Banana Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Marshmallow Filling

Summary

If you’re from the West Coast, and don’t happen to be a food blogger, then you probably haven’t heard of a Whoopie Pie. Like Moon Pies, Whoopie Pies have three parts: a top, a bottom, and cream in the middle. I have to add that the outside is traditionally chocolate, and the filling, white and creamy.

Recipe Details

Makes: 15
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep: 40 Minutes
Cook: 30 Minutes
Budget: $0-10

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Banana, very ripe, mashed (about 1/2 banana)
1/2 Cup Creme Fraiche
1/2 Cup Butter, unsalted, room temp
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
FOR THE FILLING
1/2 Cup Extra Fine Sugar, divided into 1/4's
2 Tbsp Water
2 Tbsp + 2 Tsp Heavy Cream
2 Egg Whites
Generous Pinch Coarse Sea Salt
1/2 Cup Butter, unsalted, room temp
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
4 Heaping Tbsp Marshmallow Creme

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and position two racks in the center of the oven and line two baking pans with parchment or silicone.
2. In one bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine well. In another bowl, mix the creme fraiche with the mashed banana until smooth. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. With the mixer running, alternate adding flour mixture, and then banana mixture beginning and ending with the flour. Mix a bit after each addition until well blended. Spoon or pipe rounds about 1-1/2 to 2″ in diameter.
3. Bake about 10 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes on the baking pans before removing to cool completely on racks. Cover with plastic wrap if not filling. Makes about 30 whoopie rounds for 15 pies.
4. Thoroughly clean the bowl of the mixer.
5. In a small sauce pan over medium high heat, cook the water and 1/4 c. of the sugar until it turns a deep amber color. Do not stir the solution at all during this process. Remove the pan from the heat once the color is achieved and carefully add the heavy cream (it will quickly bubble up…). Stir it until it is creamy, then scrape into a small bowl to cool.
6. In a double boiler over simmering water, heat the egg whites, the remaining 1/4 c. sugar, and salt, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 140 degrees F. Immediately pour into the clean bowl of your mixer and beat on high until stiff peaks form and the mixture is completely cool. Feel the bowl to determine this. With the mixer running, add the butter 1 T at a time, mixing well between additions. If the mixture begins to break or curdle, stop adding the butter and beat until it comes together again before resuming with the remaining butter. Add the vanilla, and drizzle in the cool caramel, mixing as you go. Finally, add the marshmallow creme 1 T at a time, mixing after each addition.
7. To fill the whoopie rounds… Use a small offset spatula or fill a piping bag to mound filling on one flat side of a whoopie round. With a second round press down to sandwich, and twist lightly. Will keep at room temp (65 degrees F) well wrapped in plastic.