Banoffee Whoopie Pies

Phew another busy weekend. I don't know what is is lately but I think it may have something to do with the days getting longer and the weather getting nicer that makes my spare time quickly fill up with things to do very quickly. Take this weekend, apart from a meal on Sunday it was meant to be a free quiet weekend where I saved money ready for the Easter break.

However the sun had to go and put his hat on! And when it's sunny out it really puts me in the mood to meet up with friends or go shopping or something similar. So on Friday I left work early and before I knew it my quiet evening turned into a rowdy but fun one down the pub (even though my friends were rather disappointed i didn't bring the usual pub cupcakes.)
Saturday I shot a photo shoot for a friend as her photographer pulled out at the last minute so I had to leave my housework (oh shame) and go to the park and woods to take pictures of pretty ladies.
Then Sunday was filled with more sun which meant shopping & gardening and then leaving for my meal 3 hours early to take advantage of the sun and sit outside with a few cocktails before going to Bem Brazil to enjoy all you can eat steak, lamb, chicken etc.
It's a good job I had Monday of work (although I had to make 24 cupcakes), It's even taken me 3 days to write this blog.

So a busy one with not much chance to do much of the housework I had planned (Oh well) but I had a brilliant weekend with great food and wonderful friends.

Any way that's enough of me prattling on here's to the recipe! As I said in my last blog my next recipe will come from Hummingbird Bakery's new book Cake Days. I was so excited to get this book as every recipe in it just looks scrumptious, and I'm sure as in their last book they will be. However just as in the last book there also seems to be a few glitches when it comes to measurements. Take for instance the re-appearance of their vanilla cupcakes. Now its the same recipe I've always used from the last book just doubled however their last book says the recipe makes 12 cakes (I'd say 11) yet the new book claims this doubled up recipe makes 12 -16. So as great as all these recipes look I'm envisaging having to practice and tweak recipes.

And this is what I feel the first recipe I tried needs. I chose the Banoffee whoopie pies as the first one I tried and even though they tasted great fresh they didn't keep very well and they went very sticky after a day, also the banana in them went off colour and I didn't like the texture. So its neither a thumbs up or a thumbs down on this one. If your going to make them I'd suggest making them on the same day they are to be eaten.

Anyway here they are:

And here's how they're made:

for the sponge:

1 large egg

150g Caster sugar

125g Plain yogurt

25ml milk

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

75g Unsalted butter, melted

275g Plain Flour

3/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

1/4 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon

2 bananas.

For the filling: - these are hummingbirds measurements and I found I had way to much (Only needed about 1/2 to 2/3rds of this)

170g Unsalted butter, softened

280g Icing sugar

220g Vanilla marshmellow fluff (this can be hard to source and expensive in the UK, so even though I used it this time next time I will experiment with melted marshmellow or just icing)

2tbsp Tinned caramel  (dulce de leche)

Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg and sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir together the yogurt milk and vanilla in a jug, then add this gradually to the egg mixture mixing until combined. Add the melted butter and mix again.

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and Cinnamon, then add this to the liquid ingredients in 2 batches, mixing well after each addition. Break up the bananas into small rough pieces, then stir into the batter by hand.  Put the batter in the fridge and allow to cool and set for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170 deg C and line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper.

Remove the batter from the fridge and spoon onto the trays in 3-5cm diameter mounds, making 16-20 in total leaving space between each for expansion. Bake in the oven for 10 - 13 mins or until golden and springy to the touch. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

While the sponges are cooking make the filling. Using the electric whisk, mix together the butter and icing sugar, add the marshmellow fluff and continue to beat on a high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the caramel and then place in the fridge for 30 mins to firm up slightly. 

When the sponges are cold spread the flat side of one with a generous helping of filling and sandwich together with another sponge. Assemble the remaining sponges.

And that's it!

So all in all I think this was an OK recipe they did taste really good but as I said I didn't find they kept very well. I had a ton of the icing left and as I'd forked out on a jar of marshmellow fluff I didn't want to waste it so I used it to top vanilla cupcakes and it was really nice! If you can get hold of marshmellow fluff easy enough this icing is soo good!

Any way that's all for today.

Cupcake Kris

xxx