Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

"To love and to be loved is to feel the sun from both sides" - David Viscott

I didn't know what in the world a whoopie pie was until I came out to the East Coast. I probably could have made an educated guess and I would have been excited regardless just because of the word pie, but I didn't really understand what they were until I saw chocolate whoopie pies at the local B-Cup Cafe. Then, when my sister came to visit, we had delightful red velvet whoopie pies at Trois Pommes in Brooklyn. So, because it's fall and I love all things pumpkin, I decided it was time to try and make these whoopie pies and do it with pumpkin. After conducting a pumpkin whoopie pie recipe search, I found this one. With a little bit of adapting, I created a modified version. I would definitely love to make these again and add in crushed walnuts. I also learned a valuable lesson: it is very very difficult to make whipped frosting without an electric mixer. I had to improvise a bit, but I think I need electric mixer. I'll probably get one in a year. These whoopie pies are dangerously delicious. Essentially, they are cupcake tops (which we all can agree are the best part) sandwiching a delicious frosting. Make these and don't expect for them to stick around for that long.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

(Makes 12 pies; please note that the pies are large and can be shared)

Ingredients:

3 sticks butter (2 sticks melted, 1 softened)

2 cups packed light brown sugar

4 eggs, I used fake eggs, beaten

2 cups canned pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon cinnamon

3 teaspoons vanilla extract (2 for the batter and 1 for the frosting)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 1/3 cups flour

8 ounces cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

Store bought whipped frosting - if you don't have an electric mixer, go ahead and cheat on this one.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with wax paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, nutmeg, cinnamon, 2 teaspoons vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour in batches.

3. Using a spoon place generous mounds evenly on the baking sheets. 6 mounds per a sheet, you will need to do this in two  batches. Bake the pies until they are springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

4. Either using an electric mixer or all your arm energy, mix toegther the cream cheese, powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy. Please note: by hand this can take a long while. So I decided to spread the store bought frosting on one side of the pie and my handmade mess frosting on the other side. When sandwiched together it was great!

5. Spread the flat side of the cakes with the frosting and sandwich them together. YUM!

These whoopie pies may require two to eat it...or fight over it.