Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I really thought I knew something about baking three weeks ago.

I can make some pretty cookies, bread is usually edible and luckily I am not afraid of the mixer or a little elbow grease and garlic. I can read until I go cross eyes about recipes and techniques.

Yeah, well I knew as much as a grain of salt in a five gallon bucket about turning out delightful pastry five days a week. I am getting educated. Seriously. I am in good caring hands, I am under a woman who wants to see me succeed. I want her to succeed in her role as lead chef. She is a pretty righteous woman and I am pretty damn lucky to have such a great opportunity.

I have you to thank and I should thank you from deep down. Thank you for your support and reminding me how pretty you think my photos are, for those of you who have tried my recipes and those of you have been around from day one or who recently stumbled by. Thank you all. I really wouldn't be here now without this supportive community and healthy creative outlet.

As for the baking, I am getting by with what I know then I come home and nerd out in a world of endless possibilities that is just at my finger tips, then wake when people are rolling home from last call and try again. I taste and I take in. I ask questions. I CAN'T GET ENOUGH. I love it. I am a baker, a baker in training.

Besides bakers hours I am in love with my job. I hang up my chef coat most days yearning to make more, I don't want to stop. Bake bake bake. Frost. Glaze. Cut. Crumble. Roll. I come home and jump on the Internet in search of inspiration and always find it, I have a stack of cookbooks next to my side of the bed. I ride my bike but think about what to bake. Ideas are flowing and I have a binder full of blank paper to fill in the spaces. I have J try a lot and he gives great feedback, he is my ace in the hole and enjoys a treat that is just right, never too sweet.

These cookies were made with J in mind. Not too sweet, a close cousin to his favorite, a good morning glory muffin that meets a carrot cake to form a sandwich cookie.

Without raisins as per J.

I love this shit.

I can say deep in my heart that I made the right decision, there is nothing else I can imagine doing that would make me happier. Well if I could have my cake and eat it too which turns out getting a decent amount of sleep with this schedule would be icing on the cake and make like three times the amount of money. 

What ever.

I can't get enough of a few great books including: Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe and the numerous recipes tucked in between the hardback or the The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant cookbook that is chocked full of techniques and insight. I am lusting after the Bourke Street Bakery book and I will stop there for there are only so many hours in the day.

The truth is that some day - some how - some form you will see my name in the list of inspirational cookbooks based off of some successful bakery adventure. Some day. Hundreds of pounds of butter and millions of pounds of flour later I might be there. Don't tell but I already have a name picked out.

Until you see my name in print I will try and remember to tote my camera to work and document some of the beauties I have been turning out. Do you have any interest? Would you rather see what comes out of our kitchen here at home?  I am open to any and all feedback.

So much love and kindness.

And cookies....

Always cookies.

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
 Adapted from Epicourious

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup coarsely grated carrots
• 1 scant cup walnuts (3 ounces), chopped
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.

Whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins at low speed, then add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Drop 1 1/2 tablespoons batter per cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake, until cookies are lightly browned and springy to the touch, 12 to 16 minutes total. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

While cookies are baking, blend cream cheese and honey until smooth.

Sandwich flat sides of cookies together with a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling in between.

Share with your favorite people, our happen to be the fine folks of Fanatik Bike Shop here in Bellingham.