Quick answer: the simplest cake filling is stabilized whipped cream with fruit. Allow ¾-1 cup per layer, pipe a dam of stiffer frosting around the edge, and chill the filled cake for 30 minutes before frosting it.
12 cream fillings
| Filling | Best with |
|---|---|
| Stabilized whipped cream | Any cake; fresh fruit |
| Strawberry whipped cream | Vanilla, lemon and chocolate cakes |
| Chocolate whipped cream | Chocolate and yellow cakes |
| Whipped ganache | Chocolate cake; holds well |
| Mascarpone cream | Berry cakes, coffee cakes |
| Cream cheese whipped cream | Red velvet, carrot, spice cakes |
| Diplomat cream | Sponge cakes, fruit cakes |
| Pastry cream | Boston cream style cakes |
| Bavarian cream | Chocolate and white cakes, donuts |
| Chocolate mousse | Chocolate layer cakes |
| Lemon curd folded with whipped cream | White and coconut cakes |
| Cannoli cream | Italian-style sponge |
Recipes: stabilized whipped cream, strawberry whipped cream, chocolate whipped cream, whipped ganache, mascarpone cream, cream cheese whipped cream, diplomat cream, pastry cream, Bavarian cream, chocolate mousse and cannoli cream.
Strawberry cake filling
Fresh: fold 1 cup of finely diced, well-dried strawberries into 2 cups of stabilized whipped cream.
Cooked: simmer 2 cups of chopped strawberries with ¼ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water, stirring, until thick and jammy. Cool completely. Spread a thin layer inside a frosting dam and top with whipped cream.
How to fill a layer cake
- Level the cooled layers.
- Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the bottom layer.
- Spread the filling inside the ring, no higher than the dam.
- Add the next layer and repeat.
- Chill for 30 minutes, then frost.
Filling cupcakes
Core, fill and cap as above, or push a piping tip into the top and squeeze. A whipped cream dispenser with a filling tip injects whipped cream directly, which is the quickest way to fill a batch.
Storage
Cakes with cream fillings belong in the fridge. See how long whipped cream lasts and whipped cream frosting for covering the cake.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best whipped cream filling for a cake?
Stabilized whipped cream. Plain whipped cream is fine for a cake eaten the same day; a stabilizer keeps it from weeping under the weight of the layers.
How much filling do I need for a cake?
About ¾ to 1 cup per layer for an 8 or 9-inch cake. A three-layer cake has two layers of filling.
How do I stop filling from squeezing out of a layer cake?
Pipe a ring of stiff frosting around the edge of each layer as a dam, spread the filling inside it, and chill the cake before frosting.
How do I fill cupcakes?
Cut a cone from the centre with a small knife or apple corer, pipe in about a tablespoon of filling, and replace the top of the cone.
