I just got back from a camping trip and am due at a birthday dinner in under an hour, so I’ll be keeping this post short and sweet (pun intended). Last week I mentioned that I had so many baking events coming up – this is one of the recipes I made, with the help of Laura, Neha, and Alisa (their hands feature prominently in these pictures). Almost a month into the new school year, and the four of us had yet to be in the same room as one another, so we resorted to the best kind of girls night: a baking night.

As usual, I found something from Boozy Baker, but this time I was a little better at recipe picking and chose a dessert with multiple different parts so we could all be involved. These come together pretty quick, and as an extra perk, use Fluff, which happened to be invented in Somerville 100 years ago last weekend (I also attended Fluff Festival, which is the only reason I know that fact).

Anyways, first, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a measuring cup, combine milk and vanilla extract. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and light sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla mixture, and beating after each addition.

Drop by the spoonful onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure to have an even number. I had 16. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes until they puff up and spring back when touched. Cool on pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the filling, start by beating together the butter, confectioners sugar, and fluff in your stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Then, beat in the Triple Sec to incorporate. Frost the flat half of one cookie and add another on top, flat side down. And that’s it! They get a little melty, so either eat them all super fast or store them in an airtight container in the fridge.Enjoy!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Orange Filling

Ingredients:

Cookies

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg

Filling

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Fluff
• 2 tablespoons Triple Sec

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
2. In a measuring cup, combine milk and vanilla extract.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed for about three minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg and beat until smooth.
5. Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with milk mixture, and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Mix until incorporated.
6. Spoon batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure to have an even number.
7. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes or until tops spring back when touched. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. To make the filling, beat together butter, confectioners sugar, and Fluff until smooth. Add Triple Sec and beat to incorporate.
9. To assemble whoopie pies, spread filling on flat side of one cookie and top with flat side of a second cookie.