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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Exciting News, Beautiful Autumn, and Sweet Saturday!

Happy Saturday, my super sweet friends! :o)

Despite not having a card to post (what a crazy week!), I do have some fun things to share with you today! :o) It's a smorgasbord post!

First up, I am delighted to tell you that the very talented Melin has invited me to be a part of Paper Crafting World, her digital stamp/cutting file team! I am honored and look forward to creating with her sweet designs! :o) I am currently working on my first project for her Design Team and it will certainly showcase the versatility of her files. Look for that on Tuesday! :o) Also, we will be having a wonderful Thankful Hearts Blog Hop one week from today on Saturday, November 5th! A lovely theme. :o)


Secondly, I have even more fun news! This coming Friday, November 4th, the Design Team for Cindy's Scraptastic Designs will be having a Blog Hop! I am thrilled about this fun event to celebrate Cindy's new journey. :o) Our weekly challenges, Scraptastic Mondays, begin on November 7th! So much excitement!



Before I post my sweet recipe, I'd like to share a few pictures. Amazingly, Autumn colors are slipping away and I've yet to get anywhere to take some beautiful landscape pictures. I did manage to get a couple pretty ones from my yard. :o)

(A gift from my boyfriend's friend, taken on Thursday to showcase beauty on an emotional day.)

And now... Sweet Saturday! Woohoo! Before I show you the picture, let me just tell you that it *is* possible to make these uniform and structured in appearance by use of a piping bag. But sometimes it's fun to just be willy nilly and higgly piggly. Whatever the haphazard shape, these are bursting with seasonal delight. Plus, they have a fun name! Who can resist Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling? Not this household, that's for sure.
Oh my. I've been wanting to try whoopie pies (also known as Gobs if you're native to Pittsburgh) for over a year! The combinations are endless. The classic is chocolate with marshmallow filling, but I couldn't pass up a seasonal twist to celebrate the spicy goodness of Autumn. The cookie-cakes are soft, puffy, and encompass all of the flavors you love about the season. This adaptation is paired with a maple cream cheese filling, which a couple of my loved ones questioned... but guess what? Yep, they were devoured and everyone loved it! The flavors team up beautifully. The maple isn't overly strong, so if you want a stronger maple flavor, definitely use some maple extract. Want to completely steer clear of maple? Try these with a ginger filling or even a plain cream cheese filling. Just make these fun and delightful treats! :o)

Note: The yield varies greatly, depending upon the size you make your cookie-cakes. This recipe as made by my source made 4 dozen assembled mini whoopie pies. Me? I made 19. HA! It was unintentional... but no one complained. ;)

Hopefully in the next month I'll have a new blog design... I may need to enlist some professional help, however. Otherwise, it may not get a redesign until 2015. ;) Thank you for dancing on by today! I wish you a sparkling weekend of love and creativity. :o)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling
Yield: Varies upon size

Ingredients:
For the whoopie pies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the maple cream cheese filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ยบ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla, whisking until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

Use a small cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop rounded, heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. 

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure that the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.

To make the filling, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with no visible lumps, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.

To assemble the whoopie pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon the filling (about a tablespoon) onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving.


Photobucket

13 comments:

  1. Congrats on the design team, Sweets! They are lucky to have you! :) I looove the photos of autumn leaves too. I'm jealous of your color, especially the bright reds. We've had a bit of a lackluster year here (but I'm awfully picky lol), and now everything is getting covered in snow! ack! So thanks for bringing autumn to me!

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  2. SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!

    GASP!!! Irresistably squishy whoopie pies baked by hand by the universe's most irresistably squishable heart?! SQUEEEEEEEE!!! *drools*

    OMJ! Those look SO incredible sis! And I LOVE how you did a maple flavour for the middles. I adore maple antyhing so to me, eating a dozen of these little beauties in one sitting doesn't seem like an impossibility by any means. TEE HEE! *devours them all up* They look like they are SO much fun to make Sunshine! Did you have a blast making them?

    OMJ! I loooooooooveeeeeeee your pictures Sunshine! My sweetest sis always finds the most magical little miracles to photograph...just look at how stunning those photos are! Wowzas. They should be model postcards for the season sis. Soooooooo crazy gorgeous!!! *gives you giant leafy hugglers*

    And guess what?! We sooooooo need to par-tay!!! MY SUNSHINE IS ON A NEW DESIGN TEAM!!!!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEE!!! God bless you sis as you begin your beautiful work on this new incredible team...they are so lucky to have you on board. We are all SO very proud of you and can't wait to see all the amazing creations that you will make for Paper Crafting World! SQUEEE!

    *twirls you in happy happy Sweet Saturday spins*

    I LOVE YOU SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!!!

    ~~~Christina :)

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  3. Well done and congratulations to you and l'll be keeping an eye out for the blog hop:) Sandra H

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  4. Congrats on the design team! Can't wait to see your first project on Tuesday! Looking forward to both of the blog hops! Love the beautiful fall pictures too! :)

    Karen
    craftedwithlovebykaren.blogspot.com

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  5. Do you know that I gain 5 lbs every week I come visit you, LOL!! I drool everytime I see your recipes and actually have made some if your recipes and loving it. Wouldn't it be great if they were all calorie free? Haha! I will be making these whoopies pies..they totally look delicious:)

    On a serious note...congrats to you on the Paper Craft World Design Team and Cindys Design Team...so happy for you!!! I am excited to see all your projects:) Good luck to you!
    Sherrie K
    http://sherriescraps.blogspot.com

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  6. Congrats and thanks for sharing this recipe. My husband grew up in PA and loves these in the chocolate version. I am going to surprise him with these.
    Diane

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  7. Congratulations Karen.I'm not surprised you are in demand - you talented lady.Looking forward to seeing your project on tuesday and hopping with you friday.
    Hugs
    Jayne x

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  8. Congrats! You are so talented :) I'm super excited for the hop. These cookies look delicious and seem like the perfect fall day treat! Great job!

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  9. CONGRATULATIONS, Karen!! I am soooo happy for you!! You will do a fabulous job with Melin's design team! I can't wait to see what you create on Tuesday!!

    Sniff, sniff...is that Sweet Saturday I smell??!! I'm a little late and I apologize!! Oh my gosh, each week I don't think you can outdo the previous one, but you have managed to do so again!! Pumpkin and maple...two of my absolute favorites!! I can not wait to try these! Yum, yum, yum!!

    I hope you are having a wonderful Halloween weekend my sweet friend! Have a boo-tiful Monday :D

    Hugs, Lisa :)
    indymermaid.blogspot.com

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  10. Karen, my Sweet Karen, congrats to you on the design team Melin is super talented and you are going to be the PERFECT addition to the team!
    Sweet Saturday is definitely becoming something I really look forward to seeing. I really think I can smell your kitchen when I read your blog :)
    Whoopie pies are quickly becoming a fascination of mine. The Fluffy sweet frosting tucked between two soft pieces of moist cake that you can eat while holding it your sweet little hand. It seems wrong to be eating cake like a sandwich...but oh so right.... You are wonderful my friend! Thank you for the blessings of "Sweet Saturday".
    Shelly

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  11. Congratulations my friend, you will be wonderful! I am so happy for you. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe with us and the gorgeous autumn photos!
    xx

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  12. So sorry I'm late to the party this week! But after my weekend of home renos, Sweet Saturday is just what I need. :)

    What can I say about these treats? Pumpkin and Maple and cookies and icing, all squished together in one delightful place? Could there be anything better? I think not, my friend. I may have to up my work-outs, and quite possibly eat like a rabbit for a few days, but THESE are going on this week's menu. Oh gosh, my mouth is watering just THINKING about it. :)

    I hope your creative juices are flowing just the way you'd like them to. Congrats again on being such high demand - you are going to be such an asset to Cindy's team and Melin's team. I can hardly wait to see what you create. Because WHATEVER it is, it will be sensational. :)

    Hugs,

    Nita

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  13. Oh Karen you are such a delight to pop over and visit with.. I am not surprised at all that they chose you to be on the DT... you are so creative and talented.. I am always amazed when I see one of your awesome creations... The pictures of the leaves are beautiful, love all the colors, you must have a gorgeous yard. AND what a lovely flower. You are truly blessed.. AND I can see why those treats disappeared.. they look so yummy.
    hugs from ukiah

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Thank you for leaving some love! Have a beautifully blessed day. :o)

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