Ten Bite-Size Alternatives to the Traditional Bake Sale

1. Ask your favorite bakery what they do with their day-old cookies. If they tend to have a lot of leftovers, give them the phone number of your favorite children’s charity to facilitate a donation of the cookies by the bakery to the charity. This makes a win-win-win situation for all: the bakery doesn’t waste all those cookies, the children get cookies, and you get an easy opportunity to serve.
2. Send some cookies or brownies to someone who needs a pick-me-up, in an Imperial Sugar Bake-It-Forward tin.
3. Buy something at a Great American Bake Sale near you.
4. Sign up to host a Great American Bake Sale.
5. Call your nearest assisted living center, and see if they would be okay with you bringing a plate of cookies in for their residents.
6. Use Facebook or Twitter to get a few friends to do a virtual/IRL “bake-off” with you, where you each make some sweet treats, take them to a neighbor or friend in need, and then “meet” together after to see how many people your positive actions affected.
7. Offer a giveaway on your blog to the person who bakes the most yummy or unique things for others.
8. Buy a special cupcake from the Sweet Tooth Fairy, to help prevent bullying.
9. Bake some brownies and leave a couple on a coworker’s desk, perhaps anonymously.
10. Like five food blogs today.

How Will You Give to Others This Week?

• Have you ever done any of these things? How did it go?
• What other acts of service have inspired you?
• How have others given to you this week and what difference has that made in your life?

How Else Can You Make a Difference This Season?

• Commit to do one act of kindness/service based on the week’s challenge.
• Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.

While my friend and I went on this trip to relax, we also wanted to take advantage of being in such a beautiful part of the USA, so we decided to sign up for a guided hike of Zion National Park, located just one hour from the resort. Our hiking excursion package included lunch, which was assembled by the restaurant staff at the resort. Everyone’s lunch included a sandwich or wrap, veggie sticks, pretzels, homemade granola, an apple, and Red Mountain’s signature “adventure bar,” a delicious flavor-packed energy bar (My favorite treat in our lunch box!).

When I was thinking about what recipe to make for this post, I took inspiration from my hiking trip and decided to make these Peanut Butter and Jam Bars. With summer just around the corner, many of us will be taking advantage of the warm weather to participate in outdoor activities and these bar cookies are a delicious sweet treat that are perfect for picnics, camp-outs or other outdoor excursions. They are both kid and adult-friendly, can be made in advance and are the perfect portable treat for all of your outdoor Summer adventures.

Peanut Butter and Jam Bars

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

2 sticks (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature (plus more for greasing the pan)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups strawberry jam (or other jam flavor of your choice)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar over medium speed until lightened in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the vanilla extract, eggs and peanut butter and mix until well combined.

In a bowl, whisk or sift the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture slowly to the peanut butter mixture and mix until the flour is completely incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix. The dough will be thick in consistency.

Spread two-thirds of the peanut butter dough evenly into the bottom of the baking pan. Use a spatula to smooth out the batter. Next, spread the jam on top of the peanut butter dough and smooth it out with a knife or offset spatula. Take the remaining peanut butter dough and drop small pieces of it all over the jam layer. You can also crumble the dough into a finer texture using your fingers. The jam does not have to be completely covered with the remaining dough—most of the dough will spread as it bakes.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the dough is golden brown. Cool completely to allow the dough and jam to set before cutting into squares. Store in a single layer in a covered container at room temperature.

What are you favorite summer treats for the kids?

Theme: Special Meals for Moms in Celebration of Mother’s Day

Weekly Meal Plan: Monday, May 7 – Sunday, May 13

Monday:

• Dinner Recipe: Tarragon Chicken Dinner from The Lovely Pantry
• Dinner Discussion Question: What do you love most about your Mom?
  

Tuesday:

• Dinner Recipe: Ligurian Pasta Trenette from The Shiksa in the Kitchen
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your favorite thing to do with your Mom?

Wednesday:

• Dinner Recipe: Teriyaki Grilled Pork Chops from Budget Gourmet Mom
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your favorite memory with your Mom?
  

Thursday:

• Dinner Recipe: Quinoa Pasta with Roasted Zucchini and Cheese from The Lovely Pantry
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your favorite dish that your Mom prepares?

Friday:

• Dinner Recipe: Mushroom and Spinach Pizza from Bell’alimento
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your Mom’s favorite flower?

Saturday:

• Dinner Recipe: Grilled Steak with Mushrooms from Ingredients, Inc.
• Dinner Discussion Question: What is your Mom’s favorite color?

Sunday:

• Dinner Recipe: Prime Rib Roast from Mom It Forward
• Dinner Discussion Question: What was your favorite part about Mother’s Day?

Dessert

Enough with the savory portion of the meal, bring on the dessert! We’re featuring Cookie Cake Pops for this week’s dessert!

Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping List Free Printable

Is your mouth watering yet? We can’t wait to give these recipes a try this week! If you’re interested in trying some or all of these recipes, be sure to fill out the Mom It Forward Meal Plan and Grocery Shopping List Free Printable before you head to the store!

Discussion Questions

Be sure to stop by the comments section of this post or on our Facebook page and let us know how your family members answered the discussion questions. We would love to hear what your family shared at the dinner table!

Share Your Side Dish Recipes!

Sometimes thinking of main entrees is the easy party…but what do you pair with your main dishes? We would love for you to share your ideas for side dish recipes!

Disclaimer: This post is part of our Weekly Meal Plan series. Each week, we share recipes and photos from bloggers around the web. We have been given permission to use all links and photos in this series. A huge thanks goes out to all of the bloggers who helped us create this delicious menu! If you have recipes on your site that you would like for us to feature, please be sure to fill out this form.

Top photo and featured photo courtesy of Flickr.

This month we are having a cooking chat about making the perfect cookie. Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod will be joining the chat and sharing some of her tips and tricks to baking cookies. She has a new e-Cookbook out called “Cookie Cravings.” You can literally taste the cookies in the book. The pictures are spectacular and the recipes will make your mouth water.

Cooking Club Details

• What: Join us for an online live chat about making cookies. We’ll be sharing recipes and baking secrets.
• When: Wednesday, April 11, from 2-3 p.m. EST (1 p.m. CT, 12 p.m. MT, & 11 a.m. PT).
• Where: Party with us in our very own MomItForward Chat Room. (Click here to go to the MomItForward Chat Room.)

See you then!

Photo courtesy of flickr

With Easter quickly approaching, this Roasted Asparagus tart is a lovely addition to an Easter meal. The tart can be cut into smaller squares and served as a light appetizer, or it can be cut into larger portions and served as a side dish. This tart showcases puff pastry’s delicate texture and buttery flavor which is complemented by the sweet, roasted asparagus and nutty Swiss cheese melted beneath. Roasting the asparagus spears before assembling the tart enhances their flavor and caramelizes their natural sugars. The puff pastry tart shell gets pre-baked to set its shape and then finishes browning for a few minutes after the tart is assembled. This tart has such an impressive presentation, that it will only look like you spent half the day in the kitchen making it.

Roasted Asparagus Tart

Adapted from Great Food Fast by The Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living & Everyday Food Magazine.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• Flour, for dusting your work surface
• 1 sheet puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm), thawed in the refrigerator
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash the asparagus and pat dry. Trim about 2 inches off the bottom of each asparagus stalk. Place asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle on the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss the asparagus to coat them evenly then spread them out in an even layer on a pan. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the spears are light golden. Remove the asparagus from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes.

Line another baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside. Keep oven at 400 degrees.

Dust a work surface with some flour. Unfold the puff pastry sheet and sprinkle it lightly with more flour. Gently roll the puff pastry sheet into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Use a sharp knife to trim any uneven edges. Transfer the puff pastry sheet to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to lightly score the dough 1-inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Be careful not to cut through the dough. Use a fork to prick the dough inside the scored rectangle at half-inch intervals. Bake the puff pastry shell for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden. Don’t worry if the puff pastry shell puffs up a bit in the middle.

Remove the pastry shell from the oven and sprinkle the inner rectangle evenly with the shredded Swiss cheese. Arrange the roasted asparagus spears crosswise in a single layer over the cheese. For the prettiest presentation, alternate the orientation of each asparagus spear. Place the tart back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and the edges of the tart are golden. Remove from the oven and let the tart rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring it to a cutting board to cut. The tart can be served warm or at room temperature.

I know from talking to my family and friends that feeding children balanced and healthy meals can be challenging since children can often be picky eaters. Some of the recurring requests among everyone I emailed was how to get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, how to “hide” fruits and vegetables in certain dishes, and how to make sweet treats a little healthier without using artificial sweeteners and overly-processed ingredients. All these requests were right up my culinary alley since my food philosophy is all about using real ingredients, fresh produce, and cooking {or baking} all of it from scratch.

Desserts are an indulgence that everyone, including children, needs to enjoy in moderation, but there are ways to make them a touch healthier without sacrificing flavor, pleasing texture and appearance.

This recipe for Carrot and Zucchini Bars is a delicious example of a healthier sweet treat. Shredded carrots and zucchini not only fleck the batter with pretty color, they are a good source of vitamins. Plump golden raisins and toasted walnuts add fiber.

Although the original recipe called for only all-purpose flour, I decided to use half all-purpose flour and half white whole wheat flour. I’m not a fan of 100 percent whole wheat flour, but I do like using white whole wheat flour when I bake. It has a milder flavor and keeps the crumb of these bars tender. White whole wheat flour also adds fiber to this dessert.

If you like carrot cake, you will love these Carrot and Zucchini Bars. The flavor and texture are almost identical. The only change I would make to this dessert the next time I make it would be to add cinnamon to the batter for extra warmth and spice. The Vanilla Cream Cheese frosting makes these bars extra-indulgent, but a little frosting goes a long way since cream cheese frosting is rich. And I know kids love frosting!

These bars can also be left unfrosted to enjoy for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. I also cut the bars into smaller squares for better portion control.

If you are looking to make a healthier sweet treat for your family, give these Carrot and Zucchini Bars a try. No one has to know about all the healthy ingredients that are in this dessert, and your secret is safe with me.

Carrot & Zucchini Bars With Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Special Equipment:

Food processor fitted with shredding disk (or box grater); stand mixer (or hand-held electric mixer)

Carrot & Zucchini Bar Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot (about 3 small carrots)
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (1 small zucchini)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 8oz. block cream cheese {not fat-free}, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions for the Bars:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ginger in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Take another bowl and combine the shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, beaten eggs, oil, honey, vanilla, brown sugar, raisins, and walnuts. Stir with a rubber spatula to blend. Add reserved flour mixture to the carrot-zucchini mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer the batter to an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish and spread out evenly.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the pan.
4. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into bars. For the cleanest cuts, wipe the knife on a damp paper towel in between cuts. Transfer each bar to a platter.

Directions for the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Place the cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Over medium speed, whip the ingredients until completely incorporated and smooth in texture. Use at room temperature for easiest spreading consistency.
2. Store frosted bars in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and bring to room temperature before serving. Unfrosted bars can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

What are some of your favorite healthy sweet treats?

Featured image courtesy of Flickr.

Flavia Scalzitti is a food blogger based in Houston, Texas. She is originally from Maryland and comes from an Italian family. Flavia grew up around people who used food and cooking as a way to keep their traditions alive, celebrate their Italian culture, express their love for their family, and nourish the people they cooked for with the freshest and best quality ingredients. She is entirely self-taught and is also passionate about baking. In addition to cooking and baking, Flavia enjoys learning about and practicing photography, reading, traveling, practicing yoga, and spending time with her husband, Peter. She blogs at Flavia’s Flavors: http://www.flaviasflavors.com

As much as I love Valentine’s Day, I can’t say I truly love chocolate (sounds blasphemous, right?). I certainly do not dislike chocolate, but I wouldn’t describe myself as a “chocoholic” either. However, there are two chocolates I will never refuse if you put them in front of me: Baci and Ferrero Rocher. When these two confections are in front of me, all my willpower flies out the window. So I guess I do love chocolate just a little.

When I bake though, chocolate-based desserts are not the first things I think about making. I enjoy chocolate desserts well enough, but what I really adore baking and eating are fruit-based desserts. So for this Valentine’s Day, I decided to try my hand at making these Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with raspberry jam filling. Cookies are always a wonderfully versatile dessert to serve because they are portable and easy to eat. They are perfect for parties, picnics, school lunches, and outings.

These cookies look identical to the well-known Linzer cookie, except Linzer cookies have nuts and cinnamon in the dough. These cookies are made with a basic shortbread dough that is lightly scented with vanilla extract. The butter in the dough gives the shortbread a rich flavor and a crisp texture that pairs well with many flavors.

For these cookies, a thin layer of sweet-tart raspberry jam is sandwiched between two rounds of the buttery rich shortbread. The cutout top of each cookie is sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar for a touch of extra elegance and festivity. If you or the special someone in your life are a chocolate lover, these cookies are equally scrumptious with Nutella used in place of the fruit jam.

Although there are a few extra steps to making these cookies (compared to making drop cookies, for example), these Shortbread Sandwich Cookies are not difficult to make and the ingredients needed are basic staples that most of us have in our pantry. These are also a fun cookie to make with kids with a little help from mom or dad. I’ve never met a kid who doesn’t like to make cut out cookies!

If you do not like raspberry jam, you could also use strawberry, blackberry, or apricot jam with equally delicious results. Regardless of what jam you use, one thing will remain the same: these cookies will make a lovely impression and are a delicious alternative to a chocolate dessert for your Valentine’s Day celebration.

Shortbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Recipe adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten. Special equipment: Fluted cutters (eg. round, square, star or heart).

Ingredients:

• 3 sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface & rolling pin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cups raspberry preserves (or fruit jam of your choice)
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting the cutout cookies

Directions:

1. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place the cream and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attached, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
3. Sift the flour and salt together into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix over low speed until the dough comes together, scraping down the sides of the work bowl with a spatula if necessary. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a flat disk. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30-45 minutes.
4. Unwrap it and roll the disk out on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a floured 2-inch or 2 3/4-inch fluted round cutter (or shape of your choice), cut as many rounds/shapes from the shortbread dough as you can. Flour the cutter periodically so that it does not stick to the cookie dough. You can re-roll the scraps of dough up to two times to get more cookies. Note: You may have to re-chill the dough for a few minutes if it gets too soft to roll out and cut.Be sure to keep the work surface and rolling pin lightly dusted with flour to prevent sticking. Keep all the cut cookie rounds on the floured work surface while you finish cutting out all the cookies.
5. Count the rounds and divide them in half. Use a smaller (about 1-inch) fluted round cutter (or shape of your choice) to cut a circle/shape in the center of half of the cookie rounds. Place all of the cookie rounds on the parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Chill them on the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Transfer chilled cookies to the oven and bake them for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are a light golden brown. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. Check the cookies often while they are baking to make sure they are not over-browning. When the cookies are finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a baking rack to cool completely. You can bake the cookies a day in advance before assembling them. Store them in an airtight container. Keep the solid cookies separate from the cutout cookies since the cutout cookies are slightly more fragile.
8. Assemble the cookies:Spread a thin layer (about 1 teaspoon) of the jam onto the flat side of all the solid cookies and set these aside. Lay out all the cutout cookies on a piece of parchment paper and dust them lightly with the confectioner’s sugar. Place the cutout rounds on top of the cookies with the jam and press together very lightly. Store the cookies at room temperature in a single layer covered lightly with plastic wrap. Serve within 1-2 days of making.

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day treat?

Flavia Scalzitti is a food blogger based in Houston, Texas. She is originally from Maryland and comes from an Italian family. Flavia grew up around people who used food and cooking as a way to keep their traditions alive, celebrate their Italian culture, express their love for their family, and nourish the people they cooked for with the freshest and best quality ingredients. She is entirely self-taught and is also passionate about baking. In addition to cooking and baking, Flavia enjoys learning about and practicing photography, reading, traveling, practicing yoga, and spending time with her husband, Peter. She blogs at Flavia’s Flavors: http://www.flaviasflavors.com

Sparkling Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients:

• Strawberry boxed cake mix
• Champagne Syrup (recipe follows)
• Strawberry Kissed Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Cupcake Directions:

1. Follow directions on box. When finished baking allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  While your cupcakes are baking and cooling make your Champagne Syrup.
2. Poke multiple holes in each cupcake once cupcakes have cooled completely. Spoon the syrup over each cupcake and allow to soak into the cake. Repeat until desired taste has been reached. I spoon about 2-3 tablespoons over the cupcakes.
3. Allow the cupcakes to sit for 15 minutes before frosting.

Champagne Syrup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Champagne/Sparkling Wine (you can also use Sparkling Grape Juice to make it non-alcoholic)
• ½ Cup Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1. Combine Champagne and Sugar in a saucepan.
2. Stir gently to mix ingredients and continue to heat, stirring constantly. You will want to reduce mixture by half, this does not become a thick syrup so don’t expect that result.

Strawberry Kissed Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ Sticks Butter, softened
• ½ Bag Powdered Sugar
• 2-4 Tbs Milk
• 2 tsp Strawberry Extract
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Combine butter and sugar in a stand mixer. Add extracts and continue to mix.
2. Add in milk one Tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.
3. Frost cupcakes, add sprinkles if desired.

 What are some of your favorite Valentine’s Day treats?

Featured images photo courtesy of Flickr.

Brandi is the creator of The Creative Princess. She is a stay-at-home mom of two beautiful girls, avid couponer, crafter and a Pinterest addict. You will find awesome tutorials, creative couponing, cooking and crafting on her blog, she also takes you down her crazy journey of life around her small Oklahoma town.

• muffins
• brownies
• cakes
• cookies
• pancakes
• waffles
• sweet bread
• soup
• chilli
• lasagna
• pizza
• smoothies
• ice cream
• lemonade
• fruit juice

The Benefits of Going Green by Cooking from Scratch

The following are the benefits of cooking from scratch:

• Eliminates the need to recycle, reuse and/or throw away hundreds of boxes, cans and plastic packages every year.
• Creates healthier meals by ensuring that there are no harmful additives and preservatives.
• Allows for moderation of calories, fat, sugar, carbohydrates, etc.
• Customizes recipes so that ingredients can be substituted to suit specific tastes and/or accommodate for food allergies.
• Saves money.
• Makes the food taste better.
• Creates family bonding because kids love to help

Pantry Checklist to Help You Cook From Scratch

The following is a pantry checklist for going green by cooking from scratch:

• flour (whole wheat flour is healthiest)
• sugar (or sugar substitute)
• brown sugar or molasses
• baking soda
• baking Powder
• yeast
• salt
• baking cocoa
• eggs (or egg replacer)
• Various spices and seasonings
• butter or butter substitute
• vegetable oil
• cooking spray
• chocolate chips
• rolled oats
• milk (cow’s milk. rice milk, soy milk etc)
• applesauce

Learning to cook and bake from scratch might seem terrifying at first. However, once you learn how to improvise and use substitutions for ingredients that you may not have on hand, everything starts to click and the fear suddenly turns into a sense of accomplishment.

The most important thing to remember is that cooking from scratch doesn’t happen overnight. Start small and before you know it, you’ll have a long list of things that you know how to whip up at a moment’s notice. I started with brownies. What will you start with?

 What foods do you love to cook from scratch?

Tracey Lenac is the founder, editor and publisher of Raising California, an online magazine that highlights elements of holistic, organic, GREEN lifestyle     choices along with homeschooling and spirituality.   She is also the founder of Soul Centered Kids in Los Angeles, California, where she teaches soul centered skills such as meditation, reiki and yoga to children of all ages and developmental abilities and the founder of The Souls of Boys, an online store specializing in non violent, non toxic, soul centered toys, books, media and resources for boys.  Tracey has a Master of Arts degree in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is also a registered Reiki Master/Teacher, organic gardener, the mom of two boys and a secular homeschooler.

If you are like me (until recently) and have no idea what a Whoopie Pie is don’t worry, you aren’t alone. A Whoopie Pie is a cross between a cake, a cookie, and a cupcake! Isn’t that fantastic?! You can make them in any flavor you want and whatever size you like. I made regular size and mini whoopie pies. I preferred the mini whoopie pies because it was just two bites and I didn’t feel guilty for eating one afterward.

There are about a million and one ways to make a Whoopie Pie but my favorite is with a box of cake mix! It can’t get much easier than that! I did make my filling but you could also use store bought icing, if you don’t fill up to making your own. However, I promise making your own is really easy.

Lemon Raspberry Whoopie Pie Recipe

For the Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1 Box Cake Mix (I used Lemon for this recipe)
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. Beat all ingredients on medium low speed until combined.
4. Fill piping bag (or zip-top storage bag) with cake mix.  If using a zip-top bag snip one of the corners off and push mix toward corner. You can make whatever kind of design you would like, I piped circles on the lined cookie sheet.
5. Bake the cake mix. If making bigger pies bake for 7-10 minutes.  If making small pies bake for 4-6 minutes.
6. Cool completely on rack.

For the Creamy Raspberry Filling:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 1/3 Cup Marshmallow Cream
• 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp Raspberry extract
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Flip half of your pies over to form a top and bottom. You should have half of the flat sides facing upward and half domed side facing upward.
3. Place a mound of filling in the center of each flat side up pie.
4. Top with remaining pies, domed side, up and press gently to spread filling.
5. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Have you ever eaten a Whoopie pie? What are some of your favorite sweet treats?

Recipe adapted from grouprecipes.com.

Brandi is the creator of The Creative Princess.   She is a stay-at-home mom of two beautiful girls, avid couponer, crafter and a Pinterest addict.  You will find awesome tutorials, creative couponing, cooking and crafting on her blog, she also takes you down her crazy journey of life around her small Oklahoma town.