Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

I come from an area of Pennsylvania that has whoopie pies.  My hubby comes from an area of Pennsylvania that has gobs.  Are they the same thing?  If not, then how are they different?  These are very important questions if you are attending my hubby's annual family reunion.  So far, all I can really see is that a gob is flatter and the filling seems more oily.  Whoopie pies are fluffier and have a creamier filling.  I did some internet research and actually found that the whoopie pie is at the center of another controversy.  This time, it seems that the state of Maine is claiming to be the birthplace of the whoopie pie.  Who knew that such an innocent looking little cake treat would be such a troublemaker?  Well, if you've ever had whoopie pies, or gobs for the sake of my marriage, lying around the house tempting you to eat them, you knew.  So, it was with much trepidation that I took on the task of making these tasty treats.  After all, I know they're trouble.  But what yummy trouble they are...



And then, adding in the peanut butter filling just seals the deal.  Trouble from the moment you first dip your finger into that icing bowl.  Now, my son did mention as I was making these that we've had a lot of the chocolate peanut butter combo around here lately, and for anyone who is not totally and completely in love with peanut butter as I am.  I'm sorry.  Really, I am.  But we LOVE peanut butter and any chance to pair it with chocolate is a chance I'll take!  And he still ate one, so it must not be all that bad.



So, if you're feeling lucky and ready to tackle the Whoopie Pie of Maine Pennsylvania, here you go..

Whoopie Pie

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/4 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 t vanilla

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350.  Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together in medium bowl.  Mix buttermilk and vanilla in separate bowl.  Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream sugar and butter together until well mixed.  Add egg and mix again.  Add flour and buttermilk mixtures gradually to the mix and mix well.  When mixture is smooth, spoon 1/4 c of mix onto parchment paper or greased cookie sheets.  Bake in top and bottom of oven and switch placement of pans halfway through baking.  Bake until the cake springs back, about 14-16 minutes.  Cool on rack when done.

While cakes are cooling, make the Peanut Butter filling:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 cup milk, more or less may be needed.

Blend peanut butter and confectioners sugar with hand mixer, adding milk gradually as needed to get spreadable consistency.

Once cakes are cooled, spread the icing on the bottom of one cake and put another cake on top.

 

So, there you have it.  Whether in Johnstown and you're eating a gob, or in Lancaster eating a whoopie pie 0r even, as my research yielded, somewhere in the south eating a moon pie, make sure you're ready for it.  You never know when a cake could start a fight.  But they are still pretty yummy...I think I'll throw caution to the wind and take my chances.