Makin' Whoopie?... What?... Like...

Dork alert here. Brace yourselves ladies and gents. Nowadays, in my ripe old age... I love to travel. That's not the dorky part. However, one of my favorite things to do is to check out supermarkets when I'm in a new land. It is really, really cool. I walk the aisles, and while of course many of the products are the same... there is just a different feel. While I have never been west of Ohio during my "remembering years" (that's the ages I can actually remember doing something... so like age 10 and onwards), I've been throughout the whole East Coast. And let me tell you something...

There are a lot of different supermarkets out there. Some are more awesome than others, but they are all pretty unique. So here's a question to you... what supermarket do you frequent, and where in the US is your favorite one? Sorry... told you it was Dorkfest 2000 here today. Must be the coffee... or me.

So anyways... the recipe for today comes from a supermarket magazine we have in Albany, NY. There we are treated with both Price Chopper, and Hannaford Supermarkets. While I always think PC has better deals, Hannaford is usually more health conscious, and has this sweet magazine that comes out once a month. I saw this recipe for a thing called a whoopie pie, and after laughing for about 3 minutes straight (haha whoopie), and I thought to myself "Self... I have to try that... how can you not try that?". Oh, and a warning... this is not an Adam "healthier" baking recipe. You have to try something before you can mess around with it :) This is also going to Dhanggit's Perfect Party Dishes... they are a perfect handheld snack... just watch the messy fingers :) Go on and check out her Event!

Makin' Whoopie Pie
Courtesy of Hannaford Supermarket Fresh Magazine

Whoopie Pie Cakes:
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
-3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
-2 eggs

-3 cups AP flour

-3/4 cup cocoa powder
-2 tsp baking soda

-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp instant coffee (I used expresso powder)

-1 1/2 cups buttermilk

-1 1/2 tsp vanilla


Filling:

-3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
-2 1/4 cups powered sugar
-1 tsp vanilla

-3 cups marshmallow creme... I just call it Fluff


Preheat the oven to 350*. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or those really cool slipmats.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together with a handmixer or by hand, until smooth and brown creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated well.

In medium the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, salt, and instant coffee powder. Stir well until everything is evenly distributed throghout. Set aside. In a 2 cup measuring cup, pour buttermilk and vanilla extract, and mix well.


Alternate pouring half of the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mix into the butter and brown sugar mixture, mixing by hand or with a handmixer. The completed batter will be very thick, and rather stiff. I would use a handmixer unless you have some serious guns.


Drop the batter on the baking sheets by heaping tablespoon fulls, and leave 2" for the batter to spread out. Bake for about 10-13 minutes. The done cakes should look like little cakey cookies, and be lightly springy and soft to the touch. Let cool on the pans for a minute or two, and then completely cool on wire racks. Make the filling while the cakes are baking.


To make the filling, cream the butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, and beat on low speed with your mixer. Scoop out the marshmallow creme, and add to the mix, beating on low until well combined and smooth. Taste it and add more sugar to taste.
Frost the flat side of one of the completely cool cakes, and top with a second cake. You're finally done, baby.


I really liked these pies. This recipe made about 20 pies, that are a little smaller than the size of your palm. It's a perfect snack size I think. The cakes are not very sweet at all, but with the filling, it makes all the difference. Be careful though, the filling is messy. I didn't take pictures, but I got fluff all over my hands, and was forced to like it off. Well, such is the life of a baker and chiropractor. I can't go adjusting people with sticky hands, right? "Um, Miss Jones, is your neck sticky? My bad". Oh, and anyone like Mallrats?... I got the title from there :)

Comments

LizNoVeggieGirl said…
Haha, well as a foodie, I like checking out grocery stores as well when I travel :0)

Oooh, whoopie pies!! Such fun desserts.
Thistlemoon said…
I love doing this too Adam, you are alone in the dorkiness!

My favorite grocery store of all times is of course Trader Joes. But in terms of "regular" grocery stores, I always loved Big Y in western MA when I lived there.
Maggie said…
I love looking through grocery stores (as well as hunting down co-ops, health food stores and produce markets) on vacation.

I had a whoopie pie that lookied just like yours from an Ohio Amish bake sale. It was awesome!
Oh, I love to go to grocery stores in other locations. In NJ, ShopRite and Wegman's are great. I really liked checking out the stores in CA...lots of fresh herbs and produce even in our off season.
My kids will love these little pies. My son always picks one out when we are at Whole Foods.
Emily said…
Veggiegirl always gets here first.

I haven't seen Mallrats. Should I?

The whoopie pies look great! PERFECT.

I shop at Price Cutter - that's all we have here.

Makin' whoopie reminds me of the Newlywed Game. The old one. He'd always ask questions about making' whoopie, and my sister and I would giggle.
Gloria Baker said…
Adam I really love this pies with marsmallows!!!! look sooooo yummy I will try soon!!!Gloria
Goodness me those look amazing!!! Finger licking yummy for sure. I love when I bite into them the creamy center just falls onto my clothes. I am such a sloppy eater, but who cares when it's something good, right?
I know exactly what you mean with going to different grocery stores. The few Whole Food stores we have here in Mass. they all are different and I just love that.
Clumbsy Cookie said…
I love going to supermarkets and local markets! I allways do that when I travel, in fact if I only have time to visit one thing and if I have to choose between a supermarket or a museum, I'll go to the first! It's such a great way to "feel" the place and the people. I won't bother telling you the supermarkets I shop in Portugal, but I like big ones with international stuff. I was trying to remember where I shopped in US but can't remember (getting old I think). Nice whoopies, gotta love that name!
Dragon said…
Whoopie!!! Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

You are not a dork and you are not alone in your exploration. I do the same thing.
Elle said…
Whoopie pies are awesome!
I shop at Stop and Shop. We also have Hannaford, but I don't like them. They have good stuff, but I hate how ours is set up. It's dark and dreary inside--very depressing.
Anonymous said…
I am definitely a dork if loving to visit grocery stores is dorky...So here it goes:

boston-love trader joes for cheap staples like ww pasta, sauces, tofu, nut butters, jams, hummus, canned beans, lentils, cereals, and even frozen veggie burgers and almond milk. Whole foods is where I go for produce (or the farmers market in the summer!) and the best vegan chocolate chip cookies, yogurts, flours, and great to-go cooked food like the sesame tofu and Israeli couscous!

When I spent my summer in nyc I loved just visiting these gourmet ones:

dean and deluca (beautiful atmosphere and lots to go), gourmet garage, graces (great italian finds like gelato!, citarella, and of course the union square green market.

I lived in the netherlands as a student and the grocery store staples were so funny-tons of goudas and hams but enough brown bread and nutella so I didn't complain!

Oh and the best market of all time-Barcelona, Spain-La Boqueria
Chibog in Chief said…
YipEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! i've been waiting for sweet entries like this!! my baby girl is dancing for you Adam!! beautiful and super yummy entry!! thanks for making my day :-)

btw, you like going to supermarket??m Men, your GF is lucky to have you LOL!!!!
Laura Paterson said…
Ok, so if loving supermarkets exploration and Mallrats makes me a dork, so be it ;) I don't know too many US ones though...

(Oh, and nom nom nom all over the whoopie pies!)
Lore said…
This is a sweeeeet entry for Dhanggit's event, Adam! I think I'm growing a sweet tooth here.
I also like checking out local stores every time I travel. There's just one problem with that, I end up with way too much luggage!
Mama Mia said…
I also make it a point to visit supermarkets when I travel! Love it!
Christine said…
Oh, cool! I need to test out recipes for whoopie pies, but I haven't settled on which ones yet. This sounds great, I'll definitely put it on the list!
Adam said…
Veggie - Yeah I never thought of it like that... I mean we ARE foodies after all :)

Jenn - Glad to see we're super cool dorks :)

Maggie - I love local markets too. I think the Amish made up the pie actually...

Lisa - Yet another good thing about Whole Foods... they must love the blogsphere

Em - I haven't been to a Price Cutter, but I havent been to MO in about 20 years either. Watch Mallrats, and the whoopie makes sense :)

Gloria - Thanks!

Dawn - I'm a mess too... I try not to wear white when I go out to eat.

Cookie - That's funny, but it makes perfect sense. A market is like a modern museum, right? With edible exhibits.

Dragon - Ha. Thanks for being in coolness with me.

Elle - We have Stop and Shop too. They have some good things.

Claire - Wow, you're quite the traveled food enthusiast. I like how you have specific places for specific things. I would love to check out Spain or the Netherlands.

Dhanngit - Ha I'm glad your daughter is excited. She should be, her special day is coming up. I wonder if it's weird to go on a date in the market...

Kittie - Thanks for stopping by, and dorks are in fact welcome here :)

Lore - Haha that's great. You should pack an extra bag I guess.

Lina - Couldn't agree more.

Christina - I swear you won't be disappointed. I'll give you the Adam guarantee.

Ben - That sounds amazing. Mole is one of my favorites. I wish we had those markets here in the States.
I attended college in PA Dutch country, where these are common and HUGE (as in popularity). Thanks for bringing back a few memories. I don't see too many of these since I graduated.
Seriously?! Mallrats? LOL I knew I liked you!

I'd love to go for a date in the grocery. How sweet is that, love blooming over the display of tangelos, the creamy blocks of parmesan reggiano, the cool crisp air of the frozen food section... LOL

I have a cooking class coming up on kids' lunches and I'm worried about my recipes. The fact that I DON'T HAVE ANY! And The whoopie pies are perfect (well, for snacking purposes anyway). I will have to tweak them to make them uber-healthy, but just know I'll give you props and shoutsout during my class. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Adam!
Anonymous said…
That's so funny! I love checking out the grocery stores too!

I never heard of a whoopie pie till I moved to Massachusetts. Those things are everywhere! I worked in a bakery for a while and I think I overloaded on them.
Dee said…
Guess that makes me a dork too :(
I love poking through the produce to see what the locals eat - maybe I'm hoping someone's mama will feel sorry and invite me home for dinner. Sad, no?

I also do a McDonald's index - you know, to check the cost of living. That's just pathetic, isn't it?

A Making Whopee party sounds like a great idea ;)
Antonio Tahhan said…
I love doing that when I travel, too! I remember the first time I stepped in a supermarket in Italy (Florence) and it was interesting to see that they have around 9 different brands of prosciutto, but only 2-3 brands of cereal.
My favorite in the US has got to be Wegmans (specifically the one in Ithaca that's open 24 hrs... good times)
hungryandfrozen said…
Check out all your comments! :D

I love going to supermarkets. Had heaps of fun zooming round one in Sweden, marvelling at the spaghetti-in-a-tube and wheels of cheese...

Those pie thingies look totally awesome, and I'm loving the Mallrats shoutout!
Hi Adam. Thanks or stopping by my site. I was worried that the Papas were going to outdo the Mamas ( as well I should be) with Ben's competition. Your cooking and baking prowess is excellent. Kudos to you my young friend. I sure do hope we get to meet sometime. Think of the parties we could have! I love your whoopie pies by the way.
A_and_N said…
Wow! thats all I can say. My mouth is wide open and I want to try this out :)

BTW, have you bought a #4 Jets Jersey yet :)?
RecipeGirl said…
Hey, I love to do the same thing... check out those markets in various places. We just spent the summer in Massachusetts where I loved Roche Brothers... plenty of gourmet stuff and great fresh seafood, meats, and deli.

Around my parts (Southern Cal.) I like Whole Foods or Henrys. Also a fun Asian market called 99 Ranch. Nothing too terribly exciting that I've found.

The making whoopie pies look good to me. Nice blog ya got here.
Shreya said…
yum, yum, yum, it looks!:-)
test it comm said…
Those whoopie pies look good. I really want to try one.
I LOVED Mallrats! Haven't seen it in years, though!
~Erin @ "Vegan & the City"
PG said…
Not at all dorky - I love going grocery shopping while travelling. It's one of very few places that a tourist can go to a be around locals. Also, you get to see all of the unique products.