Have we ever mentioned that we’ve never met a holiday we didn’t like? Especially one that allows us to indulge in copious amounts of sugar?
So when we found out National Carrot Cake Day was coming up (it’s tomorrow, in fact!), we were totally on board to eat up.
Enter our pal Stacey Little of Southern food and recipe blog Southern Bite, who created an innovative twist on this classic dessert—Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies with cream cheese frosting—and served them up on our new Draper James Dog Appetizer Plates. Yes, please!
Read on for the recipe and more from Stacey.
It’s National Carrot Cake day!
It is! Folks are always critical of the plethora of food holidays we have now, but I’m always game for any holiday that is all about me eating.
Tell us about this recipe for Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies.
This recipe combines two of my favorite things—carrot cake and whoopie pies. Neither are Southern by any stretch. Whoopie pies can be traced back to the northeast, with Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusetts, Virginia, and New Hampshire all laying claim to its invention. In fact, whoopie pies are the official state treat of Maine. Carrot cake is European, though the exact location of its creation varies in terms of lore. All that said, we Southerners know good food, so just because we didn’t invent it, doesn’t mean we don’t adopt it as our own. I think it’s arguable that our own moon pie might take some inspiration from the whoopie pie.
How would you serve this recipe?
The Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies are best just by themselves. They’re perfect for dessert, an after-school snack, or just about any time.
Any “tricks” to making a great carrot dessert?
The cook time on these Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies is pretty fast, so it’s important to make sure your carrots are finely grated. Use the smallest hole on your box grater. Grating them too big will keep them from cooking through in the short cook time.
Recipe for Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies by Stacey Little of Southern Bite
Makes about 18 Whoopie Pies
Ingredients for the Whoopie Pies
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely grated carrot
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Ingredients for the Filling:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1½cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
In the bowl of a small food chopper or food processor, pulse the oats until very fine. Combine the ground oats with the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three batches, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the carrot, coconut, and pecans. Mix well.
Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking pan, leaving about 3″ between each dollop. Bake for 12-to-14 minutes or until set and just starting to brown around the edges. Allow the cakes to cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
To make the filling, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix well after each addition. Once all the sugar has been added, add the vanilla and cinnamon and mix well.
Spoon or pipe about 1 tablespoon of the filling between two cake halves and sandwich together. Store in an airtight container.
