Little Carrot Cakes

These almost-whoopie pies are sweet, spicy, simple and sensational. Everything seems better when your house smells like cake. Try them!

Inside-Out Carrot Cakes
adapted from The Sunset Cookook

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 small carrots, shredded on the fine side of a box grater
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Method

Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together the dry ingredients and spices (flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper). In another bowl combine oil, brown sugar, egg, sour cream, vanilla. Incorporate dry ingredients then add carrot and coconut, mixing until just combined. Drop the batter onto parchment in 1 tablespoon dollops and bake for about 15 minutes. Cool, frost. Insides in like a cookie sandwich or whoopie pie.

Cream cheese filling

Ingredients

• 5 oz cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method

Soften cream cheese and beat in butter. ( I used my KitchenAid mixer). Add the sugar slowly, then the cream and vanilla until a lovely/whipped/smooth consistency is achieved.