St. Patrick's Day Whoopie Pies

I'm so excited that tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day.  No I'm not Irish but I love any excuse to bake :-).  So today I will be making chocolate whoopie pies with mint cream filling for tomorrow.  Yummmmy  Of course that is going to require me to head to the grocery in the rain, hey at least it's not snow and ice anymore.

What you need....
Pies
1 Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake mix
1 cup of water
3 large eggs
1/3 cup oil

Filling
1/2 Cup Shortening
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 tsp of mint extract
2 Tbsp. milk
1/4 cup of sugar
4 cups/1 lb of powder sugar
green food coloring

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
A chocolate cake mix.  I know, I know, a mix. But you really can't beat a Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Devil's Food Cake Mix, 18.25-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6).

For this do not follow the recipe on the box. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix cake mix, water, oil and eggs for 30 seconds until blended on low, then mix for 2 minutes on medium.  Mix the full 2 minutes.  Yes it makes a difference.  Drop by rounded tablespoon full on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Okay I know I say I use parchment instead of spray, but this time parchment is a must!  Or good luck getting these babies off the pan.  Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove on the parchment to a wire cooling rack.  Cool for 10 minutes before you remove from the paper.

While the pies are baking, mix the filling.

cream together butter and shortening for about 1 minute.  Add sugar (not powdered yet), mint, green food coloring, I use Wilton 601-5580 1/2-Ounce Certified-Kosher Icing Colors, Set of 12and milk mix until creamy.  Then add powered sugar 1/2 cup at a time.  Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a number 12 tip if you don't have a pastry bag fill a Ziploc and snip off a corner.  Swirl onto the inside of one pie then top with another pie.  Sprinkle the edges with green sugar.  Everything needs a little sparkle.

This may be the best mint filling I've ever had.