Red Velvet Whoopee Pies with Cream Cheese Filling

Part cookie, part cake, these are a fabulous treat for high tea or a ladies’ lunch. Use powdered colouring for this recipe (or omit it altogether if preferred), as the liquid type can thin out the batter too much.

BATTER:

240g plain flour

300g caster sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

375ml (1½cups) neutral-tasting vegetable oil 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon powdered red food colouring

ICING:

250g butter

300g icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla paste

250g cream cheese (standard, not spreadable) 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Heat oven to 180°C. Line baking trays with baking paper and lightly grease.

Batter: Sift flour, caster sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. In a separate large bowl, lightly whisk together oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar and food colouring. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and whisk together to form a smooth, runny batter.

Use a tablespoon to place dollops of the batter on a baking tray, leaving room for them to expand as they cook. Avoid making the dollops too big, or they will not be easy to handle once cooked.

Bake 12-15 minutes. Do not over-bake, as they will become slightly firmer once cooled. Allow to stand for a minute or so then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter. (These can be baked up to 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container, layered between baking paper.)

Icing: Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, cream butter and icing sugar together until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla seeds, cream cheese and lemon juice and mix lightly, taking care not to overwork the mixture as it can split and become watery.

Gently spread or pipe icing onto the flat side of half the baked discs and top with remaining discs. Makes about 25