Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened (natural) cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring (2 tablespoons)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Steps

Make cake rounds:

1. Set the oven to 350°F to preheat, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together.
3. With an electric mixer, beat butter, oil and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla and vinegar.
4. On low speed, mix in the flour and buttermilk in alternating batches, starting and finishing with flour, until combined.
5. Mix in red food coloring at low speed until thoroughly combined.
6. Spoon batter into 2 tablespoon mounds on the lined sheets, spacing them 2-inches apart.
7. Bake until the rounds puff and set, 8 to 10 minutes, switching the sheets' positions halfway through.
8. Move the parchment with the rounds onto wire racks and let cool completely.

Make filling:

1. For the filling, beat cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, vanilla, salt and sugar until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread about 2 tablespoons on the flat side of half the rounds. Sandwich with the remaining rounds, flat sides down, to make whoopie pies.