Whoopie Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Serves 24. Recipe courtesy Judy Sipe of The Food Channel. 

Ingredients
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups finely grated carrots
1 cup raisins

To Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugars and butter and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well-mixed. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. On low speed, gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture until well-blended. Mix in carrots, raisins and oats. Chill for about an hour or until firm. Shape one tablespoon of dough into a ball, and place on parchment lined baking sheets, two-inches apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until browned, and  rotate half-way through. Cool.


For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
¾ pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1¼ pounds powdered sugar, divided in thirds
1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 teaspoon almond extract, divided

To Prepare
Combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl of an electric mixer and mix until smooth. Add powdered sugar ⅓ at a time, ensuring mix is combined and smooth before adding the next batch. Add almond and vanilla extract.


To prepare Whoopie Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Once cooled, spread approximately two tablespoons of frosting on one flat side of a cookie. Sandwich another cookie on top. Serve.