A whoopie pie, a whoopie cake, or do you call it a whoopie cookie?
Not only is the name of the whoopie unclear, but its origins are also uncertain. The whoopie
would probably be declared the official dessert of Maine if such a thing existed, but Boston and Pennsylvania also claim the honor of being its birthplace.
There are Mainers who will testify that they were weaned on whoopies. One theory is that
whoopies were introduced to Maine when a woman working in a commercial bakery baked some leftover cake batter instead of wasting it, and put it together with some extra filling. From this, the whoopie was born.
Food historians, however, believe that it was the Amish women living in the Pennsylvania region who created the whoopie. Whoopies are certainly part of their culture and they are sold at all Amish markets, farmers markets, roadside stands offering baked goods. It is an unproven notion that Amish women baked leftover cake batter and put the resulting pies in their husband's and children's lunch boxes. On opening and finding the goodies, the latter shouted "Whoopie" for joy.
Whatever the name or origins, the whoopie is the perfect fun-to-eat treat for any occassion.
Credits goes to Susanna Tee
