Spider’s web whoopie pies recipe

These spooky spider's web whoopie pies are fantastic for a kids’ Halloween party, and you can even get them to help you make and decorate them! Make Halloween extra special this year with these whoopie pies, they've got a really lovely, creamy sweet filling and the spider's web decoration makes them really look the part - super spooky! They make a great addition to a party or Halloween buffet and the kids will love them. Get the little ones to help decorate, but beware, things might get messy!

Ingredients

For the pies:

• 125g (4 ½ oz) butter or margarine, softened
• 200g (7oz) dark brown or Molasses sugar, free of lumps
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 15ml (1tbsp) treacle
• 400g (14oz) plain flour
• 15ml (1tbsp) ground ginger
• 5.25ml (1½ tsp) Dr Oetker Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1.25ml (½ tsp) salt
• Approx. 150ml (1/4pt) low fat buttermilk

For the topping:

• 2 x sachets white Dr Oetker Fairy Cake Icing
• Dr Oetker Writing Icing, to decorate

For the filling:

• 150g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 250g (9oz) icing sugar
• A few drops Dr Oetker Black Food Colouring

Method

1.      Preheat oven to 180 C (160 C fan oven, 350 F, Gas 4). Line 3 large baking trays with baking parchment. First make the pies. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter or margarine and sugar together until pale and creamy then beat in the egg and treacle.

2. Sift the flour, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and salt into another bowl. Gradually add spoonfuls of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, stirring well after each addition, along with sufficient buttermilk to make a smooth, thick cake mixture – Note: you may not require the full 150ml (1/4pt) buttermilk.

3. Using a 5cm (2in) diameter ice cream scoop, drop 6 scoops of the mixture on to each baking tray, spaced well apart to allow for room for spreading. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes until risen, lightly golden and firm to the touch. Cool for 5 minutes on the trays before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. For the topping, spread the Fairy Icing over the peaked side of half the cold pies, smoothing the icing with the back of a knife. Pipe on a spider’s web and spider using writing icing and leave on a wire rack for a few minutes to set.

5. For the filling, put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until soft. Gradually sieve in the icing sugar, beating well after each addition, to make a smooth, spreadable icing. Add a few drops of black colouring to richly colour. Spread thickly over the flat sides of the remaining pie halves using a knife.

6. To serve, when the iced tops are set, carefully sandwich them on to the filled pie halves and enjoy!