Black and White Cake Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites
• FROSTING:
• 1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons milk, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. For cookies: lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, stirring to blend well.
3. Place applesauce in a fine sieve;let drain for 5 minutes.
4. Combine applesauce, sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Beat in vanilla and egg whites. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until blended.
5. Drop dough by tablespoons 2'' apart onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes or until set (not browned). Cool on pan for 2 minutes then transfer to wire racks.
6. To prepare frosting, combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and almond extract in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk until smooth. Working with 1 cookie at a time, hold cookie over bowl and spread about 1 teaspoon white frosting over half of the cookie, scraping excess frosting from edges. Let stand 10 minutes or until frosting is set.
7. Combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Gradually add 2 tablespoons milk, stirring until smooth. Again, working with 1 cookie at a time, hold cookie over bowl and spread about 1 teaspoon chocolate frosting over other half of cookie. Let stand 10 minutes or until frosting is set.