Thursday, February 16, 2012

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!



Improv Challenge

18 comments:

  1. Those little pies look like the perfect treat to snack on. Betcha can't eat just one, though!

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  2. What fantastic whoopie pies. I thought about doing cake as well, ended up with donuts. I think this month everyone has really outdone themselves with the variety of recipes.

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  3. Whoopie pies are the greatest and with this combo, they must be dreamy.

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  4. I made whoopie pies, too!!! So yummy!!! I like the way you think :)

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  5. Excellent idea! Your Whoopie Pies look yummy!

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  6. What a perfectly delicious idea. I haven't had a whoopie pie in ages but now I'm craving one.

    If you haven't already, I'd love for you to check out my Improv Cooking Challenge entry: Shrimp & Avocado Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

    Lisa~~
    Cook Lisa Cook

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  7. Looks like I've hit upon a great use for all those carrots leftover from this month's challenge!

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  8. This sounds like the perfect dose of carrot cake love. Great choice.

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  9. Oh I love whoopie pies! these look great! Stop by and check out my Carrot Cake Ice Cream!

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  10. These turned out great--I love whoopie pies! Found you through the challenge--I'm having so much fun checking out these great recipes.

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  11. Fantastic idea! I have never seen that before! YUM!

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  12. Now these look like the lastest rage! Very yummy--nice choice for the improv!

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  13. Looks delicious! I am so impressed by all the desserts this challenge - I am not a baker and immediately thought savory thoughts :)

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  14. Teri...your whoopie pies ARE the ultimate cookies! And your pictures make me want to reach right through this monitor and grab one! Look at that picture with the half of a whoopie pie with the icing piped on!!! Wow...don't even need to put the top on....I'll just have another...and another...and another! Great job with this month's ingredients!!! : )

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  15. Carrot cake cookie! with the frosting in between! I think I could be addicted to these.

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  16. Oh my goodness! These carrot cake whoopie pies so sooo good! Love your recipe for this challenge.

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  17. I made these this month for SRC and they were great! Thank you for the recipe!

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