Chocolate Whoopie Pies

This is a truly fantastic recipe. The cookies are perfect: smooth and cakey and full of rich, dark chocolate flavor, not to mention oh-so-pretty to look at. They're easy to throw together, take less than 10 minutes to bake, and - though they're to-die-for delicious when filled with the vanilla frosting - they aren't so bad by themselves, either, warm from the oven and served with a big, ice cold glass of milk. After I'd filled a few, I tinted the rest of the frosting pink (in a half-hearted, only slightly self-loathing attempt to celebrate valentines day), and I have to admit they looked pretty cute.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did - but be prepared, they're highly addictive!

Ingredients:
for the cake:
1.5 oz high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp butter, room temp
1 cup + 1 tbsp flour
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
sprinkle of salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

for the frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds
Cream butter, sugar, egg and oil until smooth (about 5 minutes with a hand mixer)
Stir in melted chocolate
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (through salt)
Add dry ingredients to wet, along with the buttermilk.
Scoop dough onto baking sheet with a small ice cream scoop (should make around 20 cookies)
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until centers spring back when lightly poked

While cookies cool, cream butter, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla for the frosting until smooth
Once cookies are fully cooled (I put mine in the fridge for a few minutes, to be absolutely sure), spoon
about 1 tbsp frosting onto the flat side of a cookie and top with another.

Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days (will last longer if you wait to frost until you serve)


8-10 whoopie pies