Dear friends, I was a baking fiend today. I made a small yellow cake with chocolate frosting for my mother in law. Then, I made XL cupcakes with various frostings, and then, I made these hostess cupcake-like whoopie pies. And I used cake mixes for all of them! But the frosting, fillings and squiggles are all homemade. Rob wanted hostess cupcakes, but those are such a disaster for me, who can not decorate at all, I went whoopie pie instead. Still has the fluff filling, chocolate frosting and squiggle. I would say with less mess, but not really. I ended up with chocolate cake batter on the elbow of my Josh Allen Bills hoodie. Now, I am sitting on the deck with Gracie and Rob, still with chocolate on my elbow. Listening to the birds.. And I swear one sounds like he is singing “Derek Jeter”

A reminder to take your butter put an hour or so for the fluff filling and squiggle so it softens up. Also preheat your oven for 20 minutes for baking so you get the right temp.

• Whoopie pie ingredients
• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. combine ingredients and mix well. Dough is thick. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Scoop out either 1 1/2 tbs of dough or 3 tbs (I did both sizes). Stagger on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes for smaller cookies, 7 to 9 for larger ones. Cool completely.

• Filling ingredients
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup marshmallow fluff
• 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Milk

Directions – combine fluff and butter. Blend in powdered sugar. Add vanilla. If mixture is too thick, add a little milk.

• Chocolate frosting ingredients
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 2 tbs butter, melted
• 2 -3 cups powdered sugar
• Milk

Directions – combine butter and cocoa. Add powdered sugar. Blend in enough milk to get the consistency you want.

• Squiggle ingredients
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Milk

Directions – combine butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla, then enough milk to get the consistency you want for your squiggle! Scoop into a sandwich baggie and cut out a small corner. Now put the whole thing together

Store in covered container.

Remember to be kind because everyone is battling through something. Also know that you matter and you are loved.