Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Makes 14

Description

A whoopie pie is a cross between a soft biscuit and a cake. They are made from two discs of sponge cake sandwiching a thick, buttercream filling.

Whoopie pies were originally cooked by the Amish community in America. They were put in Amish farmers' lunch boxes, who supposedly cried “whoopee” when they found them at lunchtime!

Ingredients

125g (5oz) Juvela Gluten-Free Mix
25g (1oz) cocoa powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
125ml (5fl oz) buttermilk
75g (3oz) softened butter
90g (3 1/2oz) soft brown sugar
1 egg
For the buttercream filling:
100g (4oz) softened butter
200g (8oz) icing sugar (sifted)
1tsp vanilla extract
100g (4oz) milk/plain chocolate (melted)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, G.M. 5.  Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy.  Whisk the egg and buttermilk together and beat half of it into the creamed mixture.
  3. Sift the cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into the Juvela Gluten-free mix.  Carefully fold into the batter along with the remaining egg and milk mixture.
  4. Using a teaspoon place spoonfuls of mixture onto the prepared baking tray making sure they are spaced well apart to allow for spreading during cooking. 
  5. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes in the pre-heated oven until they are firm to the touch.  Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.
  6. Meanwhile make the buttercream icing by creaming together the butter and icing sugar. Add the vanilla extract and continue beatingthe mixture until creamy and smooth.
  7. Place a heaped teaspoonful of buttercream on the base of a cooled sponge disc and place another on top.  Press lightly to evenly spread the buttercream and to create a Whoopie Pie! Continue to sandwich together the remaining cakes.  
  8. Decorate with the melted chocolate.