frosted chocolate whoopies

Makes 12’14

Preparation time 20 minutes, plus cooling

Cooking time 15 minutes

butter, for greasing

150 g (5 oz) self-raising flour

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

25 g (1 oz) cocoa powder

100 g (3½ oz) golden caster sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (see page 168)

1 egg

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon milk

50 g (2 oz) plain or milk chocolate, chopped

Filling

100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind

few drops of orange extract

(optional)

Grease a large baking sheet.

Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and sugars in a bowl. Beat the egg with the vegetable oil and milk and add to the dry ingredients. Beat together to form a thick paste, adding a little more milk if the mixture feels crumbly.

Take teaspoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls, about the size of a cherry, using floured hands. Space well apart on the baking sheet and flatten slightly.

Bake in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 12 minutes until the mixture has spread and is pale golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Make the frosting by beating together the cream cheese, icing sugar, orange rind and extract, if using. Use to sandwich the cakes together. Melt the chocolate (see page 14) and spread over the tops of the whoopies.

For mascarpone & ginger frosting, to use as an alternative, finely chop 1 piece of drained stem ginger from a jar. Beat 100g (3½ oz) mascarpone cheese in a bowl with 15g (½oz) softened unsalted butter and 3 tablespoons golden icing sugar. Stir in the ginger until evenly mixed and use to sandwich the whoppies together. Spread the tops with melted white chocolate instead of the plain or milk.