If you need an excuse to make red velvet cakes, Valentine's day is the perfect opportunity. It really is such a delicious and simple treat and these red velvet whoopie pies, in my opinion, are the absolutely best way to enjoy them.
Like carrot cake, red velvet is really brought to life by the cream cheese and, the pairing of that and this recipe, makes cakes that are so soft and moist that they are a dream to eat.
A few notes on the recipe: most recipes use buttermilk, but as this isn't always available in the shops and I always have yogurt in the fridge I use this instead. Along with the bicarb and vinegar it really gives these cakes the delicate, sponge texture that is so unforgettable.
I normally pipe these onto the baking sheet as it is easier to control the size and shape, however, I also like to pipe these into silicone doughnut moulds for a bit of variety. Use whatever you like or have: if you have heart moulds those would be especially cute!
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Ingredients:
250g All purpose white flour
15g Cocoa powder
1tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp Salt
115ml oil
150g light brown sugar
1 Egg
150g Yogurt
1tsp White vinegar
2tsp vanilla essence
Red gel food colour
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°and prepare baking sheets with grease proof paper or silicone baking sheets.
In a medium bowl measure and sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt and bicarb.
In another, larger bowl place oil, yogurt, egg, sugar vinegar and vanilla.
using a hand whisk, mix wet ingredients until well combined.
Add dry ingredients to the wet and whisk on low until all the flour is mixed in.
Add a few drops of food colour and mix again.
Using a piping bag or spoon pour batter onto the prepared baking sheets leaving a space in between each one.
Depending on the size this should make enough for 16 cake halves.
Bake for 12 minutes.
When they have finished cooking allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
When completely cool pipe cream cheese frosting onto one half and sandwich together with the other half.
Dust with icing sugar or cocoa and store in the fridge for two to three days.