Whoopie Pie Flight Recipe

Prepare

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Fit a pastry bag or zip-top bag with a 1-inch round tip (or cut a 3/4–1 inch hole).

In a medium bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 tbs cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream 1/2 cup room-temperature unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating each until incorporated. Mix in 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk with 1/4 cup hot water and 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder (if using). Alternately add the dry flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the butter-sugar-egg mixture in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix on low until just combined; don't over-mix.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pastry bag. Pipe 12 uniform rounds about 1 3/4 inches across and 1/2 inch high onto the prepared sheets, spacing 1 1/2–2 inches apart. Smooth any peaks with a wet fingertip.

Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated 350°F oven for 9–11 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool completely on the baking sheets (about 15 minutes) then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

Make marshmallow buttercream: In a medium bowl, beat 1/4 cup room-temperature unsalted butter until smooth. Add 1 cup marshmallow fluff and 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp sea salt; if too thick, add 1–2 tsp milk or cream to reach a pipeable consistency. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

Make cream cheese caramel filling (for caramel-swathed whoopies): In a small bowl beat 1/2 cup softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in 1/2 cup caramel sauce and 1 tbs salted butter (optional) until well combined and slightly fluffy. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Transfer to a separate piping bag.

Portion fillings for a flight: plan four mini whoopie pies each of three varieties (chocolate marshmallow, caramel cream, and plain marshmallow) or any assortment totaling 12 sandwiches. For each sandwich, pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling onto the flat side of one cake and top with a matching cake, pressing gently to spread to the edge.

Make chocolate sauce: Place 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth and glossy (about 60–90 seconds total). Stir in 1 tsp corn syrup (optional) and 1/8 tsp salt. Keep warm or let cool slightly; sauce will thicken as it cools.

Arrange four assorted mini whoopie pies on a serving board or plate. For variety: prepare 4 chocolate-marshmallow (pipe marshmallow buttercream), 4 salted-caramel-cream (pipe cream cheese caramel filling), and 4 classic marshmallow (marshmallow buttercream with no extra sauce).

Drizzle: Spoon or drizzle warm chocolate sauce into a small ramekin and lightly drizzle over two or three of the pies for presentation. Warm the remaining 1/2 cup caramel sauce (if slightly cooled) in the microwave for 8–10 seconds until pourable and drizzle or spoon into a ramekin for dipping. For the caramel-swirl whoopies, drizzle a little caramel across the top and finish with a tiny flake of sea salt.

Garnish each pie sparingly with a dusting of powdered sugar and a few mini chocolate chips if desired. Finish caramel pies with a small pinch (about 1/16–1/8 tsp) of coarse sea salt per pie to enhance flavor.

Serve the whoopie pie flight at room temperature with small ramekins of chocolate and caramel sauces for dipping. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.