Banana Whoopie Pies! A fruity twist on a classic treat, these soft and fluffy cakes are filled with a luscious, creamy frosting. Perfect for banana enthusiasts and dessert lovers alike.
Tomorrow morning {at 7 a.m... oy.}, Steve will be doing his very first triathlon.
He's been training for quite some time, and his commitment amazes me. {Partially because the only things that I am motivated to persue with that amount of effort is the next best cake recipe.}
The thought of running, biking, and swimming that far for that long is basically my idea of the ninth circle of hell torture. {Remember, I'm the girl that almost passed out during barre class.}
I know some people get a high from the rush of exercise. Sweat is equivalent to tears of joy streaming from their pores. Bruises and scrapes are worn like badges of honor. {Many of my friends do CrossFit and I get to see this first hand.}
But that's just not me. I wish it were, but it's not. I opted out of playing kickball during recess as a child. I preferred chatting in the shade. Imagine that.
Anyway, I admire athletic people. Their determination and resolve, their mental strength to surpass the pain and reach the finish. It reminds me how powerful the body and mind are, especially when they work together in such a focused manner.
While I doubt I will ever do a triathlon {or a marathon, or a 5K, or...}, I understand the mindset of the people that do.
I get a "baker's high" from perfecting a cooking technique, creating a delectable flavor combination, or putting the finishing touches on a 6 layer cake.
I don't mind the sweat that comes from whisking egg whites to create the perfect peaks, or from standing in front of an oven set to "broil" while you wait for just the right amount of color on your casserole {even in the brutal Florida heat}. I have my very own "battle scars" from confrontations with searing hot oven racks and encounters with microplanes and vegetable peelers.
Cooking is my sport, and the kitchen is my arena.
And while I may never understand why someone in their right mind would purposely run for miles without the threat of being harmed by something chasing behind them, I understand the passion.
Tomorrow, I'll be cheering on those athletes, and when they're ready to eat... eat like they haven't eaten in weeks... I'll have these Banana Whoopie Pies waiting. Because finishing a triathlon is worth a, "Whoopie!!" or two. 😉
Banana Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup mashed banana
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup marshmallow crème
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Line a large baking pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine mashed banana and Greek yogurt until almost smooth. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, and mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients and banana-yogurt mixture, alternating between dry and wet until just combined.
- With an ice cream scoop or piping bag fitted with a plain round tip, scoop or pipe batter into approximately 1½ inch rounds, leaving about 2 inches between each.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from baking sheet and place on cooling rack until completely cool.
For Filling:
- Combine butter, marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until smooth.
- Spread or pipe in the center of half the cakes. Top each with a like-sized cake, and squeeze gently until filling comes to edges.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Sloane@ Life Food and Beer says
Our guys would get along 🙂 And we joined a local kickball league this week. I didn't even know they had kickball leagues. And your pictures look great and so does the whoopie pies.
The Kitchen Prep says
Thanks, Sloane! Steve has wanted to join a kickball league for the past few years, but it's been hard with his schedule! Maybe he'll want to look into yours! 🙂
JulieD says
Oh my goodness!!! These are so cute and I LOVE banana anything. I have never made a whoopie pie before and I want these to be my first!
The Kitchen Prep says
Thank you, Julie! These are subtle on the banana taste, but are still very good. These were my first attempt at whoopie pies, too, believe it or not! They're pretty simple to make, a lot like making cookies, and the result is fantastic! 🙂 Let me know how yours turn out!
The Kitchen Prep says
Thanks, Dina! They're pretty tasty! 🙂
Dina says
these are pretty and they sound delish too!
Cathy O says
I made these today for a party and they were a hit! The only issue I had was the filling was a tad bit runny. It could be the heat where I live, even though I made them in the AC. I had to put them in the fridge as soon as I filled them, to help them set up. I did roll them in red,white, and blue jimmies, in honor of Labor day. Thanks for the recipes. I have made a number of different whoopie pies, and this is joining my other "keeper" whoopies! Thanks for the recipe. Hope the triatholon was a success!
The Kitchen Prep says
So glad to hear that, Cathy! Next time, if the filling turns out runny just add a bit more powdered sugar to stiffen it up. Sometimes you have to play with proportions when it comes to frosting. They sound like they turned out great! Thanks for stopping by & letting me know how they turned out for you! 🙂
sonia monagheddu says
Hi, I’m Sonia, an Italian food blogger, sorry for my bad english, I want tell you that I have included the link of this recipe (which I liked very much) in the section on my blog dedicated to “10 ways to make” (“10 Modi di Fare”) whoopie pies.
The post is ‘Whoopie pies’ I hope not to bother you, have a nice day.
Sonia
Anonymous says
Never made whoopie Pies before. I think I'll try this recipe.