, trace hearts with pencil or marker, then place the ink-side down on the rimmed baking sheet. If using silicone baking mats, print out multiple templates and place them below the mat on the rimmed baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 375°F and line 3 rimmed baking sheets with traced parchment paper or silicone baking mats with templates set below.
To prepare batter: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; sift into the bowl, set aside.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add butter and sugar. Cream the mixture by beating on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add one egg at a time, mixing well in between and scraping sides of bowl as needed.
To a liquid measuring cup add buttermilk, vanilla, and food coloring, mix with a fork. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the creamed butter, beating on low after each addition until just combined.
To a small bowl add the baking soda and vinegar, mix with a fork. Add vinegar mixture to the batter and beat until just combined.
Transfer batter into one large, or two medium-size pastry bags fitted with a large, open-round piping tip. Pipe batter into heart shapes using the templates as a guide (best to pipe batter into a thick “v” shape, then use an offset spatula to round out edges).
To bake: Transfer baking sheets to the preheated oven and bake until cakes are puffed and the tops spring back slightly when touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely.
To prepare frosting: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add cream cheese, butter, and vanilla; whisk on medium until combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar and salt, whip until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes on high speed.
To assemble whoopie pies: Match the cakes in pairs of two similar size and shaped cakes, flip one of each match so that the flat side is facing up.
To the flat side place about 2 tablespoons of frosting and using an offset spatula spread into an even layer. Repeat with the remaining flat-side up cakes. Transfer remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with a medium-small open round tip. Pipe and decorate the dome-side up cakes as desired.
Place the decorated cake on top of its matched frosted bottom and press gently to adhere the sides together. Serve immediately, or place in an airtight food storage container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Decorating ideas:
Pipe sweet words such as; Sweet, Sweetheart, and Love onto top cake.
Pipe people’s names on to top cake.
Pipe hearts, dots, or flowers onto top cake.
Dust a plain top with confectioners’ sugar.
To prepare batter: Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; sift into the bowl, set aside.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment add butter and sugar. Cream the mixture by beating on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add one egg at a time, mixing well in between and scraping sides of bowl as needed.
To a liquid measuring cup add buttermilk, vanilla, and food coloring, mix with a fork. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the creamed butter, beating on low after each addition until just combined.
To a small bowl add the baking soda and vinegar, mix with a fork. Add vinegar mixture to the batter and beat until just combined.
Transfer batter into one large, or two medium-size pastry bags fitted with a large, open-round piping tip. Pipe batter into heart shapes using the templates as a guide (best to pipe batter into a thick “v” shape, then use an offset spatula to round out edges).
To bake: Transfer baking sheets to the preheated oven and bake until cakes are puffed and the tops spring back slightly when touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely.
To prepare frosting: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add cream cheese, butter, and vanilla; whisk on medium until combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar and salt, whip until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes on high speed.
To assemble whoopie pies: Match the cakes in pairs of two similar size and shaped cakes, flip one of each match so that the flat side is facing up.
To the flat side place about 2 tablespoons of frosting and using an offset spatula spread into an even layer. Repeat with the remaining flat-side up cakes. Transfer remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with a medium-small open round tip. Pipe and decorate the dome-side up cakes as desired.
Place the decorated cake on top of its matched frosted bottom and press gently to adhere the sides together. Serve immediately, or place in an airtight food storage container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Decorating ideas:
Pipe sweet words such as; Sweet, Sweetheart, and Love onto top cake.
Pipe people’s names on to top cake.
Pipe hearts, dots, or flowers onto top cake.
Dust a plain top with confectioners’ sugar.