Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pies adapted from King Arthur Flour recipe

CAKES

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa

2-1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup milk

FILLING

½ cup powdered sugar

1 7-oz container Solo Toasted Marshmallow Creme

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease (or line with parchment or Silpats) two baking sheets.

To make the cakes: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, espresso powder,

baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla till smooth.

Add the egg, again beating till smooth.

Add the cocoa, stirring to combine.

Add the flour to the batter alternately with the milk, beating till smooth.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat again briefly

to soften and combine any chunky scrapings.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets,

leaving plenty of room between the cakes;

they’ll spread. A tiny scoop works well here.

Bake the cakes for 8 to 10 minutes, till they’re set and firm to the touch.

Remove them from the oven, and let cool a few minutes on the pans

then allow to cool completely on wire racks.

To make the filling: Beat together marshmallow and powdered sugar.

(this is messy and it doesn’t mix in completely)

Spread the flat side of half the cakes with the filling.

Top with the remaining cakes, flat side towards the filling.

Wrap individually, in waxed paper and store in airtight container.

The filling will dissolve within a few days so these do not keep long,

but no matter – they don’t last long either!

Last fall Robin Knoll gave me a copy of an old typed recipe from a great aunt. “Will you make it for me?” Finally got around to making it, strange recipe, no butter in the cake and granulated sugar and flour in the icing! It was delicious though I thought it kinda skimpy in size and volume of icing so below is my revamped version of Robin’s great aunt’s
Waldorf Red Cake

¾ c shortening
2-1/4 c granulated sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 oz red food coloring
1-1/2 t vanilla
2 t cocoa
½ 2 salt
1-1/2 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 t baking soda
1-1/2 T vinegar
3-1/2 cups cake flour (sifted)

Grease two 9” cake pans, line bottoms with greased parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F.

Sift together the flour and salt on a piece of waxed paper.

Make a loose paste of the food coloring, vanilla and cocoa.

In standing mixer, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy, add eggs all at once, beating to combine.
Add cocoa mixture. Alternately add buttermilk and sifted flour mixture (1/3 of the milk, then a 1/3 of the flour and so on, ending with flour)
Add baking soda to vinegar in separate bowl (it will foam up). Gently stir into cake batter.

Divide batter evenly into the two prepared pans.
Bake at 350 for approx 30 minutes (rotating pans at 15 minutes) or until toothpick comes out clean – be careful not to overbake – check at 25 minutes.

Allow to cool in pans on rack. Make cooked part of frosting while cakes are baking and set aside to cool or refrigerate)

FROSTING
4-1/2 T all purpose flour
1-1/2 c milk
1-1/2 c granulated sugar
1-1/2 c whipped butter (not stick butter) at room temp.
1-1/2 t vanilla

Cook flour and milk until thick, whisking constantly. This will only take a minute.

It will be the consistency of that gravy you get with biscuits. Remove to bowl and set aside to cool and then refrigerate.

Press plastic wrap on top of flour/milk mixture to avoid a skin on it.
Cream butter and sugar until very fluffy and sugar has dissolved – about 5 minutes.
Add vanilla and blend well.

Add cold cooked mixture and beat again until the icing is the consistency of whipped cream.

Carefully split the each cake into 2 even layers, ice between each layer and the top.

I think next time I make this cake I’ll cut off the mounds on top for even layers – those mounds will be good snacking!
Happy Birthday Robin!

Want to send a zero calorie birthday cake? Walter Knoll Florist has just the cake for you!

Got a friend who’s a choco-holic! This cake will send them over the edge!

The espresso powder adds a nice kick (if you know what I mean).

Cocoa Chiffon Cake

2/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)

3/4 cup boiling water

7 eggs-separated

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups un-sifted cake flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Stir together cocoa and optional espresso and boiling water until smooth and set aside. Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy, Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. In separate bowl combine flour, 1-1/2 cups sugar, baking soda and salt. Blend in oil, egg yolks, vanilla and reserved cocoa mixture until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in remaining egg whites. Pour batter into an un-greased 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Invert until cool.

Place cake right side up on serving plate and spread with glaze while glaze is still warm.

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

4 oz best quality bittersweet chocolate

4 tbl unsalted butter

2 tbl corn syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Melt chocolate with butter and whisk until smooth. Add corn syrup and vanilla and mix until smooth and shiny. Glaze cake with warm glaze, reheat if necessary to prolong fluidity.

If you like, you can double the glaze recipe and split the cake in 3 and add the chocolate glaze to the top of the bottom and middle layer and then glaze over the top after re-stacking.