Peanut Butter & Co. Elvis Whoopie Pies

I hate bananas. So much so, in fact, that I've only ever eaten one banana. But I love Elvis. And Elvis loved to pair bananas with peanut butter (and bacon). So I felt obligated to at least give his signature combo a chance. My compromise: Elvis Whoopie Pies, which consist of two pieces of soft banana cake, honey-peanut butter filling, and bacon crumbles dotting the edge.

I was skeptical.

But I was proven wrong.

The cake's banana flavor was subtle enough so as not to overwhelm my banana-hating palate. The decadent filling tasted like melted peanut butter pie. And the salt of the bacon was the perfect complement to the sweetness of the cake. As one taster described it, it's  "heaven between two slices of heaven." 


Elvis Whoopie Pies 
Courtesy of Peanut Butter & Co. 

What you need


Cake

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 large very ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Filling

2 sticks of butter, softened

¾ cup The Bee's Knees peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar
4-6 Tbsp milk


Garnish
1-2 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Put it all together

1. Make the cookies: Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs until well combined. Stir in the bananas, milk, and vanilla. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture—about ½ cup at a time. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
3. Use an ice-cream scoop to drop balls of dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies’ edges are browned. Transfer to a cooling rack, and let them cool completely before adding filling.
4. Make the filling: Cream together the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. If necessary, add the remaining sugar so the mixture is easily spreadable but not runny.
5. Spread a large dollop of peanut butter filling on one cookie, then top with a second cookie. (Don’t press too hard, or the filling will squeeze out.) Sprinkle bacon bits on the frosted sides. Serve immediately.