Whoopie Pie Recipe (it's a Maine thing)

I was born and raised in a small town in Maine. My family's lived in New England since the mid-1700's. I would've been the 4th generation to work at the town paper mill if I hadn't up and joined the Navy right out of high school. I was still just 17 when I shipped off for a life of travel and adventure. A whirlwind of foreign lands, new cultures, and lots of hard work sped by as I served my six years. All the while, I'd occasionally feel the pang of homesickness.   

One of my remedies to assauge those feelings? My Grammy's Whoopie Pies!!!

Now, you might not know what whoopie pies are if you're not from Maine. They're our official state treat.. and that's an understatement. They're at the register of every gas station, five and dime, or grocery store in the whole darn state. 

Over the years I've made a few modifications. I don't use Crisco as a rule (the main ingredient being partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is listed as a food additive to avoid by the center for Science. in the Public Interest). I've added whole wheat. Anyway, I'll stop gassing on and give you the recipe already!

WHOOPIE PIE CAKES RECIPE
  - 2 cups Organic Whole Wheat White Flour (I use King Arthur's)
  - 1 1/2 cup Organic Whole Wheat Flour - I prefer to mill my own from a soft white wheat grain like spelt)
  - 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt. I use Himalayan pink salt because it's loaded with tons of essential minerals. It hasn't been refined and processed like white table salt that's so common in America and completely lacking in any health benefits. 
  - 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened organic cocoa powder. Choose a brand like Frontier that is Fair Trade and organic because most commercial cocoa powders contain high quantities of Cadmium, a metal linked to kidney damage and bone softening. 
  - 1 cup (2 sticks) of organic butter at room temp
  - 2 cups organic sugar
  - 2 large organic, cage free eggs NOTE: you can tell how "free" the chickens were by the variations in the eggs. If they range in size, color, and markings that is proof that the chickens diets varied from each other depending on what they ate out in the yard. If they're raised in a factory farm you get eggs that are all exactly the same because there's no natural variation in diet/exercise.
  - 2 cups organic buttermilk. Buttermilk's pretty pricey and I never seem to have it on hand. So I just make it. Combine 1 cup of milk with 1 Tbl vinegar or lemon juice (double that for this recipe obviously) and let it sit 5 minutes. Voila - buttermilk.  
  - 2 Tsp organic vanilla (see blog post to make your own organic homemade vanilla HERE)

WHOOPIE PIE FILLING RECIPE
  - 1 cup (2 sticks) of organic butter at room temp
  - 2 cups confectioners powder sugar
  - 7 1/2 oz. jar Fluff (there's nothing organic/healthy about this particular ingredient - but it's so delicious I make a personal exception)
  - 2 Tsp organic vanilla (see blog post to make your own organic homemade vanilla HERE)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Whisk flour, salt, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl.
3. In an electric mixer bowl (use paddle attachment) cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and light.
4. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
5. Beat until well combined
6. Add dry ingredients, continuing to mix well.
7. Using a large spoon, scoop the batter onto cookie sheets (takes 2-3 usually, so I use my double oven.
8. Bake for 12 minutes. While they're baking you can clean up.
9. Remove them to a rack to cool.  While they're cooling you can whip up the filling.
10. Using a spoon or frosting spatula put cream on top of one whoopie pie and top with another (flat sides together, as pictured).