What is a whoopie

A whoopie is made of two round mound-shaped pieces of chocolate cake, or sometimes pumpkin or gingerbread cake, with a sweet, creamy filling or frosting sandwiched between them.

The origin of the whoopie

There is a dispute over where the whoopie orginates, some say it is an Amish tradition, and it is said would the amish women would bake these desserts which are known as hucklebucks and they would put them in farmers’ lunchboxes. When the farmers would find the treats in their lunch, they would shout “Whoopie!”

Others say it originated from Maine The now-defunct Berwick Cake Company of Roxbury, Massachusetts had been making the “Whoopee Pie” since 1931 and it is also claimed that the whoopie pie originated there in Massachusetts and spread both north and south.

All we know here at Halloweenerrific is that they are delicious and will make a fab addition to any halloween party!
Particlarly with this pumpkin twist…

How to make Pumpkin Halloween Whoopies

Ingredients

 
Cookies:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

 
For cookies:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or line four baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl.
3. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
6. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. (A total of 72 cookies are needed for the recipe.)
7. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For cream cheese filling:
1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy.
2. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
4. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

There you have it, some trendy treats to try out this Halloween. Have a go at making these Pumpkin Halloween Whoopies this year and you’ll no doubt have people yelping with excitement!

Some of the t-shirts even have the option for you to ‘choose your own colour’, so you can personalise the t-shirt to some extent. The best thing is the quality, I have already got an ‘I heart horror’ t-shirt and think it’s excellent.
There’s also a nice hoody to keep you warm when you’re out and about.

Here are my favourites:

Check out the shop here:
http://270855.spreadshirt.net/en/GB/Shop

I found a great book that has a nice recipe for pumpkin cookies. I thought I’d share it with you as I’m going to be making them myself this year.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup of cooked, strained pumpkin (or tinned if you prefer)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 cup of Stork (or shortening)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees celcius (375 fahrenheit)
• Mix Stork and sugar into a light paste
• Add pumpkin, egg and molasses
• Add everything else
• Spoon onto a baking tray (one spoon per cookie)
• Cook for 10-12 minutes
• Eat (before anyone else gets some!)

For added flair, use a Halloween themed cookie cutter, or some icing.

I like to think of my styles of quite conventional, traditional perhaps. A simple face, sometimes a bit scary, sometimes a bit spooky.
And my vegetable of choice, pumpkin, so that I can make Terrified T’s creamy pumpkin soup!

But other people, with better carving skills, and maybe a little more time of their hands, go all out to create amazing works of art. I’m sure that you’ve seen plenty on the web.
And below, you can see a few that have graced our household over the years.
I tried to find a picture of a cool white squash that we got one year and carved out to look like a ghost – but I couldn’t find it.

Anyway. To aid all you budding carvers, here’s a bunch of stencils to download, print out and use as a guide to create some seriously cool lanterns. Let us know if you make one that you’re particularly proud of!

Link to pumpkin carving stencils