My baby is no longer an infant…It’s been a whole year since I started ShawnsPlate. It’s grown by leaps and bounds since that first post on August 30, 2010! For the first few months my only visitors were my husband and cousin, and they didn’t visit daily. I don’t know if anyone can imagine how excited and thrilled I was to receive visits and comments from my very first blogging friends…Jihane@SinfulSundays, Karen@MeeshiesMom & Sharlene@SmallTownOven…Yes, I remember each thrilling new visit to my blog! I still do 🙂
Fast forward to now and I’ve gained more readers/friends, better photography skills(aka natural light & IPhoto edit), and opportunities to participate in events that I’d never imagined. I also love being able to track readership. For example: Seeing that I’ve had over 300 visits from Australia in the last 6 months is the one of the coolest things ever! Even better…Knowing that my mom didn’t twist anybody’s arm in Australia to get them to visit. Believe me, she would have but she’s doesn’t know anyone in Australia! What’s also pretty cool? Having people write me that they tried a dish and it turned out fabulously or asking for my advice on how to prepare something! I love it all 🙂
So, today I’ll kick off this new year for ShawnsPlate with a few tweaks & changes(hope you like ’em) and a post just like my very first post, treats for Alyson’s lunch. Last year it was Coconut Sandwich Cookies for Alyson. This year it’s Chocolate Snack Cakes with Coconut Filling for Alyson.
Although they look like it, they’re not true Whoopie Pies. I learned that Whoopie Pies are all about the filling…Crisco & confectioners sugar to be exact. These rich little cakes are filled with that delicious cooked buttercream that I posted last week. I’ve added coconut extract and dusted the edges of the snack cakes with toasted coconut.
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| Starting with one of Alyson’s favorite flavor combinations. |
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| After mixing butter, sugar, egg, and melted chocolate, alternately add dry ingredients with sour cream & milk. |
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| Use a small ice cream scoop to drop mounds of batter on parchment. |
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| Sandwich coconut buttercream between cooled cakes & dust filling with toasted coconut. |
Chocolate Snack Cakes with Coconut Filling
makes 5 snack cakes
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1oz semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 recipe cooked buttercream
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup toasted coconut, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place semi-sweet chocolate in a shallow dish and cover with boiling water, stir until blended and set aside until cooled and ready to use. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and set aside until ready to use. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg until well blended. Stir melted chocolate and vanilla to egg mixture. Stir sour cream and milk together and alternately add to chocolate mixture with flour mixture until everything is mixed in.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to drop batter 2 inches apart on parchment and flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer parchment sheet to a wire rack and allow cakes to cool for 5 minutes before removing from parchment. Allow cakes to completely cool before assembling.
To assemble: Stir coconut extract into buttercream. Drop a tablespoon of buttercream onto the flat side of 5 of the cakes. Top each with remaining cakes to create sandwiches, press lightly to spread buttercream to the edges. Coat the exposed buttercream edges with toasted coconut.
Yummy Shawn! Sounds amazing! I will have to try this recipe for my kids, even though half my kids are now young adults, thanks 🙂
Congrats Shawn! I absolutely adore “Shawn’s Plate” and your recipes. Your cookies look delish, especially with that coconut filling. 🙂
Ciao, mi unisco a quello che visitano il tuo blog perchè è veramente bello, anch’io voglio provare i tuoi biscotti! Un saluto dall’ Italia!
I know you did not just go and post this after I have a months worth of cookies stashed in my pantry! I got on a cookie high yesterday but seriously this has to be made like right now! Absolutely delicious and the perfect thing to celebrate your first blogversary! Love it Love it! Love it!
@Anna & Liz…Thanks, my folks have already requested another batch!
@Jihane…Thank you! Ditto for SinfulSundays 🙂
@Lea…Grazie, sei così dolce … amo troppo il tuo blog! (Thanks, you’re so sweet…love your blog too!)
@Jessica…Thanks! If you love chocolate, this one is for you! P.S. When you’re pregnant, is there really a such thing as too many cookies?!
Love your twist on the whoopie pie and congrats!
Karen
Congrats on your blog 1st Anniversary….. Such a beautiful blog you have here.
These look perfect…. Luscious snack cake, chocolate and coconut…. It screams deliciousness
Congratulations on your anniversary! I love your blog, Shawn, and you are always cooking up something I want to eat (and I reeeeealllly need to go on a diet, so stop it! 🙂
Wow congrats on your 1st blog anniversary! That’s a big milestone and I am really happy for you. 🙂
I love this coconut filling. I know I won’t stop eating these once I start…. I always love your recipes and keep them coming! 😉 Congrats again.
Chocolate and coconut!! Did there ever exist a better combo!? Congrats on the 1 year! Happy blog birthday 🙂
@Karen…Thank You 🙂
@Reem…Thanks, that’s such a great compliment, coming from someone who had such a lovely blog!
@Angela…Thanks, you do the same to me! I’m still trying to convince myself that your peach & riesling sorbet does not have calories 🙂
@Nami…Thanks 🙂
@Sarah…Thank you…Maybe your vanilla sponge cake with guava cream cheese filling rivals chocolate & coconut 🙂 Congrats to you on your upcoming big day!
Oh I so appreciate you thinking of me though I’ve clearly fallen off the face of the planet (and, in truth, don’t know if I’ll ever return to blogging full-time). Congratulations on your one-year anniversary. These cakes look divine – I may have to make them this week. To celebrate, I plan to make your pan-seared chicken with lemon, garlic, and capers for dinner!!
Congratulations–I love your blog so much and we love so many of the same things! Cakes look amazing and delicious, another way to fatten me even more!
@Sharlene…Girl, you impressively blogged through Med School!!! Thank you…Now, go save a life 🙂
@Lucy…Thanks, that means a lot coming from you! I’m completely obsessed with In A Southern Kitchen 🙂