Red velvet whoopie pies recipe

These red velvet whoopie pies are a great bake - either as a snack, a teatime treat or even for pudding. 

Woopie pies are a versatile little back - somewhere between a biscuit and a cake, a little like an American version of a macaron. They're originally from the North-Eastern United States, probably from the Amish communities around Main or Pennsylvania. These red velvet ones look beautiful and are so easy to make - they make a perfect Valentine's Day treat, or a cute homemade gift for any occasion. This batch makes about 10 pies (20 biscuits, each sandwich in pairs around the filling). They will go quickly though, so don't be afraid to double the quantities.

Ingredients

• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 125g light brown soft sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
• 175g plain fl our
• 50ml buttermilk
• 1 tbsp red food colouring

For the icing:

• 50g cream cheese
• 30g unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
• 225g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar using an electric hand mixer for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Add the baking powder.
3. Whisk in the flour and buttermilk in alternate batches on a low speed, starting and finishing with the flour – be careful not to over-beat. Whisk in the food colouring and a pinch of salt.
4. Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe the batter onto the baking parchment in small circles, about 2–3cm in diameter. Leave a 3cm gap between each as they will spread.
5. Bake for 14 minutes, or until they’re puffed up and spring back on touching. Cool on the baking trays for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
6. For the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter using an electric hand mixer. Add the vanilla extract and icing sugar. Beat on a low speed at first and increase the speed until the icing is smooth and fluffy. Use the icing to sandwich the pies together in pairs, with the flat sides facing each other. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Top tip for making red velvet whoopie pies

Be delicate with your mixing and don't overmix, as this can knock the lightness out of the batter and cause the whoopie pies to come out of the oven rather flat.

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• Red velvet cake
• Whoopie pies
• Valentine's Day cakes