Chocolate Covered Banana Whoopie Pies

There is a rule in my house about bananas.  You aren't to eat them unless you have permission.  Which is weird, right, because most moms want their children to choose fruit and go to town without asking?  Well, when you live in a house with a baker it becomes a whole other ballgame.

Generally to avoid the whole confusing issue in the homestead, I try to find bananas at the store with some brown spots already.  But seeing as 98% of the population likes them green/yellow, they are hard to come by at the store.  So I buy my green bananas and take them home, and this is how we eat them-green/yellow.  However, once a certain amount time has elapsed, there is a window when the bananas are no longer available for eating.

Thus, my kids are required to ask for a banana, so I may inspect the color and make my decision.  If they've reached my optimum brown color for baking or they are on the cusp, well then, sorry about your luck kiddos, go eat an apple!

One time, I caught my youngest eating a brown banana, and I was mortified for a couple of reasons.  Mainly because now there wasn't enough to bake with, and secondly, that banana was brown. Like, really brown.  Ick!  Which is another weird thing, right?  I'll bake with brown bananas and eat that baked good, but I wouldn't dare eat a brown banana by itself.

My poor children.  I'm probably scarring them for life!  At least in the meantime I can comfort them with some baked goods.

These super moist Chocolate Covered Banana Whoopie Pies are just the thing to bribe their affections.  Oh man!  Let your bananas brown and make some of these!

Chocolate Covered Banana Whoopie Pies
Whoopies adapted from My Baking Addiction

- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp.  baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (approx 1 c.)
- 1/4 c. sour cream
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, mash bananas until you don't have any large chunks.  Should end up looking like the consistency of baby food-with some smaller pieces of banana.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  Scrape down sides of the bowl, add egg and continue beating on medium/high speed for additional 3 minutes.   Add mashed banana, sour cream, and vanilla, and continue to beat until combined. Scrape down bowl.  With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, whoopie pan, or piping bag, scoop/pipe rounds of batter onto prepared cookie sheets, approx. a couple inches in diameter.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks (not cookie sheet).

Filling
adapted from King Arthur Flour

- 1 c. vegetable shortening
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 1 1/3 c. marshmallow cream/fluff- (5 7/8 oz.- so I use a 7 oz. jar and leave some at the bottom)
- 1/4 tsp. salt dissolved in 1 Tbsp. warm water
- 1 1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract or regular if you don't have it

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together shortening, sugar, and marshmallow fluff until it appears combined.  Add salt water and vanilla and beat until filling is fluffy.

Spread or pipe onto half of cooled banana whoopies.  *I pipe because I find it easier to do it that way.

Top with remaining whoopies.

Get a good amount of filling in there!

Topping

- 1/2 c. chocolate candy coating, chopped or in disks
- Toffee bits (optional)

Place candy coating in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Stir until candy coating is melted.  Remove immediately.  Spoon a couple teaspoons of chocolate candy coating over the whoopie pie, and smooth around with an offset spatula or back of spoon.

Top with toffee bits if desired.  If you don't have a nut allergy, I highly recommend this because it adds more texture, and a hint of toffee saltiness to the whoopie pie.  Serious YUM!

Yeilds approx. 12 small whoopies

I love when the filling smooshes out the sides when you take a bite!