♥ whoopie pies! / February 12, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i have been meaning to make these whoopie pies for a while now and thought valentine's day was a perfect excuse to do so. we live across the street from Baked, a bakery known for all things sweet and indulgent. occasionally frank will get one of their whoopie pies, and even though i cannot eat them, i always find myself taking a bite (and then regretting it). the cake is light, moist, and not too sweet. while the cream is smooth and buttery, and also not too sweet. after tasting some other whoopie pies in and around brooklyn, frank and i both believe that Baked has mastered the art of the whoopie pie! why might you ask i try to remake something that is already perfect? i'm not attempting to outdo the Baked whoopie, i am merely trying to make a whoopie pie that i can eat without feeling ill. some might be scared that these pies are grain-free, and gluten-free (these can easily be vegan if you replace the eggs with ground flaxseed),and that the cream is completely vegan. but fear not, frank (the man has no dietary restrictions whatsoever) has tested the whoopie pies (3 of them, in one sitting!) and he has given them his solid stamp of approval ✓

adapted from Health-Bent

:: makes 16 cookies and 8 whoopie pies ::

pre heat oven to 350°

line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

**just a note on the coconut milk. do not shake the can. the top half of the can is where the "full fat" coconut milk resides. i usually get 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk out of a single can. you will notice a watery looking liquid when the full fat is gone.

:: directions ::

2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup natural cocoa powder (non-dutched)

1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon powder

1/2 cup full fat, canned coconut milk

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

whisk all the dry ingredients until combined

then add the coconut milk, eggs, and vanilla - mix

using a cookie scoop (i didn't have one so i used a tablespoon), scoop even amounts of the batter onto the lined baking sheets. make sure you leave at least 2 inches between each cookie

bake for 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through

:: vanilla bean cream ::

3/4 cup palm shortening

3 tablespoons coconut oil

3 tablespoons raw honey (you can also use powdered sugar, or agave)

1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

in a bowl, beat the shortening, coconut oil, vanilla bean/extract, and honey with an electric mixer. beat for 2-3 minutes or until ingredients are combined and creamy

**let the cookies cool completely before assembling with cream

put as much or as little cream between the cookies, i put about 1/4 inch of cream - i may use more next time

i stored my whoopie pies in the fridge and took them out 15-20 minutes before serving

:: enjoy ::

poppies :: polaroids :: blizzard / February 10, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

two minute chocolate cake / February 9, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

so i was wanting to make a dessert for tonight but i wasn't wanting to do much work or cleanup. i'm sure many of you can relate to having days like this. i was trying to think of something simple, that would still be yummy, but not make me hate the idea making it. i remembered this easy little cake recipe that i surprised frank with one weeknight after he came home from work. it's a fun dessert you can get away with making anytime because you don't need any fancy ingredients or baking pans, you just need a coffee mug. one of frank's favorite drinks is a cafe mocha, so this was perfect for him because it delivers chocolate in a mug. if you can believe it, you just mix the cake mix in a mug, microwave it, and you can pop it right out and onto a plate or eat it out of the mug. this is a great single serving and fast cooking dessert if you're ever in a mood or a pinch that won't leave you with any hassle of leftovers (and by "hassle of leftovers," i mean no temptation to eat more than a healthy portion) or a bunch of bowls to clean.

i ended up adding some unsweetened coconut and walnuts. but you can add whatever you like, whether it's various nuts, espresso grounds, chocolate chips, or cinnamon. this cake will taste awesome with whatever you choose, even if you choose to keep it plain.