I like burgers too much.
Mmmmm burgers…
But wait! Of course today is April Fool’s Day, and these “burgers” are actually whoopie pies.
Mmmm chocolate burgers. Who needs meat when you can have chocolate?
Hamburger Whoopie Pies
(makes about 12 small sandwich circles)
Adapted from S’mores Whoopie Pies. These tiny chocolate whoopie pies are perfect for an April Fools treat—decorate them like mini hamburgers with green “spinach” frosting and sliced strawberries for tomato.
Whoopie Pie Ingredients
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- scant 1 tsp vinegar
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- just over 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons applesauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oil (coconut or neutral vegetable oil)
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Stir the vinegar into the milk and set aside to curdle slightly. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate container, combine the applesauce, water, oil, and vanilla with the milk-vinegar mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined.
Drop small rounds—slightly larger than a silver dollar—onto a lined or greased cookie sheet. You can bake them on one or two trays, or use a whoopie pie maker if you have one. Bake for about 8 minutes, until set. Let cool before assembling.
For the Fillings and Decorations
Get creative with toppings to create the hamburger illusion. I used sliced strawberries for tomato. For the green “spinach” layer that looks like lettuce, try this creamy green frosting:
- 2/3 cup silken-firm tofu (about 140 g) — soft-silken should work as well
- 6 tablespoons raw cashew butter or coconut butter
- scant 1/8 tsp salt
- small handful fresh spinach (you won’t taste it)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- sweetener to taste (stevia, agave, sugar, etc.)
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. The frosting thickens when chilled, so prepare it ahead of time and refrigerate. For easy piping, place the frosting in a plastic bag, snip a small corner, and squeeze onto the whoopie pies. Assemble just before serving or keep finished sandwiches refrigerated.
For a soy-free version, replace the tofu and cashew butter with a peanut butter–based soy-free frosting and add vanilla and spinach to it.
Chocolate Options
Use your favorite chocolate element as the “patty”: hot fudge sauce, chocolate frosting, melted chocolate chips, or even small rounds of brownie. A rich chocolate spread works especially well. I used a favorite hot chocolate butter recipe, but any chocolate topping you enjoy will do.
Question of the Day
Have you ever played an April Fools joke?
Also—any good prank ideas for a roommate? I considered setting the clocks back two hours, but since she’s not working today she might not notice.
P.S. No, I didn’t expect to fool everyone with my obviously-not-real burgers. I know not everyone falls for these pranks—last year I fell for a tweet claiming a celebrity had gone vegan and signed on with a brand!