Mini Cakies

So my dad and step-mom left for Lithuania yesterday. Apparently Wendee has to give a speech and my father decided to tag along so that he could explore Vilnius. They seem to go to some of the most random places in the world. They sent me an email saying there are malls everywhere, so I guess it's really not that different than America - HA! So anyway, I'm home all alone until next Saturday. Well I guess I still have two 100 pound dogs, a mad cat, and some fish to protect me, so I'm not really that worried. But since they aren't home - I CAN BAKE WITH NO ONE YELLING AT ME!! YAYAY! To start my week of what will hopefully be lots and lots of baking - coniciding with lots and lots of posts - I decided to make oreo/whoopie pies. I've renamed them mini cakies beacuse that's what they are - mini cakes in cookie form! Basically, they're baby cakes with buttercream icing in the center that I decided to tint pink because white just seemed boring. They were so easy to make. Icing each one and finding matching sides was slightly tedious, but they looked so cool once I was done and they were quite delicious. As I said, they basiclly tasted like tiny cakes, but somehow, since they were in cookie form, they just tasted better. I put them on a plate, but when I went to pick one up a few hours later to eat, it was sticking to the plate. I quickly transfered them to plate covered in wax paper so they wouldn't stick anymore. When my step-nephew came over, he ate one and gave it a grade of A++. Thanks Skylar!!

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• INGREDIENTS:
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg

• vanilla buttercream
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until well combined and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and the brown sugar until creamy and fluffy - about 3 mins.
5. Add the egg and beat until well combined.
6. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, starting and ending with the flour. scrape down the bowl several times, ensuring that everything is well combined. mix just until all the ingredients are combined, do not over mix.
7. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large circle tip, pipe out the batter in 1 1/2 inch circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving at least 1 inch between each. dip your finger in water and shake off excess. With your wet finger, gentley press down the top of each cookie.
8. Bake in for 8-10 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
9. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar. Start on low speed until combined and then increase speed to medium and beat for approximately 3 minutes.
10. Add vanilla and cream and beat again. About 1 min more.
11. Match up cookies in like sized pairs. Spoon buttercream on one side and sandwich with the other.