A Root Beer Float reminds me of childhood Summer days – it’s almost like a comfort feeling of nostalgia whenever I enjoy one. It’s even better as a pie (if that’s even possible!) with a taste of graham cracker crust with each bite.
My husband, Marlin, loves Gobs. He has been asking me to make them so I decided to whip up a batch in the kitchen today.
While Marlin calls them Gobs…I call them Whoppie Pies. While researching about this history of Gobs/Whoppie Pies I found it interesting that only in western Pennsylvania, mainly the Johnstown area, they are known as “gobs.” The now closed Harris & Boyar Bakery in Morrellville, PA, claimed to have invented the gob sometime in the 1920s.
The original recipe for whoopie pies does however have its own origins with the Amish. In Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, it is not an uncommon thing to find roadside farm stands offering these delicious desserts.
The first commercially sold whoopie pies were from the Labadie’s Bakery in Lewiston, Maine. Labadie’s Bakery first started selling Whoopie Pies in 1925.
While some recipes use marshmallow cream for the filling – I have my own personal preference and use my own recipe for buttercream frosting instead for the filling.
Marlin loves Chocolate Gobs with peanut butter filling – he’s a total chocolate and peanut butter loving guy 🤣
Anyway you call them…Gobs…Whoopie Pies…they remain delicious treat that warms your heart.
Whoppie Pies (Gobs)
Ingredients
1 box chocolate cake mix
One small box (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
Buttercream Filling
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
5 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional: I added 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter to make a peanut butter buttercream filling
Directions for the Whoopie Pies (Gobs)
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a large bowl add the cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil and eggs.
Use a hand held mixer to mix to combine the ingredients. Beat for at least 2 minutes.
Scoop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and make sure to put at least 2 inches between each cookie. I used a 2 teaspoon cookie scoop which I found to be easier to work with.
Bake for 10-13 minutes and remove from the oven.
Let cool completely before adding the filling.
Directions for the Filling
In a large mixing bowl, add the confectioners sugar, softened butter, heavy cream (or half and half or milk) and the vanilla extract. Use a hand held mixer to mix until it’s the perfect consistency.
Optional: Add the peanut butter and stir into the filling.
Assembly Directions
I used a frosting piping bag to pipe in the filling onto the bottom layer. You can, however, just spoon the filling in too!
Today in American history…our 33rd U.S. President, Harry Truman, was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, Missouri.
Childhood photo of Harry Truman
In the archives of the Harry S. Truman Library is a food questionnaire that President Truman once responded to.
“I like well-done steaks…Mrs. Truman’s chocolate cake, and chicken and dumplings. [My] mother’s custard pie and fried chicken.” When asked how he preferred fried chicken, he wrote, “Ask mamma – she’ll know how. Haven’t seen many who do.”
In honor of President Truman’s birthday – I made a homemade chocolate cake.
Since I could not find a recipe for Mrs. Truman’s chocolate cake, I made a chocolate cake that he surely would have approved of. Nothing is better than a homemade Hershey’s Chocolate Cake with Hershey’s Chocolate Frosting 😋
Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 – 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1 – 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 – 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cupboiling water
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting.
“Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or margarine(1 stick)
2/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately, add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.
It’s National Oatmeal Cookie Day! What a great way to celebrate by making homemade delicious oatmeal cookies. What’s ever better? Fresh from the oven when they are warm…oh my!
Homemade Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspooon ground cinnamon
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
Optional: 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, chopped nuts or raisins (I added walnuts – hubby’s favorite!)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.
Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an hand held mixer) for about 30 seconds until butter is a light yellow.
Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until combined.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture until completely combined.
Gradually stir in the oats until completely combined. If using raisins or chocolate chips, stir them in at this point.
Drop cookie dough by rounded 2 Tablespoon-sized balls onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Space the cookie dough balls at least 2″ apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
The temperatures are starting to rise and it’s beginning to feel like Summer. Lemon Cheesecake Pie is the perfect dessert on a hot day. It’s nice and cold and lemon desserts are always incredibly refreshing.
Lemon Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients
1 ready-to-use Nilla Wafer or Graham Cracker crust (I made my own graham cracker crust – was feeling energetic today!)
2 boxes (3.4 oz each) lemon instant pudding mix
2 cups half & half creamer
1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip
Optional: fresh lemon slices and/or lemon zest for garnishment
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, add the dry pudding mix and half & half creamer.
Whisk together for about 1-2 minutes until thoroughly combined.
Let the pudding mixture sit for a few minutes which will allow the pudding to thicken.
Once the pudding mixture is thickened, spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding mixture into the pie crust.
Set aside the remaining pudding mixture for later use.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese and sugar until creamy and combined.
Use a spatula to fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese/sugar mixture until combined.
Add half of the Cool Whip mixture into the remaining pudding mix that was set aside.
Spread onto the pie crust to form the second layer.
Spread the remaining Cool Whip/cream cheese mixture onto the top of the pie or you can use a piping tip and bag to pipe the Cool Whip mixture around the edges of the pie for decorating.
Optional: Add small slices of lemon wedges onto the piped Cool Whip mixture or sprinkle fresh lemon zest to the top of the pie.
Today in the kitchen I made a delicious Apple Cake in honor of Passover week. The cake was made with Matzo Meal instead of using traditional flour and I topped it off with my homemade whipped cream.
There is nothing in the world like an apple cake baked fresh from the oven topped with homemade whipped cream 😋
Apple Cake for Passover
Ingredients
2-1/4 cups matzo cake meal, divided ***
4 large apples, peeled and sliced (I used Granny Smith apples)
2-1/4 cups sugar, divided
6 eggs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon potato starch (I used cornstarch in the place of potato starch)
Whipped cream, optional (see recipe below for homemade whipped cream)
***if you cannot find matzo cake meal, use regular meal and use a food processor to grind the meal into flour.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup matzo cake meal. Set the dish aside until it’s time to add your cake batter.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
In another large bowl, beat the eggs until slightly thickened. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until thickened and has a lemon color.
Beat in the vegetable oil and water.
Combine the potato starch and the remaining matzo meal; add to the egg mixture and mix all of the ingredients really well.
Pour half of the batter into your prepared baking dish. Top with the slices apples and remaining batter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center of the cake is completely done.
Cool on a wire rack.
If desired, top with whipped cream.
Homemade Whipped Cream
Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Using a handheld or stand alone mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form (about 3–4 minutes).
Use immediately or cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
We all know Emily Dickinson as an American poet but did you know she also enjoyed baking? I came across her recipe for Coconut Cake recently and had to follow up and read more on Emily Dickinson’s love of baking.
In 1845, a young Emily wrote a letter to her friend Abiah Root:
“I am going to learn to make bread to-morrow. So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up, mixing flour, milk, salaratus, etc., with a great deal of grace.”
A decade later her “rye and Indian” bread won a prize at a local cattle show.
She loved to bake for her family and friends and continued even after she stopped leaving her home permanently.
She has two recipes for her Coconut Cake and here’s one below.
From the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Emily Dickinson’s handwritten Coconut cake recipe.
1 cup cocoanut
2 cups flour
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoonful soda
1 teaspoonful cream of tartar
This one makes half the rule
The original recipe did not have directions attached.
Emily Dickinson’s Coconut Cake
Adapted from a recipe in the collection of Donald and Patricia Oresman
Ingredients
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups cake flour ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup whole milk, room temperature 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8½″ X 4½″ loaf pan with butter, line the bottom with parchment, and butter the parchment.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well.
3. Sift the cake flour together with the baking soda and cream of tartar, and whisk to blend (or substitute a scant 2 teaspoons of baking powder for the soda and cream of tartar).
4. Add half the milk to the butter-sugar mixture and stir to blend, then add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add the remaining milk and then the remaining flour, mixing briefly after each addition. Fold in the coconut.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake on middle rack of oven for about 55-60 minutes, until golden around the edges and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.
Today in American history…Thomas Jefferson, our third U.S. President (1801-1809) was born on April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia.
Along with being a U.S. President, he was one of our founding fathers and the primary author of The Declaration of Independence.
He was also the second Governor of Virginia (1779-1781), second U.S. Minister to France (1785-1789) first U.S. Secretary of State (1790-1793) and second Vice President (1797-1801).
Portrait from 1800
Thomas Jefferson accomplished much in life as a statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, planter and philosopher but one of his greatest personal accomplishments was the founder of the University of Virginia.
He passed away on ironically on July 4, 1826 on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Our second U.S. President, John Adams, passed away on the very same day.
Before he passed away, Thomas Jefferson wrote his own epitaph and was buried at his home at Monticello. His epitaph reads:
Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia.
One of the crops grown at Monticello were sweet potatoes – it was one of his personal favorites (along with pecans!) The recipe is from the National Constitution Center (NCC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the NCC, Thomas Jefferson’s biscuits were served at the very first meeting of the First Continental Congress in 1774.
Thomas Jefferson’s Sweet Potato Biscuits
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cut in small pieces
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup of milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sweet potato, mashed (about 1 large Virginia Sweet Potato)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (I omitted the pecans)
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F
Combine the dry ingredients. Add butter with fork, food processor or pastry cutter until the texture is small crumbs.
Combine milk and sweet potatoes. Add to flour mixture. Add pecans.
Knead dough with your hands until it is a smooth mass. Roll out on a floured surface to 1/2″ thickness and cut with a 2″ biscuit cutter.
Place on a greased baking sheet 2″ apart.
Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
The Historical Homemaker 