Happy lil ❤'s are baking ~ Plain Vanilla Mom

 This month we have a wonderful treat ~ guest posts for Happy lil ❤'s are baking ~ from some wonderful blogger friends! Today Jen from Plain Vanilla Mom is sharing a recipe that I am super excited to try out!  And you should see the other delish recipes at Plain Vanilla Mom *smile*

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Hi, I'm Jen! I blog over at Plain Vanilla Mom.  I am so happy to be guest posting here on Happy Whimsical Hearts! When Kelly said she was in need of some baking posts I was thrilled to be able to help out. Baking with my kids is one of my favorite things and I love Kelly's series!

Many of the fond memories I have of my childhood are associated with my Mom and our kitchen. I remember getting off the school bus and walking through the door to the smells of chocolate chip cookies, cherry pie, whoopie pies and the list goes on. Seems like my Mother always had a treat for us. One of my all time favorite treats as a child was those whoopie pies. Appropriately so seeing as I grew up in the great state of Maine and the Whoopie Pie is the official state "treat" (not to be confused with the official state dessert…which is apparently blueberry pie if you are interested).. love that too.

Long after I moved out on my own I have continued to love making (and eating) whoopie pies and I am happy to pass the tradition along to my kids.  I use the same chocolate cake recipe my mom used although I have tweaked the filling a bit over the years. Today I'm sharing with you my whoopie pie recipe as it stands today. Trust me when I say if you've never made these you MUST! And you won't be disappointed :)

Whoopie Pies

2 c. flour 

1 c. sugar

1/2 c cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda             

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Sift the above ingredients into a bowl.

Then add 1/2 cup shortening, 1 egg, 1 cup milk and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Mix well.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased or parchment papered cookie sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. You want the cakes to spring back when touched or be able to have a toothpick come out clean when inserted into the center.

Transfers cakes to a cooling rack and cool completely. While they are cooling go ahead and make your filling.

Filling

2 sticks of butter softened

3-4 cups powered sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

To assemble the whoopie pies just put a generous dollop of filling on one cake and sandwich it with another. Then enjoy the best part…eating them. You can store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a few days. I actually have grown to prefer mine a bit chilled.

And now, we can't wait to see what you've been up to in the kitchen with your kids!

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Happy baking, Kelly