Pink Velvet Fruity Pebble Whoopie Pies

Sooooooo yeah.  This recipe involves crushing up some Fruity Pebbles and mixing it into buttercream.  So obviously it's not good.  NOT.  Now I only want to eat my cereal with buttercream.  Breakfast of champions.  

I've always associated certain cereals with certain family members.  Fruity Pebbles- Grandma Anna.  Old school Barbie cereal- Grandma Tina.  Grape Nuts- Dad.  Honey Nut Cherrios- Me.  Cocoa Puffs- Me.  Frosted Flakes- Me.  Okay, I like cereal.

And these whoopie pies have really opened the doors for all kinds of interpretations.  Think of the cereals you can crush into some buttercream.  No really, I'll give you a minute.  Think about it.  

Do you guys usually store your Fruity Pebbles in multi-colored pinch bowls?  I do obviously.  You don't even want to know what I store Cap'n Crunch in. 

MMMMMmmmmm, breakfast*.  (*Do not take nutritional advice from me)

Here's the recipe!  

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
red or pink food coloring

Buttercream
1 cup finely crushed Fruity Pebbles (about 2 1/2 cups uncrushed)
1 cup butter, room temp
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tbs milk

Directions:

Whoopie Pies:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 1-2 mins.  Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 min.  
2.  Combine flour, cocoa powder and baking powder in a separate bowl.  With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of dry mix and allow to mix, then add 1/3 of buttermilk.  Continue in this order until all flour and buttermilk is added.  
4.  Add food coloring with mixer on low until desired color is reached.  Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to evenly distribute color.  
5.  Transfer batter into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the tip snipped off.  Piper batter onto baking sheets 2 inches apart, making about 1 1/2 inch whoopie pies (or desired size).  
6.  Bake about 6 minutes until set.  Allow to cool 2 mins on the baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Buttercream
1.  Cream butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, about 1-2 mins.  
2.  With the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar until fully incorporated.  Then add milk and turn mixer to medium speed and mix until smooth and fluffy, about 3-4 mins.  
3.  Turn mixer back to low speed and add crushed Fruity Pebbles until incorporated.  

Assemble pies by piping buttercream onto one side of an upturned whoopie shell and topping with another shell.  Enjoy!    

Recipe from Cookies and Cups