Whoopie Pies w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

This year, my Valentine’s vote goes out to my fave baker, Elizabeth Halen, a.k.a. Baker E. I ordered her Elvis Cake for my birthday, and this Sunday I will be giving my sweetie one of these divine red velvet whoopee pies in exchange for a new toaster oven and a close shave.

Baker E. is the in-house dessertista at A Full Plate Café in Liberties Walk, a great go-to spot for really good vegetarian (and non-veggie) fare with a healthy Southern twist. (Try the vegan riblet sandwich, unless you dream of chicken and waffles.) For dessert, you can sample Baker E.’s bars, her cookies, and – best of all – her cakes.

These are ‘50s era layer cakes, the kind you might find in a pink kitchen, displayed on a milk-glass stand. They are moist, oh so moist, thanks to Baker E.’s penchant for buttermilk, and her frostings are exquisite – creamy, not filmy or foamy.

In liquor-drinkin’ circles, Baker E. is famous for her Root’n Red Velvet cupcakes that incorporate locally made Root Liquor, a spicy brown blend based on a 1700s-era recipe for Root Tea (it tastes like boozy root beer); it’s made here in Philly by Art in the Age, an arts collective with a shop on N. 3rd Street. Hint: stop in this weekend and you can sample a mini Root’n Red Velvet cupcake for free.

Baker E. also provides her Root 'n Red Velvet cake recipe here, on her blog, the popular Foodaphilia.com. You can special order cakes from her at 215-627-4068.

P.S. Tomorrow's cheese tasting is still on! See you at Quince Fine Foods for a pre-Valentine's cheese board at 4 p.m.