whoopie!

i've never tried a whoopie pie until today, and i was pleasantly surprised. i adapted a basic recipe from martha stewart. they are made with a luscious marshmallowy peppermint buttercream sandwiched between soft chocolate cake. they feel like little pillows in your mouth! i'd like to sleep on a giant one and have sweet dreams.
peppermint whoopie pies

cake:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
2 sticks soft unsalted butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees. whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder.

2. in electric mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light.

3. add eggs and vanilla and peppermint extracts. combine sour cream and milk in bowl.

4. alternately add dry ingredients and sour cream/milk mixture to the butter, beating well with each addition.

5. add chocolate chips and mix to combine.

6. using ice cream scoop, spoon batter onto parchment lined baking sheets. bake 12 minutes, cool.

7. pipe icing onto bottom of cooled cake and sandwich together.

makes about 24

icing:
2 sticks soft unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 (7 1/2 oz.) jar marshmallow fluff
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

1. beat together butter and powdered sugar until light.
2. add remaining ingredients and mix until combined.