Black Velvet Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 1 package (15 1/4 to 18 1/4 ounces) German chocolate cake mix with pudding
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons McCormick® Black Food Color
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Jack-O-Lantern Orange Filling:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners? sugar
• 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure orange extract
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Red Food Color
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Yellow Food Color

Directions:

For the Cookies-

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat cake mix, water, cocoa powder, oil, food color, eggs and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened, scraping sides of bowl frequently.
3. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.
4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter, 2 inches apart, onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Cookies will spread so avoid crowding them on baking sheet.)
5. Bake 8 minutes or until cookies are puffed and spring back when touched, turning baking sheets halfway through baking.
6. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute.
7. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

For the Orange Filling-

1. Beat all ingredients in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. To assemble the Whoopie Pies, place 1 tablespoon filling on flat side of 1 cookie.
3. Top with a second cookie, pressing gently to spread the filling.
4. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

Variations:

Frankenstein Green Filling: Use pure lemon extract in place of the orange extract and 1/4 teaspoon Neon Green McCormick® Assorted NEON! Food Colors and Egg Dye in place of the yellow and red food color.

Phantom Purple Filling: Use 1 teaspoon raspberry extract in place of the orange extract and 1/2 teaspoon Neon Purple and 15 drops Neon Blue McCormick® Assorted NEON! Food Colors and Egg Dye in place of the yellow and red food color.