Cookie of the Month - Banana Cream Whoopie Pies

Ok, Barb (my foodie sister) - here's a food post.  Happy?  For this month's auction cookie, I chose Banana Cream Whoopie Pies.  I've done chocolate whoopie pies in the past but after seeing a recipe for these on Martha Stewart's website, I had to give them a try.  I followed the recipe for the cookie, but for the filling I used my own banana version of a cream cheese frosting.  These were yummy as can be and I can attribute my week's 2 lb. weight gain to these and our Father's Day celebration.  Watch out Barb... here goes.

Banana Cream Whoopie Pies

6 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup mashed banana (2 lg. ripe)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Mash banana.

Good and soupy.

Add sour cream and set aside.

In another bowl measure out your flour, baking

powder, baking soda and salt.  Set that aside, too.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, and sugars on medium high speed...

...until creamy - about 3 minutes.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Add banana mixture half at a time alternating with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into a big pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.  This will help with the uniformity of the cookies.  Don't worry about making the cookies kiss shaped - they will flatten when baking.  Make them about an inch and a half wide - kinda small - they will spread a little.  Definitely use parchment.

Bake them in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes.  Don't be afraid to let the edges get a little brown.  This is a moist cookie due to the banana and you will need to make sure they get done to combat the tendency to get gooey.

Sift some powdered sugar over the cookies.

This will help in handling them - they do get moist on the tops.

Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick of butter

1 lb. powdered sugar (3 1/2 cups)

1 tsp. banana extract

Whip the frosting up.  I added a smidge of yellow paste food coloring.

Look over your cookies and match sizes and shapes to make pairs.  Flip one of the two cookies in the pair over and pipe a dollop of frosting onto each.  Don't these look luscious?  They are!

Plop on the lid to make cute little whoopie pie sandwiches.

Oh my gosh - are these good! 

Enjoy, but remember... Moderation In All Things!