Red Velvet Whoopie Pies w/Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted: February 9th, 2010 | Joanna | | Tags: cream cheese frosting, red velvet, robert cass, valentine cookies, whoopie pie | 2 Comments »

Valentines Day is coming up and I think it is a perfect holiday to celebrate with baking. Red Velvet cake is no brainer but while looking for a recipe I came across a few of these  red velvet cookies that looked very fun, and more portable and less messy than a cupcake or cake. I am looking for a better red food coloring substitute, using a whole bottle of dye in one cake mixture just doesn’t seem right. Next time I am going to experiment with beet juice and crushed strawberries, I’m hoping that will yield a moist and more natural cake. For the time being this recipe is very easy, takes no time to make and even less time to be eaten by your roommates.

I’m planning on making these for valentines day and handing out to my friends. Much more fun than the usual whitman sampler, and who doesn’t get excited by a hand held cake? Why hasn’t hostess jumped on this yet?

*I’m going to suggest cutting the sugar on these, I found them very sweet. I think you would be fine using only 1/2 a cup. and upping the baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon. They look a little flat as shown above.

cake recipe adapted from My Baking Heart

Makes 10 medium cookies
1-1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
5 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1/2 c + 2 Tbs sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c buttermilk * (you can make buttermilk by combining 1 Tbsp white vinegar or Lemon Juice. and pouring in milk til you reach 1 cup. Let sit for 5 min = buttermilk!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and baking soda.

Beat butter with the  sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, food coloring and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk until smooth.

Place heaping tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet (I use parchment paper on a cookie sheet). Spread a teeny bit but not too  much, otherwise you’ll end up with pancakes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Once cool, frost half with cream cheese frosting and sandwich the rest together.

Jessie’s Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
1 stick of butter
2 cups of confectioner’s sugar
1 tps. vanilla

Soften the cream cheese and butter slightly and beat. Add in the vanilla. When combined pour in the confectioner’s sugar stirring throughout.

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