Lemon Lavender Whoopie Pies
Soft, cake–like Lemon Lavender Whoopie Pies made from a lemon cake mix and filled with a fluffy lavender–infused buttercream. Perfect for Spring gatherings, showers, and Mother’s Day, this easy recipe uses simple pantry ingredients but tastes and looks bakery–worthy.
Ingredients
Lemon Cake Rounds
- 1 box lemon cake mix 15.25 oz
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup neutral oil canola or vegetable
- 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest optional, but nice for flavor. You might need the zest from 2 lemons to get 1 tablespoon, but it's worth it.
- 1/2 tsp vanilla optional
Lavender Filling
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 3 1/2 - 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp culinary lavender
- 3-4 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
- light purple food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and keep the bottoms soft and even.
- In a large mixing bowl the lemon cake mix , eggs, oil, sour cream or Greek yogurt, milk, lemon zest and vanilla, if using. Stir until the batter is smooth and thick.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or a measuring spoon) to portion the batter onto your prepared baking sheets. Space each mound about 2 inches apart, as they will spread.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes. They are done when the tops look set and they spring back lightly when touched in the center.
- Let the cakes cool on the baking sheet. When they’re completely cool and you’re ready to add the filling, carefully lift the whoopie pie rounds off the baking sheet. You may need a rubber spatula to gently pull them up.
- Add the heavy cream and dried culinary lavender to a small microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup.Microwave in 30-second bursts until the cream is hot and steaming (not boiling). Cover and let steep for 5–10 minutes, depending on how strong you want the lavender flavor.
- Strain out the lavender buds, then let the cream cool to room temperature (or you can stick it in the fridge to cool faster). You don’t want to add warm cream to butter.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of lavender-infused milk together until smooth.Check your texture, if you want it thicker, add a bit more powdered sugar. If you want it softer, add a tiny splash more lavender milk.
- Add a couple drops of light purple food coloring for a cute lavender-esque color.
- Pair up your cooled lemon cake rounds by size so each sandwich looks neat and even.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag with a star tip (I like the Wilton 1M tip) or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. You can also just use a spoon or offset spatula.
- Pipe or spread a generous layer of filling onto the flat side of one cake. Then, top with the flat side of a second cake and gently press to spread the filling to the edges.
- Repeat with the remaining cakes and filling.
- Place the assembled whoopie pies in a single layer in an airtight container that’s lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days; let them come to room temperature before serving so the cakes are soft and the filling is creamy. To freeze, layer whoopie pies between sheets of parchment in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.