Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Lemon Filling

What do you do when you have a teeny tiny pie pumpkin and an already zested lemon?  Bake and puree the pumpkin, squeeze the lemon, and make whoopie...pies.  This batch makes about nine or ten medium sized whoopie pies, but the number will depend on the size scoop that you use.  The cookie is nice and soft and mildly spiced, and the filling has a nice lemon flavor, despite having no zest.  All hail the random ingredients, yeah?

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Lemon Filling

Whoopie Pies:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
5 ounces (about 1/2 cup) pumpkin puree (I used homemade, canned should work as well)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lemon Filling:
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) vegetable shortening
juice of one large lemon

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  To make the whoopie pies, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.  In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat well until combined.  Beat in the pumpkin puree.  Add the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined.  Scoop the batter onto the parchment lined baking sheet using a small cookie scoop.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned and the top of the cookie is set.  Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

To make the lemon filling, beat the powdered sugar and shortening in a medium size bowl (it will be crumbly).  Beat in enough of the lemon juice to make a soft, fluffy filling (I used all of the juice).  Beat on high until filling is light and fluffy.  Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down, and using the same size scoop as used for the batter, scoop the filling onto the overturned cookies.  Top with another cookie and press lightly to spread the filling to the edges.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy