Salted Caramel and Chocolate Stout Whoopie Pie

These pillowy whoopie pies take the cake for their beer-spiked batter and buttery caramel filling.

Whoopie Pies
1 tsp. baking soda
½ cup sour cream
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. espresso powder
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
1 egg
½ cup stout beer
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two bake sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together baking soda and sour cream; set aside. Sift together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder and baking powder in a separate bowl; set aside. In third bowl combine egg, beer and vanilla; set aside.

Place sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add egg and beer mixture and mix to combine.

Add milk to sour cream mixture and whisk to combine. Starting with the flour mixture and ending with the milk and sour cream mixture, add mixtures to the batter in 3 additions. Mix to until just combined after each addition.

Place finished batter in a pastry bag with fitted with a round tip and pipe 1 ¼ inch drop of batter spaced 1 inch apart. Use the back of a spoon to flatten peaks. Bake one sheet at a time at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cakes cool on the bake sheet for 3 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream
1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
⅓ cup of caramel sauce (recipe follows)

Place the butter and vanilla in a bowl and beat on high until butter is pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the mixer speed down to medium and add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. Beat until combined. Add in the caramel sauce and beat until combined.

Caramel Sauce
½ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. heavy cream
½ tsp. kosher salt

Add the sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Occasionally give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Add salt and stir to combine.

To Assemble: Fill pastry bag with buttercream or using a spoon place 1 teaspoon of the buttercream on whoopie cake and place the second whoopie pie cake on top. Makes 24-30 11/2-inch whoopie pies.

Naomi Robinson, Bakersroyale.com