Chocolate & peanut butter whoopies

    Ingredients

    125g butter, at room temperature
    160g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 egg
    50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
    1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    300g (2 cups) plain flour
    330ml (1 1/3 cups) buttermilk

Peanut butter frosting

    125g cream cheese, at room temperature
    70g (1/4 cup) smooth peanut butter
    230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
    1/2 teaspoon milk




    Method

    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 190°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg.
    Step 2

    Stir in the cocoa and bicarbonate of soda 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.
    Step 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.
    Step 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.
    Step 5

    To make the filling: Use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and peanut butter in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the milk and beat until mixture is pale and creamy.
    Step 6

    Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm fluted nozzle. Pipe stars onto a whoopie base. Pipe half the whoopies with the peanut butter frosting.
    Step 7

    Top with remaining whoopies and press lightly to sandwich together. Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the tops.