Blue Suede Whoopie Pies

BLUE VELVET REBELLION!

I was always fascinated by red velvet.

It was the flavor of my wedding cake.

Classy.  That's how I felt, with my red velvet wedding cake.

And then I started to bake.

And I learned something awful.

Red velvet cake?  It's not made of magic, or beets, or raspberries, or any other delicious red things.

It's made of...red food dye.

A regular old cocoa cake, with a ton of red food dye.

I was depressed, I tell you.

Did my wedding cake stain people's teeth?

But then it occurred to me.  If food dye is all it takes to spark a little fascination, well then, why can't I?

If I can make up a flavor, and dye it any old color, wull I'm going to make it blue.

And I'm gonna take a classic, the red velvet whoopie (hwoopie) pie, and turn it on its head.

Take that, food trends!  Can you dig it? 

Maybe it will catch on.  Blue velvet wedding cake, anyone?

Oo!  Oo!  Let's call it Blue Suede!  High fives all around.

Blue Suede Whoopie (Hwoopie) Pies

This is just the red velvet whoopie pie recipe from the Food Network.  And although I like to make-a the fun, it really is fabulous.  It has melted chocolate as well as cocoa powder, for extra depth and moisture.  The frosting is a tasty cream cheese.  Enjoy your blue mouth (if you are asthmatic, don't forget to freak out your parents!).

1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 ounce milk chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon blue food coloring
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the semisweet and milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.  Alternatively, melt together in a double boiler.

Whisk the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring in a bowl until combined. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in four equal batches, whisking each batch completely before adding the next. Stir in the melted chocolate.

Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets and smooth the tops with a damp finger. Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly pressed, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla seeds. Sandwich a heaping tablespoonful of filling between 2 cookies; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.  Go totally nuts.