Makin' Whoopie

This past weekend, we had our official Party at the Moontower for my 27th birthday and in the spirit of Linklater's film we kept it all 70's classic: a movie projected on the garage wall, tubesocks and raglans and cold cans of American beer. The gifts? Lots of cookbooks, a retro Diana camera and a pack of good ol' whoopie pies which were popularized during the same decade. Little did I know how delicious these wicked little cakes from New England are and how much they are making a comeback everywhere from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. If you haven't tasted these sweet treats, Katy Elliott, a blogger who knows all about the Northeast and even lives in an adorable 257-year-old house in Massachusetts, gives you all of the secrets of classic whoopie pies in her grandmother's Maine recipe:

Grandma Elliott's Whoopie Pies:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
5 tablespoons of cocoa
2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon each: baking powder, baking soda, salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

The sugar and shortening are creamed together, the beaten egg yolks added. The dry ingredients are sifted together, and added alternatively with the milk and vanilla. Drop the batter in equal spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet, leaving room for them to spread. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degrees oven for 7-10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool. When completely cool, mix filling (recipe below), spreading half the cakes with this mixture. Put them together like a sandwich.

Filling: With an electric mixer, combine 1/2 cups shortening, 2 cups confectioners sugar, 2 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons fluff.

If you just can't wait, you can also find them in and around Los Angeles at:

Susiecakes

310-442-cake

11708 San Vicente Blvd.

Brentwood, CA 90049

949-646-6881

2043 Westcliff Drive, #104

Newport Beach, CA 92660

818-591-2223

23653 Calabasas Road

Calabasas, CA 91302

310-303-3780

3500 N. Sepulveda Blvd., #150

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266