Oops!...and some Whoopies!

Okay, time for a big apology! Oops! In fact, major oops! I have totally abadonned my blog for the past 8 weeks! But, I have a decent excuse.  I have started back at University.  And I have changed my uni course.  I am now studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in French and majoring in Religious Studies, as well as a Bachelor of Secondary Education.  All that will allow me, in 4 years time, to become a high school teacher! But, don't think that for the next 4 years I will be off-and-on this blog.  I am totally renewing my committment here. 

I am really loving university.  I love my subjects and also my campus is just gorgeous.  They have a bookstore there! I joined their discount club straight away because I just knew that I would be going there during my study breaks to browse the cookbook section.  In fact, it was just this week that I bought my first book from there.  Wanna know what I got? A Whoopie book.  That's right, I've finally sucumb to the whoopie cooking craze.  It's just getting popular here in Australia. I've sighted a few cafés (around uni) that are selling whoopies.  Although, there are still many of my friends that don't know what a whoopie is.  For anyone who doesn't know, it's a cross between a cake and a cookie.  Really delicious! If you haven't tried this American craze, then go do it now! Start with this basic recipe below. For those of you whoopie experts, please recommend me your favourite whoopie flavour or recipe! Much appreciated!

Ingredients
90g unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup milk

Ingredients for Buttercream
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
+ sprinkles

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (fan-forced) and line 2 baking trays.  Beat together butter and sugar until pale and creamy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat well. With mixer on low speed, add flour and milk alternatively in 2 batches each.  Beat on low speed for roughly 2 minutes or until well combined.  Use 2cm plain nozzle to pipe 3cm by 2.5cm rounds on the trays.  Leave 5cm space between each mound (allow for spreading in oven).  Bake for 8 minutes, swapping trays around after 6 minutes; or until light golden and just firm to touch.  Cool on trays.  Meanwhile beat together the soft butter for buttercream with the icing sugar.  Use a plain nozzle to pipe onto a cooled- whoopie.  Sandwich with another whoopie. Shake sprinkles, over a bowl, around the edge of the whoopie; aiming for the buttercream-filled slit.  Serve.