Yield: 12 Whoopie Pies

I’m a southern gal and we didn’t grow up knowing what Whoopie Pies were.  But now I know I missed out!  These New England comfort snacks are all the rage and it’s easy to see why: what’s not to like about a fluffy white filling sandwiched between two cake layers that look more like cookies?

So, seduced into trying my hand by the appealing-looking version that Starbucks sells, I set about yesterday to create vegan Red Velvet Whoppie Pies but without all of that red dye.  My plan was to use a can of beets that has been in our pantry for I don’t know how long.  Why this seasonal cook had canned beets in her possession can only be explained by something like hurricane preparedness!

It turns out that the color is just not intense enough to turn the batter red.  The puree and juice look ruby red, but they become much more subdued in the batter, which is okay, as it just makes these chocolately Whoopie Pies a warmer brown color.   I think beet powder would do the trick, so I plan to experiment.

The trouble with canned beets as a food item is that they are virtually devoid of nutrition except a tiny bit of protein.  I suppose they contain micro-nutrients, but those aren’t listed on the label.  However, they do contain carbohydrate, a wonderful texture, sweet flavor, and the previously mentioned bit of protein, so they seemed perfect for adding body to my Whoppie Pies, red color or not…and they were!   Hope you agree!

Pies:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup unsweetened or plain soymilk

1-15 ounce can beets, drained, 2 tablespoons of  juice reserved (if you want to use fresh beets, trim about 2-3 of them, place them in a 1-quart saucepan covered with water, cover, bring to a simmer over medium-high, and cook until fork-tender, about 20-30 minutes; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of liquid, and peel)

1 1/2 cups canola oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all purpose)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.  Make soy “buttermilk” by whisking apple cider vinegar into soymilk and setting it aside to curdle.  Whisk again before using.  In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, puree beets until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.  Remove 1/2 cup puree; if there are any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Place puree, 2 tablespoons of juice, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla into the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat about 1-2 minutes or until completely combined and sugar starts to dissolve.  Then add flour, in three parts, alternating with “buttermilk,” beating only enough after each addition to incorporate ingredients.

Using heaping tablespoons (I like to use the traditional fairly shallow measuring spoon, as the shape is perfect) make 24 “patty” shapes, 12 per baking sheet.  Avoid crowding them and bake in two batches if necessary, though they won’t spread much.  Bake about 12 minutes until the “cookies” are firm, but not crisp.  They should be about the consistency of a cupcake top.  Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheets and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely, covered with a dish towel.

Filling:

6 ounces vegan cream cheese

4 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter  (I like Earth Balance)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter at medium to medium-high speed, until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in extracts followed by powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, starting the speed on low and gradually increasing.  Keep beating until the mixture is very smooth and somewhat fluffy.

Turn half of pies upside down and, using a tablespoon, dollop frosting evenly among them.  You can coax the frosting to the edge with a spoon or spatula or, do as I do, and just gently press the top half of the pie down to squeeze the frosting to the edges. I like to wrap them individually in plastic wrap, store them in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

Note 1: If you want to dress them up a bit, as in the photo, just melt some vegan chocolate chips in the microwave (about 1 minute at 20 second intervals) and, using a small spoon, just drizzle the melted chocolate over the tops and allow to harden before wrapping/storing.

Note 2:  These stack nicely in a wine sack for gift-giving.