Chocolate-Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

To make Whoopie Pies:

PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

USE a hand mixer to cream together shortening and sugars in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix to combine.

SIFT together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder. Alternately add the dry ingredients, milk, and yogurt into the shortening mixture, stirring to make sure they are fully incorporated and scraping the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the vanilla extract and combine.

USING two tablespoons, scoop spoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheet, making round mounds of batter and aiming for 24 cake mounds. Be sure to leave space between the mounds, as the batter will spread a little. Bake for 15 to 16 minutes; turn the baking sheet once, halfway through the baking process. Remove cakes from baking sheet and allow to cool completely on cooling racks.

To make the frosting:

CREAM together shortening, cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt and milk, and continue to beat until whipped and creamy. Spread peanut butter frosting on the flat side of a cooled cake and sandwich together with another cake.