Red Velvet Whoopie Pies from Cake Mix

Red Velvet Cake Mix Whoopie Pies with homemade Cream Cheese Frosting are soft, cake-like cookies with sweet, creamy filling that are super easy to make with few handy shortcuts. Pretty, festive dessert for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and birthday parties. 

For more easy handheld desserts, try No-Bake Cake Pops and Chocolate Tartlets next! 

🍰Ingredients

See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.

• Red velvet cake mix. I use a 15.25 oz. box of Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Red Velvet cake mix. If your box cake mix is smaller, the most accurate way to compensate is with more mix from a second box. Use remaining cake mix to make cake mix mug cakes or cake mix pancakes. 
• Instant pudding mix. A box of pudding mix adds moisture, flavor, and richness to the cake batter -- great way to doctor up a box of red velvet cake mix! 
• Cream cheese. For the thickest, creamiest filling use block cream cheese, not cream cheese spread in a tub. Soften to room temperature so it whips smoothly. 

✨Substitutions or Variations

• Cake mix. Use any kind of cake mix -- carrot cake mix or spice cake mix would be so yummy with the cream cheese frosting! 
• Filling. Try a different frosting like this marshmallow filling -- it's sweet and creamy and made with marshmallow fluff. This almond buttercream would also be delicious. 
• Sprinkles. Once the filling is firm, roll the edges of the whoopie pies in chopped pecans, mini chocolate chips, or festive sprinkles. 

🥣How to Make Easy Whoopie Pies with Red Velvet Cake Mix

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, mix dry cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and water with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened, then on medium-high speed for another minute or two. 

Step 2: Drop batter in one rounded tablespoon portions onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Use a spoon to gently swirl the batter into uniformly round shapes. Push in any stray batter with damp fingers.    

Step 3: Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until the tops spring back when gently pressed. Cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely before filling. 

Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Do not overmix or it can become too soft. 

Step 5: With a knife or piping bag, pipe or spread 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons of filling on the flat side of one cookie. Place a second cookie on top to make a sandwich. 

Step 6: Store filled whoopie pies in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed the same day they are filled. 

👉Top Tip: The cakes are very moist and may stick to your serving plate, storage container, and each other. To avoid this, store them individually wrapped in plastic wrap. 

🎁Storage & Freezing Instructions

• Individually wrap leftover filled whoopie pies in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
• To freeze filled or unfilled whoopie pies, individually wrap them in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator. 
• Freeze cream cheese filling in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator. Rewhip it, if necessary, until smooth and creamy. 

📅Make Ahead

• Cream cheese buttercream frosting can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature until soft enough to spread or pipe, 20-30 minutes.
• Store unfilled red velvet whoopie pies individually wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for a couple of days. 
• To assemble: Whoopie pies are less sticky when they are very cold. I flash-freeze the unfilled whoopie pies in a single layer for about 30 minutes before filling.  

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