Ingredients
• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 160g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 300g (2 cups) plain flour
• 330ml (1 1/3 cups) buttermilk
• Peanut butter frosting
• 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 70g (1/4 cup) smooth peanut butter
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 1/2 teaspoon milk
• Icing
• 100g dark chocolate
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 190°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg.
Step 2
Stir in the cocoa and bicarbonate of soda to combine. Use a metal spoon to fold in flour and buttermilk, in alternating batches, until just smooth. The mixture should be a little stiff.
Step 3
Use a 3cm-diameter ice-cream scoop to place rounds of the mixture onto prepared trays, leaving 5cm for spreading. Use your finger to smooth mixture around the edges.
Step 4
Bake, swapping the trays halfway through cooking, for 10 minutes or until firm. Cool slightly. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat, in 2 more batches, with remaining mixture.
Step 5
To make the filling: Use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and peanut butter in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the milk and beat until mixture is pale and creamy.
Step 6
Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm fluted nozzle. Pipe stars onto a whoopie base. Pipe half the whoopies with the peanut butter frosting.
Step 7
Top with remaining whoopies and press lightly to sandwich together. Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the tops.
