And so the baking continues.  My “other half” has been talking about these little cakes his mother used to make by dropping cake batter on a baking sheet and using vanilla cream inside them.  I once tried putting a dollop of Rose’s All american chocolate butter cake on a cookie sheet…disaster.  When I opened the book and saw this recipe I exclaimed :  A-ha!.  So gave it a whirl.  Please exuse the poor picutre, took it with my cell phone.  When my “other half” tasted it, the response was:  “close”.  There are some people that just aren’t pleasable.  LOL.  I thought they were delicious.  LIke a dressed up snak cake.  (Mind you, it hasn’t stopped my other half from eating them.)

Bill, here is the closest thing I have come to the original Drake’s Devil Dog, which are similar to Whoopie pies.  My recipe uses a vanilla cream, some Whoopie Pie recipes call for a marshmallow filling, and I don’t like marshmallow.  Devil Dog cake (and Whoopie Pie cake) is a little more dense and heavy than a regular chocolate layer cake.  Hope you try them, and enjoy them!

DEVIL DOGS              

Makes 36 - 38 halves, 18-19 Devil Dogs

4 ounces boiling water (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (1 1/2 ounces)
2 cups flour (9 ounces)
2 tablespoons dried buttermilk powder *
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 ounces Crisco
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 ounces)
1 cup sugar (7 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
4 ounces water *

* Omit the buttermilk powder and water and use 4 ounces (1/2 cup) buttermilk if you prefer.

Make sure to beat the batter and filling for the recommended times, do not take shortcuts here.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees for conventional baking on the middle rack, one pan at a time; or 425 degrees for convection baking on racks 2, 4, 6.  You can open the oven door and put in the remaining sheets as you get them scooped out.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stir cocoa powder into boiling water.  Cool to room temperature and whisk in the remaining water (or buttermilk). 

Combine flour, buttermilk powder (if using), baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Cream Crisco and butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light, fluffy and white.  Add egg and vanilla.

Add half the flour mixture and blend to combine.  Add the chocolate mixture blend to combine.  Add the rest of the flour mixture; blending only until combined.  Do not overmix. 

Scoop in level 1 tablespoon ice cream scoop amounts onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Bake for 7-9 minutes.  Carefully remove from parchment with a spatula and cool. 

Filling
1 1/2 ounces flour (about 5 1/2 tablespoons)
6 ounces milk (3/4 cup)
big pinch salt
3 1/2 ounces Crisco (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter (3 tablespoons)
5 1/4 ounces sugar (3/4 cup)     

Whisk flour, milk and salt in a small saucepan until smooth.  Cook over medium low heat until thick.  Cool to room temperature.

Beat butter, Crisco and sugar for 8 minutes, until white and fluffy.  Beat in room temperature milk mixture for 4-5 minutes.  Refrigerate to firm up.  Fill cakes using the 1 tablespoon scoop, just a little less, approx. 1/2 ounce filling each, and refrigerate.

Thanks so much for posting your recipe!  Although thre recipe says it is a marshmallow cream…it doesn’t taste like marshmallow at all, just tastes vanilla.

They look pretty good to me. I LOVE your cake stand. Do you change the ribbon to suit the occassion?

I didn’t grow up eating these little cream filled morsels, but I have many friends who have.  They’re yummy for kids of all ages!

Rozanne:
This cake stand was bought the day I bought Rose’s Heavenly cakes.  It is only 8 1/4” across and perfect for my 7” cakes that I am always yammering about.  I bought it on the street, outside a little antique shop. I think I paid $18 for it…a bargain if you ask me!  As of yet, I have not changed the ribbon.  It looks like hand made antique lace.  I’m actually afraid of getting it dirty…but so far, I haven’t used the cake stand except for this picture!  I’m amazed that you can see that there is a ribbon runningh through those holes in this terrible picture.

Oh Bill, these look great!  These were actually the first thing I made from RHC, so I know how good yours must be!  So much better than anything similar that I’ve had from bakeries.  They’re particularly easy if you have mousseline in the freezer.

I had never heard of these until I saw them in the book, but now I see them everywhere, even on cooking shows.  Isn’t it funny how that happens.

i am completely overwhelmed overjoyed by all you bloggers wonderful baking from Rose’s Heavenly Cakes.  these show and tell truly makes the book alive like never before!