Whoopie Pies

What's not to love about whoopie pies?  Soft chocolate cookies with creamy marshmallow frosting, yes please!  This recipe looks way more complicated than it actually is, so don't be afraid to try it.

FOR CAKES

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (I'm not going to lie, I have no idea what this is so I used the unsweetened Hershey version.)
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk (I never have buttermilk, I used a little over 3/4 cup milk and filled it to the one cup mark with white vinegar to crdle my own milk.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg

FOR FILLING

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 cup marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

MAKE CAKES:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.
• Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

MAKE FILLING:

• Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

ASSEMBLE PIES:

• Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

COOK'S NOTES:

• Cakes can be made 3 days ahead and kept, layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Filling can be made 4 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

Original recipe from: http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2003/01/whoopiepies