Before even leaving Maine, vegan whoopie pies went from nowhere in my notes to the top of my list of future posts. I needed these iconic, pillowy confections ASAP!
Where Credit Is Due
Rather than writing a recipe from scratch, I analyzed the ingredients for “Whoopie Pies” in Baking Across America: A Vintage Recipe Road Trip by B. Dylan Hollis. I only needed to replace:
- eggs
- buttermilk
“Buttermilk is easy!” I thought. Adding 1 Tbsp (15 mL/g) of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup (240 mL/g) of certain non-dairy milks creates a thick, reliable substitute. Eggs, however, could be harder…
Replacing Eggs for Vegan Whoopie Pies
To review from my vegan boxed brownie experiments, eggs perform a variety of tasks including (but not limited to):
- binding/structure
- lift
- moisture/richness
Two of these tasks are accomplished by other components in the original recipe. In the presence of acidic ingredients such as natural cocoa powder and buttermilk, baking soda provides lift; meanwhile, shortening contributes moisture/richness.
I only needed binding/structure!
Three Options
In many baking recipes, the bulk of binding/structure comes from flour. Binding/structure may therefore be increased by 1. adding more dry ingredients, 2. reducing wet, or 3. both.
I chose 3. both. While I could have simply omitted eggs, I opted to substitute them with 1 Tbsp (15 mL/10 g) cornstarch each. It worked perfectly! Such a powder is dense enough to prevent these cake cookies from spreading too much in the oven, but light enough to preserve their classic, cloud-like texture.
Veganization: Whoopie Pies
Description
Thank you B. Dylan Hollis for helping me fulfill my Maine craving! The following recipe is adapted from "Whoopie Pies" in Baking Across America: A Vintage Recipe Road Trip.
Use gram measurements if you can. I retained Hollis's standard volume measurements, but they don't exactly match his more accurate metric measurements.
makes 18-20 complete whoopie pies
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Cookies
Vanilla Frosting Filling
Instructions
Chocolate Cake Cookies
-
Bring "milk" to room temperature.
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Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone or parchment.
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Into a medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Combine "milk" and vinegar (to make vegan buttermilk) in a separate bowl, then set near dry ingredients.
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In a large bowl, beat shortening and sugar on hi until smooth. Incorporate extract.
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On lo speed, alternately add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by 1/3 of the "buttermilk". Continue until everything is uniformly mixed.
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Using a #50 cookie scoop or 2 spoons, evenly space no more than 10 mounds of batter (about 1 1/2 Tbsp, or 22.5 mL each) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 8-10 min.
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Allow each batch to cool slightly before transferring with an offset spatula onto a wire rack. Cool completely before assembling.
Use this time to wash the equipment you'll need for the vanilla frosting.
Vanilla Frosting Filling
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In a large bowl, beat shortening on hi until fluffy. Incorporate extract(s).
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Alternately add about 1/4 of the powdered sugar followed by 1/4 of the water. Continue until everything is uniformly mixed.
After a powdered sugar addition, start beating on low and increase to high to avoid sugar clouds. -
Transfer frosting to a piping or zip-top bag. Generously pipe an even layer onto half the cookies, then sandwich with the other half.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerated up to one week. Return to room temperature before enjoying.
Note
If you need dinner to go with this dessert, I suggest my Maine "Lobster" Rolls!
