The Martin Cooking

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Little pumpkin cakes sandwiched with marshmallow fluff buttercream.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce can) pumpkin puree
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour (I like King Arthur)

Filling:

• 2 sticks butter, slightly softened but not too soft (I left it on the counter about 20 minutes)
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups marshmallow fluff

Instructions

1.     Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a whoopie pie pan or two baking sheets - or line them with silpats or parchment paper.
2.     In a large mixing bowl or in a stand mixer beat the butter, oil, sugar, molasses, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together on medium speed until well combined.
3.     Scrape down the the bowl and then beat in the eggs one at a time, until fluffy and well-combined.
4.     Beat in the pumpkin on low speed.
5.     Add the flour in two additions mixing well on low speed after each addition. The batter will be thick.
6.     Use a small ice cream scoop (2 tablespoon size) to drop the batter onto the baking sheets about 2" apart or fill the whoopie pie pan 1/2 to 2/3 full.
7.     Bake about 10 - 12 minutes until the cookies are firm on top and lightly brown around the edges.
8.     Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then move to wire racks to cool completely.
9.     To make the filling beat the butter on medium speed 2 minutes. Add all the confectioners' sugar and the vanilla. Beat on medium 5 minutes. It should be thick and fluffy.
10.     Scrape down the bowl and add the marshmallow fluff. Beat on low just unti combined no more than 1 minute.
11.     You can scoop the filling into a large piping bag fitted with a big, plain tip to fill or just dollop big spoonfuls onto the middle of the flat side, top with another and press together.
12.     Store in one layer in a tightly covered container up to 5 days or wrap each one with plastic wrap.