That being said, it should come as no surprise that some of my most vivid memories from my year in France involve American food. Just when the homesickness really started to set in, Dinah and I went on a trek to find the rather elusive, potentially mythical American Grocery Store. We probably could have looked up the address online, but there was some joy to be had in the hunt. When we finally found it, we were overwhelmed by this funny mix of Lucky Charms and Fluff and Duncan Hines cake mixes set in a distinctively Parisian setting. A small shop, with shelves filled floor to ceiling. After spending a good while swooning over the American foods I wouldn't even consume in America, Dinah and I settled upon splitting a piece of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. (You see, American food in Paris also comes with a hefty price tag.) And it was so delicious. Probably not the best carrot cake I've ever had (my grandmother made a pretty mean one), but at the time I'm sure I would have told you otherwise.
As the year continued, we found a few more occasions to have American food. In the spring, Mike, another student in the program, received a care package from his parents that included the biggest jar of peanut butter you've ever seen, fluff, and American bread. He, extremely generously, brought it to school where almost all 40 of us joyously sat down to the most delicious pb and fluff sandwiches of our lives. Later, there would be copious amounts of pizzas to go, which got Dinah and me quite a few stares in the metro, TexMex for my birthday (complete with Heinz ketchup---such a treat!) and vanilla milkshakes.
These memories are some of the best of my time abroad; remembering them will always make me smile. The enjoyment of eating this food is amplified when you're abroad, because it always feels a bit sneaky or like you're breaking the rules.
So, when Dinah wrote to me from Italy (she's studying abroad again), asking me to make the Pioneer Woman's Pumpkin Whoopie pies, so could live vicariously through me, I happily obliged. Of course, right now it's funny to think of what I wouldn't give to trade places with Dinah and get my hands on some delicious gelato and pizza.
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
added to Tasty Kitchen by cakedutchess
For the cakes:
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 whole large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
for the frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. With a mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Fold in the flour mixture.
Drop 12 large mounds of batter onto each parchment lined baking sheets (mine didn't make quite this many). Make sure to space evenly. With floured fingers, gently press down on the center of each mound to flatten out a bit (I didn't do this). Bake for about 10 minutes or until springy to the touch. Transfer to a rack to cool completely (if you can wait that long).
Frosting: Beat the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioner's sugar, salt and vanilla and mix on low speed until blended. Then beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy.
Spread the flat side of half of the cakes with the frosting and top with the other half of the cakes. Enjoy!
added to Tasty Kitchen by cakedutchess
For the cakes:
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 whole large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
for the frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. With a mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Fold in the flour mixture.
Drop 12 large mounds of batter onto each parchment lined baking sheets (mine didn't make quite this many). Make sure to space evenly. With floured fingers, gently press down on the center of each mound to flatten out a bit (I didn't do this). Bake for about 10 minutes or until springy to the touch. Transfer to a rack to cool completely (if you can wait that long).
Frosting: Beat the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioner's sugar, salt and vanilla and mix on low speed until blended. Then beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy.
Spread the flat side of half of the cakes with the frosting and top with the other half of the cakes. Enjoy!
I LOVE this post!! yaya! So glad you made the whoopie pies. They look like they were delicious. I tried to make apple crisp here the other day, but they don't have brown sugar in Italy, so I couldn't :(
ReplyDeleteThose are such good memories of Paris! Do you remember going to eat at the american diner and it was sooo expensive?!