Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Hershey’s Special Dark 100% Cacao (or natural unsweetened cocoa)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into very small pieces
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk (or 2% milk)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 7-ounce container of marshmallow fluff or marshmallow creme (2 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
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Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar together. Add egg. Beat well. Pour in vanilla and milk. Beat until the ingredients are fully combined. 
3.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Blend well.
4. With a large (2-inches across) cookie scoop OR a 1/4 measuring cup, drop mounds of batter into the wells of prepared whoopie pie pans. If using a prepared baking tray, leave 2 inches between each mound of batter. This recipe makes 20 individual discs of cake for assembling 10 whoopie pies.
5. Bake 7-8 minutes, or until the tops develop little cracks and are no longer wet. Do not overbake!
6. Allow chocolate cakes to cool in the pan for 6-8 minutes. Carefully transfer cakes to a cooling rack, with the smooth rounded sides of the cakes facing up to prevent unsightly marks on the surface.
7. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer with whip attachment: marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, shortening that’s been cut into tiny pieces, vanilla extract, and sea salt.
8. Whip until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the frosting is thick and fluffy.
9. With a large cookie scoop, place a giant dollop of frosting in the middle of 10 cakes.
10. Add remaining cakes on top, with the flat side facing the filling. Gently press down on each whoopie pie to spread out the frosting.