FOOTBALL WOOPIE PIES

Gathering before events is centuries old, with evidence of such practices in ancient civilizations like Greece and Rome. The first official college football game in 1869 between Princeton and Rutgers is often cited as the touted birthplace of tailgating. Today, tailgating is a cherished tradition combining food, drinks, games, music, and camaraderie, community, and a shared sense of belonging. In the spirit of football and tailgating – and at Levi’s request to “bake something I like” – I went with Football Whoopie Pies. As an added geographical bonus, I also wanted to give a nod to Maine, where the whoopie pie is the official state treat and Levi attends summer camp. The kid consumed a lot of whoopie pies in July, and I think he’ll like this one too!

Recipe

Yields:
Approximately 20-24 whoopie pies (depending on size)

Prep time:
30 minutes

Bake time:
8-10 minutes per batch

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Whoopie Pies:

  • One 16.5 oz box chocolate cake mix (preferably without pudding in the mix)

  • 2 large eggs

  • 31​ cup water

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the Marshmallow Buttercream Filling:

  • 21​ cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

  • One 7 oz jar marshmallow creme (fluff)

  • 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)

Equipment:

  • Two large baking sheets

  • Silicone baking mats or parchment paper

  • Stand mixer with whisk attachment or electric hand mixer

  • Medium-sized mixing bowl

  • Piping bag

  • Large round decorating tip

  • Small piping bag or zip-top bag with a small corner snipped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.

  2. Prepare the Chocolate Whoopie Pie Batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a medium-sized bowl using an electric hand mixer), combine the chocolate cake mix, eggs, water, and vegetable oil. Beat until the batter is smooth and well-combined. The batter will be quite thick.

  3. Pipe the Whoopie Pie Rounds: Transfer the chocolate batter to a piping bag fitted with a large round decorating tip. Pipe small football-shaped mounds of batter onto the prepared silicone mats or parchment paper. Each mound should be about 1-2 tablespoons of batter in size and spaced approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Remember, they will puff up and spread during baking.

  4. Bake the Whoopie Pie Shells: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops of the whoopie pies spring back lightly when touched. Be careful not to overbake, as this can make them dry.

  5. Cool the Whoopie Pie Shells: Let the whoopie pie shells cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully removing them and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. It's crucial for them to be fully cooled before filling.

  6. Repeat Baking Process: Repeat the piping and baking process with the remaining batter until all of it is used.

  7. Prepare the Marshmallow Buttercream Filling: While the whoopie pie shells are cooling, prepare the filling. In a clean mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together the softened butter and marshmallow creme until well-blended and smooth.

  8. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter and marshmallow mixture, beating until it is fully incorporated and the buttercream is smooth and fluffy.

  9. Assemble the Whoopie Pies: Once the chocolate whoopie pie shells are completely cool, pair them up based on similar shapes and sizes.

  10. Fill the Whoopie Pies: Pipe or spread a generous amount of the marshmallow buttercream filling onto the flat side of one whoopie pie shell. Carefully top it with the flat side of a matching whoopie pie shell to create a sandwich.

  11. Decorate as Footballs (Optional): To decorate the whoopie pies like footballs, transfer the remaining marshmallow buttercream filling to a small piping bag fitted with a small round tip or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Pipe white lines across the top of each whoopie pie to resemble the laces of a football.

Enjoy these festive and delicious Football Whoopie Pies! They are best enjoyed within a day or two of assembly. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.