I suppose I never really came across them and not being a huge buttercream fanatic, they haven't been on my radar. I also thought they would be tricky to make. I'm glad to learn that they're actually not tricky to make, even without special equipment like a whoopie pie pan.
So while whoopie pies have been something of a mystery to me, I came to realize that they're just this funny amalgamation of cake, cookie, and cupcake. You basically have two cakes in the guise of cookies sandwiched together with a filling or frosting in the center. In this case, this moist, fluffy chocolate cake is sandwiched with a peanut butter filling.
When I saw this whoopie pie recipe, with the peanut butter filling, in Baking Chez Moi (so many great recipes in that book!), I knew it was a good one for me to make. This girl loves peanut butter, and that flavor is the star of the show here. The chocolate cake is perfectly soft, moist, and fluffy - and would, in fact, be great for any number of buttercream or traditional marshmallow fillings for those looking for something else - but one bite of these and the taste is full-on peanut butter thanks to that creamy filling.
Another thing I realized is you can store whoopie pies in the fridge and they hold well for a few days. From personal experience, I can tell you they're a great treat for a playdate but they're fun to eat for adults, too! I'd say this whoopie pie baking-and-eating experiment was a good call.
So while whoopie pies have been something of a mystery to me, I came to realize that they're just this funny amalgamation of cake, cookie, and cupcake. You basically have two cakes in the guise of cookies sandwiched together with a filling or frosting in the center. In this case, this moist, fluffy chocolate cake is sandwiched with a peanut butter filling.
