Irresistible Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Vanilla Buttercream Filling

Dive into the delightful world of whoopie pies with this irresistible recipe featuring rich chocolate sponge cakes and a smooth vanilla buttercream filling. These handheld treats are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth, with their soft, cake-like texture and creamy, sweet center. Perfect for sharing with friends and family, these whoopie pies are a fun and delicious addition to any dessert table.

Why You’ll Love This: You’ll fall in love with these whoopie pies for their perfect balance of rich chocolate sponge and creamy vanilla buttercream. The sponges are soft, moist, and intensely chocolaty, while the buttercream filling adds a sweet, velvety contrast. This recipe is straightforward and fun to make, giving you a sense of accomplishment as you create these delightful sandwiches. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, you’ll enjoy the process and the fantastic results.

Perfect Occasion: These whoopie pies are perfect for a wide range of occasions. They make an excellent treat for birthday parties, picnics, or holiday gatherings. They’re also great for bake sales, potlucks, or simply as a special dessert to enjoy with your loved ones at home. Their cute, sandwich-like appearance makes them appealing to kids and adults alike.

Decoration Tips: For an extra special touch, consider decorating your whoopie pies with a drizzle of melted white or dark chocolate. You can also roll the edges in colorful sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, or crushed nuts to add a fun and festive look. If you’re feeling creative, use food coloring to tint the buttercream filling for a themed party or holiday celebration.

Ingredients (makes 10 sandwiches): For the Sponge:

• 175g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• 100g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 125g (9 tbsp) slightly salted butter
• 200g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) superfine sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 225ml (⅔ + ¼ cup) buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Buttercream:

• 100g (7 tbsp) slightly salted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 225g (1¾ cups) powdered sugar

Instructions:

Make the Chocolate Sponges:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F). Line at least two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into a bowl and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter and superfine sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy. Beat in the egg, then add the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
4. Gradually sift in the flour and cocoa mixture, folding gently to combine. If the batter is too loose, cover it and chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
5. Using a medium 5cm (2 inch) scoop, drop level scoops of batter onto the lined baking sheets, leaving space between each scoop to allow for spreading.
6. Bake the sponges for 12 minutes, ensuring no more than two trays are in the oven at once to maintain proper heat circulation.
7. Let the sponges cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Buttercream Filling:

1. In a clean bowl, whisk together the butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until the mixture is soft and creamy.
2. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and snip off the bottom 1cm.

Assemble the Whoopie Pies:

1. Once the sponges are completely cooled, flip half of them over to reveal the flat bottoms.
2. Pipe a generous amount of buttercream onto the flat side of the sponges.
3. Sandwich the remaining sponges on top, pressing gently to spread the filling evenly.

Enjoy these delightful whoopie pies!