Whoopie Pies with Lemon Buttercream
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Made with fresh lemon juice and zest, plus a hint of pure lemon oil, these lemon buttercream whoopie pies make a sweet summertime treat for picnics, bake sales, and birthday parties. These lemon whoopie pies are super easy to make, and take less than two hours from start to finish.
What Inspired My Whoopie Pies with Lemon Buttercream?
Whoopie pies always bring me back to my Central Pennsylvania roots. Featuring two moist, chocolatey cakes with a creamy filling sandwiched in the middle, you’ll find these classic PA Dutch treats at bakeries, Amish markets, greenmarkets, and roadside farmstands throughout the state.
Instead of chocolate and vanilla, this whoopie pie recipe features a quintessential summertime flavor: lemon! My miniature lemon whoopie pies pair soft lemon-vanilla cakes with a lemon buttercream filling made from fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and pure lemon oil (not extract or artificial flavoring). Perfect for brightening up any gathering, these sweet lemon whoopie pies make a fun dessert for picnics and pool parties, and they’ll fly off the table at bake sales and fundraisers.
Lemon Whoopie Pie Ingredients
In addition to baking staples (flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, butter, egg, salt, milk), you’ll want to gather a few special ingredients before making this lemon whoopie pie recipe. (Unsurprisingly, they’re all lemon-related…) You’ll need:
- Lemon Zest – Finely zested lemon peel adds a bright, fresh note to the cakes and buttercream. I recommend zesting on a Microplane rather than a box grater; the pieces produced by a box grater (the kind you’d use for grating cheese) are a little too large, and can give the whoopie pies an unpleasant texture. The pieces will also get caught in your piping tip.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh is best! Avoid reconstituted or bottled lemon juice, which can contain preservatives and often has an overly bitter taste. I usually just squeeze the lemons with my hands, but you can also employ a citrus juicer if you want to make things extra-easy. And if you have some lemon juice left over, it’s great for making a pitcher of homemade strawberry rhubarb lemonade.
- Lemon Oil – Opt for pure lemon oil, not extract or flavoring. (My go-to is the LorAnn brand, but any quality lemon oil will work.) If you do use extract, you’ll need to taste and adjust accordingly, since extracts are much weaker than oils.
- Yellow Gel Food Coloring – The food coloring is entirely optional, but it definitely adds visual appeal! (Without it, your buttercream will be pale, yellowish-white.) For this batch, I tinted my buttercream with Chefmaster’s Lemon Yellow.
Making the Lemon Buttercream
Your lemon buttercream should be smooth and creamy, but still firm enough to pipe. Add more confectioner’s sugar and whipping cream as needed to adjust the consistency of the buttercream.
Lemon Buttercream Whoopie Pie Tips and Tricks
- Gather your equipment. These lemon whoopie pies don’t require much special equipment, but you will want to have disposable piping bags on hand (for piping the cakes, as well as the buttercream) as well as a hand mixer or stand mixer, a Microplane, and piping tips.
- Choose your size. This recipe will yield approximately 12 miniature (2 1/2-inch) whoopie pies. You can also pipe larger rounds of batter if you prefer full-size (3-3 1/2-inch) cakes.
Whoopie Pies with Lemon Buttercream
- Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield12 2-2 1/2-inch round whoopie pies 1x
Lemon buttercream whoopie pies made with fresh lemon juice and zest, plus a hint of pure lemon oil.
Ingredients
Cakes:
192 grams all purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
60 grams unsalted butter, softened (4 tablespoons)
100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons lemon zest, packed
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil
80 milliliters whole milk (1/3 cup)
Lemon Buttercream:
60 grams unsalted butter, softened (4 tablespoons)
400 grams confectioner’s sugar (3 cups), plus more to adjust consistency
60 milliliters whipping cream (about 1/4 cup), plus more to adjust consistency
2 teaspoons lemon zest, packed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon oil
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Yellow gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C). Line one large tray, or two smaller baking trays, with parchment or silicone mats. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
In a separate mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip butter on high speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in the sugar, followed by the egg, lemon zest, and lemon oil. Continue mixing on high speed until well combined.
With a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the batter, followed by the whole milk.
Mix on low speed until just barely combined.
Scoop batter into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto prepared trays, allowing space for the cakes to spread as they bake. You should have about 24 rounds total. Refrigerate trays for 20 minutes.
Bake, 1 tray at a time, in preheated oven for 9-10 minutes, or until edges are very lightly golden brown. Cool on trays for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling while you prepare the buttercream.
Lemon Buttercream:
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip butter on high speed until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, alternating with the cream and mixing well after each addition.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon oil, fine sea salt, and yellow gel food coloring (if using) and mix until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. If necessary, add more confectioner’s sugar or cream to adjust the consistency. The buttercream should be thick and creamy, but soft enough to pipe. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with 1/2-inch round tip.
Assembly:
Divide the cakes into pairs, choosing tops and bottoms that are as close as possible in size.
Pipe a dollop of buttercream on the flat side of the ‘bottom’ cakes.
Top each with the second cake to create a sandwich.
Serve immediately. Store whoopie pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Chilling Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Whoopie Pies
- Method: Oven
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
I suggest baking the cakes on the day you plan to serve these lemon whoopie pies. Although they will keep reasonably well for a couple of days, they’re freshest and moistest on day one.
To make ahead: You can prepare the lemon buttercream up to 24 hours in advance. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to use, or scoop the buttercream into a piping bag and place the bag in the fridge. (I usually go this route because a piping bag takes up less space than a big mixing bowl!) Allow the lemon buttercream to soften at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before piping.
To store: Layer leftover whoopie pies between sheets of parchment and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Or, tightly wrap the individual cakes in clingfilm/plastic wrap for portable, single-serving snacks.
To freeze: Layer pies between sheets of parchment or wax paper. Freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.
Other Whoopie Pie Recipes You Might Enjoy
Raspberry Mojito Whoopie Pies
Watermelon Whoopie Pies
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Strawberry Buttercream
Rainbow Whoopie Pies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
