The Freshman Cook: Improv Challenge~Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies!

Today is the day for the Improv Cooking Challenge!   This is such a fun challenge, I just love participating! This month our ingredients are carrots and ginger. I immediately thought of carrot cake, but I was looking for something a little smaller, like cookies. This got my brain thinking about cookies, and then whoopie pies, the ultimate cookie!

Carrot Cake Whoppie Pies

(adapted from Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley)

2 cups Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Salt

8 tablespoons Butter, softened

1/2 cup packed Light Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 cup Grated Carrots

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder,

cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together. 

Set aside.

In the bowl that you can use a mixer with, 

cream together the butter and both sugars. 

Cream on medium for  4-5 minutes

until light and fluffy. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

Mix in vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Add carrots.

Chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

While the batter is chilling, make the cream cheese filling.

This is a recipe I have used for a very long time. I love it!

Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounces Cream Cheese

5 tablespoons Butter, softened

2 teaspoon Vanilla

2 cups Confectioners Sugar

Cream the cream cheese and butter together.

Add vanilla.

Add sugar 1 cup at a time. You might need more

if you want thicker filling.

Put filling in a pastry bag with a Wilton #12 tip.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a small cookie scoop, and place circle of dough

on your baking sheet. Cook for 10 minutes.

Let cool!

Pipe the filling onto the bottom of 1 cookie,…..

and put the other cookie on top.

Delicious!

Thanks for stopping by The Freshman Cook!