Carrot and Walnut Whoopies

Ingredients

• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 160g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g (1 cup) coarsely grated carrot
• 45g (1/3 cup) walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 330ml (1 1/3 cups) buttermilk

• Cream cheese frosting

• 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 50g butter, at room temperature
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg.
2. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda, carrot, walnuts, cinnamon and to combine. Use a metal spoon to fold in flour and buttermilk, in alternating batches, until just smooth. The mixture should be a little stiff.
3. Use a 3cm-diameter ice-cream scoop to place rounds of the mixture onto prepared trays, leaving 5cm for spreading. Use your finger to smooth mixture around the edges.
4. Bake, swapping the trays halfway through cooking, for 10 minutes or until firm. Cool slightly. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat, in 2 more batches, with remaining mixture.
5. To make the filling, use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the vanilla and milk and beat until mixture is pale and creamy.
6. Spoon filling into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm round nozzle. Pipe a dollop over a whoopie base. Pipe half the whoopies with cream cheese frosting.
7. Top with the remaining whoopies and press lightly to sandwich together.