It’s been a year since I left the Secret Recipe Club but I’m finally back, baby! So excited! If you haven’t been around here long enough to know what the heck the Secret Recipe Club is, lemme break it down for ya. Once you’re in the club (click the link to sign up), each month that you participate, you’re assigned to another participating blog. Nobody knows who has whose blog, and everyone in the group picks a recipe from their assigned blog and makes it, then everyone posts on the same day and it’s all fun and exciting looking through the posts to figure out who had your blog and to see which recipe they picked. It’s a really fun way to visit new blogs and make recipes you might not usually try.
This month I was assigned to Chris and Amy’s blog, A Couple In The Kitchen. Aww! So sweet – a couple that cooks and blogs together! Their motto is, “The couple that sautes together, stays together.” I just love it. The coolest thing is that they had my blog back in October of 2011 and made my Apple Cider Doughnuts, so it’s neat to finally get assigned to them in return.
I went crazy perusing their blog and pinning the recipes I wanted to try to one of my secret boards. I’ve never made a risotto and really want to try it, so I was very close to picking their Springtime Risotto. Their Corn and Black Bean Salsa Nachos were also calling my name, along with their Seared Scallops with Blood Orange Gastrique and Chicken Piccata. However, my sweet tooth and curiosity drew me to their Flour Frosting and I thought I could use it as a filling in some springtime-y whoopie pies.
I’ve heard of flour frosting before and have wanted to try it for a long time, much longer than I’ve wanted to make a risotto, and I was glad to have the extra motivation to finally make it. But let me tell you, I nearly had as much trouble with this frosting as I did with another SRC post on the whole wheat bread that would never turn out for me, even after 9 loaves. I don’t know what my problem is, but I just could not get the flour mixture right – it was always lumpy and made my frosting lumpy no matter how much I beat it (we’re talking 20 minutes people!). Through trial and error, I devised a fool-proof way to create the smooth and fluffy frosting it’s meant to be, and while it’s a little more tedious because it involves an extra step, it’s worth the effort if you have lumpy thickened milk issues like me. This lightly sweet frosting is incredibly light and fluffy, perfect for sandwiching between sweet, lemony cake-cookies. Get your whoopie on!
Lemon Cream Whoopie Pies
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture
Cookies:
1 (15.25 oz) lemon cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
Filling:
¼ cup (1 1/8 oz) all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (3 ¼ oz) vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper and set aside.
Before starting the cookies, do the first step for the filling: whisk the flour and milk together in a small saucepan and continue to whisk constantly while cooking it over medium heat until it forms a thick paste, about five minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
Combine cookie ingredients in large bowl and beat on low until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl to incorporate. Increase speed to medium and beat for an additional minute. Drop 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons of dough (preferably from a cookie scoop to make them nicely round) onto prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart, and bake for about ten minutes or until lightly golden brown on edges and set in the center. Remove onto a wire rack to cool and repeat with remaining batter.
To make the filling, add the cooled milk and flour mixture to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add the vanilla and process until completely smooth and no lumps remain, a minute or two. (You can also beat it with a mixer but if there are any lumps, it will ruin your frosting. I couldn’t get the lumps out of mine without using the food processor.) In a large mixing bowl, add remaining filling ingredients and beat on medium-high for four minutes, then add in the flour mixture and beat together until nice and fluffy and no grit from the sugar remains, 3-4 minutes.
To make the pies, turn half the cookies over and spread about 2 tablespoons of filling over the flat side. Top with another cookie, flat side down and press lightly together.
Recipe source: a Veronica’s Cornucopia original, with the filling recipe adapted from A Couple in the Kitchen
Veronica's Cornucopia 
Veronica, these are lovely! Perfect for the spring.
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Thanks! I froze them and we enjoyed them for Easter yesterday – a perfect treat for the holiday!
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These whoopie pies look lovely! I’ve never made them before but they looks so easy especially with that cake mix ! I’m going to have to try this soon :)
The secret club sounds intriguing.. Going to check it out soon :)
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I really love cake mix recipes! I did try making the pies from scratch and that didn’t work out so I went with the cake mix – perfect. :D
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It really is! I’ve never tried any cake mix recipe. This will be the first.. Will keep you posted ! :)
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WOW! Those look so PRETTY and very spring like too! What a GREAT SRC pick, happy reveal day from Karen
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Such springy and delicious whoopee pies, lovely recipe :D
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Who hasn’t made whoopie pies in FOREVER?! This girl. This lemon flavor looks so delectable and spring perfect!
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I’ve never made lemon whoopie pies but the filling is the same. I love the idea of lemon ones!
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This recipe exchange sounds like so much fun! I think this recipe looks delicious! =)
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What lovely looking whoopie pies. Wonderful SRC post!
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These lemon whoopie pies look delectable .I have just purchased a whoopie pie baking tin so I shall book mark and try for sure.
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these woppie pies look absolutely perfect and delicious!
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I have never heard of flour frosting. So glad you tried it and stuffed these most delectable whoopie pies. (I am the queen of lumpiness. My white sauces are usually all finished in the blender to puree out the lumps! ) :)
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lol, glad I’m not alone!
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Try Wondra (super fine ) flour. No lumps
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Hi, Veronica! Welcome back to the SRC!!! What a treat! These lemon cream whoopie pies make me smile only to look at them…Devouring them have to be pure happiness.
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Oh, what wonderful whoopie pies! I now need to make a lemon version :)
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We are so glad you liked the frosting. Your whoopie pies came out lovely!!! We’ll be making your version next time! Thanks for all your kind words and happy springtime!
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Thank you! I believe this recipe would work with any flavor of cake mix and I intend to try chocolate next – that will be so heavenly!! Happy springtime to you too!
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YUUMMMM–OOOOO! Those tasty treats look amazing! I’ve made that filling before and love it…perfect for your luscious lemon goodies. Sure wish we were neighbors! =)
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I wish we were neighbors too, not just for the food either!
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I’ve never heard of flour frosting. Have to try this one. Probably with those yummy lemon cake cookies.
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It’s really good – so fluffy and not too sweet. It would be great to use for people who don’t like the sweetness of frosting.
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oh goodness..I have to make these! Visiting from Group D
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Those look delicious! So many food blogs I’ve never heard of – I’ll have to check that couples blog out. Have a great weekend V!
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Pingback: Lemon Cream Whoopie Pies: Veronica’s Cornucopia | The Secret Recipe Club
These whoopie pies look fantastic, Veronica. I love sweet tangy lemon flavour.
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These little gems look so pretty and I’d bet they tasted pretty special too.
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Do link to the Secret recipe club. I would love to try it?
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Sorry for the slow reply! The links in my post are outdated as there is a new site now: http://secret-recipe-club.blogspot.com/
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This is the first recipe of yours I have made. I love sweets. I love cake. I adore frosting. I thought these would hit the spot. They were awful. The cake didn’t stay in mounds, but spread out. The frosting has so much shortening it tastes waxy and coats your tongue. YUCK. It was a big waste of sugar and butter. :( Shortening isn’t food. Don’t put it in food. Yuck.
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How many does this make?
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I also made this recipe exactly, except added some lemon zest to the filing. I actually have made frosting before with the flour/shortening thing. It’s not ideal, but usually what you find in many bakeries to save on cost. These little lumps of thickened cake mix spread too thin in the oven. I’d try doing Whoopies with a different recipe if I were you.
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Veronica, i am just curious about the filling. I usually make the icky sweet version with powdered sugar and marshmallow because that’s what customers seem to wabt. However i like the idea of a less sweet filling. So my question is: is this filling shelf stable or does it require refrigeration? Thanks. They look amazing
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I made these and was not at all disappointed. I have, however, become somewhat obsessed with lemon-ginger combinations. So to feed that obsession, I added crystallized ginger bits to the filling. Bliss! Added bonus: The ginger “bridges” the seasonal lemony thing, so now we can tweak these to fit any season. Currently transitioning to pumpkin cakes and lemon-ginger filling.The variations are endless. Yay!!
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I haven’t read all of the comments so someone may have already made this comment but I’d like to suggest some technique changes that would eliminate having to use the food processor. I used the filling recipe for some gingerbread whoopie pies and it came out great. First, if you add the sugar to the flour and milk and cook it together you will eliminate any grittiness in the frosting because the sugar will have melted. Secondly, if you put plastic wrap directly on the surface of the flour and milk mixture while it’s cooling you won’t get that hard rubbery crust on top. I’m guessing that that’s what the lumps were. Using these two techniques I did not have to use the food processor at all and the frosting came out light and fluffy.
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Thank you, Sherri!!
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how many does this make?
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Honestly I don’t recall. A couple dozen finished cookies at least, I think. Seems like more but it’s been a long time.
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What brand cake mix?
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I use Duncan Hines for the bright yellow color but dont’ think it matters otherwise.
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