making WHOOPIE

Whoopie pies are an amazing invention!
A while back we saw a recipe for whoopie pies in the Chronicle and neglected to make them until now. Despite yesterdays heat wave in sf, I turned on the oven to bake these delicious mini treats.
This recipe makes alot of whoopie pies, so I suggest cutting it in half.

FOR THE PUMPKIN WHOOPIE COOKIES

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE CREAM-CHEESE FILLING

• 
  
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.
4. Make the filling: Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.)
5. Assemble the whoopie pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days.

And here are a few photos of Manny and Sean enjoying their Whoopie Pies :)

-A

Brussel Sprout Season

I've been thinking of Thanksgiving dinner since before October and recently we decided to pair our mini mushroom field roast with the brussel sprouts I got at the divis market. I've never understood why the brussel sprout was such a hated vegetable, they taste delicious :)

-A

Magical Marble Birthday Cake!

Last week Manny turned the ripe old age of 27 and I surprised him with his favorite type of cake, MARBLE! It was the first time I used cake flour for baking so I was unsure about how the cake would turn out. But luckily the cake came out moist and the cake flour really gave it a light and soft texture. And I just might make this cake again today, it was soo good. :)

Makes 3 1/2 cups batter

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup milk, room temperature
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup best-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder, for mocha layers
• Batter for each 3-inch-deep pan: 7 3/4-inch-by-5 5/8-inch, 7 cups; 10 3/4-inch-by-7 5/8-inch, 10 1/2 cups; 13-inch-by- 9 7/8-inch, 14 cups; 16 1/2-inch-by-12 3/8-inch, 17 1/2 cups.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter pans; line with parchment paper. Butter lining; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. Combine milk and cream in a small bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time; mix well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with flour.
3. Combine cocoa and the boiling water in a medium bowl; for mocha cake, add espresso powder. Stir in 1 cup cake batter.
4. Fill prepared pans with spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate batter to form a checkerboard pattern. Run the tip of a paring knife or a wooden skewer through batter in a figure-eight motion to make swirls. Bake until tops are golden, and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cakes cool completely in pans on wire racks.