Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

I've seen various flavors of whoopie pies show up all over the place in the past year or so, but I've never gotten around to making them. I thought this would be a perfect time of the year to make these because of the color, and there were several family members to help me eat them. The good Lord knows I don't need to eat all of these myself!

I thought they were delicious. If you're the kind of person that likes cake more than icing, these are for you. I've heard several people talk about cupcakes having too much icing, and they either refrain from eating them or they knock off most of the icing. Personally I've never met a cupcake with too much icing, but to each his own; I wont judge!

The only thing I'll do differently next time is to check them after being in the oven for 8 minutes. The original directions say 9-10 minutes, but I've changed that in the directions below to say 8-10 minutes. I took mine out after 9 minutes, but I think they would've been perfect at 8. The cream cheese icing, however was amazing and pairs perfectly with the red velvet.


Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

Red Velvet
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-processed or unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon liquid red food coloring

Cream Cheese Filling
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8-ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract



Directions:
Red Velvet
Preheat oven to 375-degrees, and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (can also use a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg beating well. Beat in the vanilla extract. In a small measuring cup, mix the buttermilk and red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Drop heaping tablespoons (can also use a small ice cream scoop) of the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the tops of the cookies, when lightly pressed, spring back (or a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean). Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Cream Cheese Filling
Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.


To Assemble
Take one cookie and spread a heaping tablespoon of the filling on the flat side of the cookie. Top with another cookie.
The assembled cookies can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for several days.
My batter made 24 sandwich cookies (original recipe says 17 cookies)

Source: Joy of Baking