Whoop Whoop! Whoopie Pies

When we woke up this morning I asked Little Ugh if he wanted to bake today.
His immediate answer was "uhhhhh ya?"
When I asked what he wanted to make he wasn't married to anything except for peanut butter.  Probably because during the school year he cant have it in fear of killing someone who may or may not have an allergy.

Now, I am not sure about all 13 year olds but mine loves to bake, he just needs to be coaxed from his dreaded appendage - the xbox.
Don't tell him but I secretly want him to go to France and become a pastry chef and then come home and make me delectable treats and teach me things I know nothing of. 
A mother can dream cant she?

Ok, peanut better.
I immediately went to Martha Stewart's site because I knew there would be something kid friendly there.
I went through a bunch of recipes with him and we settled on the WHOOPIE PIE.
We have never had one.
Next to the cupcake its all the new craze aren't they?

We had a minor hiccup however in the baking and ended up with only 6 rather than 12.
Martha suggests placing the trays on alternating racks, top and bottom and then part way through rotating them.
Well, I only have one rack.
So my thought process was to bake them for the 10 minutes as directed on the top rack and then move the entire rack to the bottom for the additional 3-4 minutes.
FAIL.
Burnt.
Next batch worked out MUCH better.

I'm not listening to Martha anymore.
In fact, I lowered her suggested temperature from 375F to 350F and baked them for 12 minutes or so.
I also left them on the second to the top position the whole time.
SUCCESS!

Definitely will make these again!

I'm Listening to:Octopus's Garden - Beatles because its Ringo Starr's birthday!!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
makes 12

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1/4 c. vegetable shortening

1/2 c. vanilla sugar

1/2 c. packed dark-brown sugar

1 large egg

1 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

PB Buttercream

Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a bowl sift together the dry ingredients and set aside

In your stand mixer with your paddle attachment cream together butter, shortening and sugars on high for 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the sides and add the egg.

Mix again for about 2 minutes until pale.
Add half of the flour mixture as well as the milk and vanilla and mix until combined.
Scrape sides and add the final dry ingredients

Mix until just combined.
Drop by rounded tablespoon on a parchment lined baking sheet - 6 per sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes.  Let cool slightly and transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.

Fill with buttercream and sandwich together.

Recipe based upon Martha Stewart's Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies