Something sweet to end the week

Whoopie pie, Moon Pie, little cakes with a cream filling... whatever they're called, they are cakey and delicious.

I have been wanting to try Whoopie Pies again for a while, after my last attempt resulted in flat pancake like things.

I also thought it was about time I baked for my work mates again, as the past few weeks have been exceptionally stressful and hard. I asked one of the girls what flavour she felt like and she immediately yelled back at me "SALTED CARAMEL". The challenge was set. I started looking through my favourite blogs for salted caramel posts and found a recipe for Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Buttercream. YUM.

Chocolate Whoopie Pie
From Caren Blair

2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk buttermilk and vanilla together. In stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar together until fluffy, and then add egg and mix until uniform. Alternately add dry and wet ingredients to mixer, beginning and ending with dry. Mix until just combined. Spoon or pipe circles 2 inches from each other on parchment covered sheet trays. Bake for 13 minutes, or until cakes spring bake when pressed. Remove from tray with spatula and move to cooling rack. The cakes can be frozen for later use.
 

Salted Caramel Buttercream
From Endless Simmer

1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup of caramel sauce (recipe follows)
 

Place butter and vanilla in a bowl and beat on high until butter is pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Turn mixer speed down to medium and add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Beat until combined. Add in caramel sauce and beat until combined.
 

Caramel Sauce:
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons of heavy cream
½ teaspoons of kosher salt

Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Now and then, using the handle give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Add salt and stir to combine.
 

Assembly:
Fill pastry bag with buttercream or using a spoon place 1 teaspoon of the buttercream on whoopie cake and place the second whoopie pie cake on top.