50 Easy Cake Filling Recipe Ideas
Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
If you are looking for easy cake-filling recipes to add between layers of cake, look no further. This list is packed with amazing ideas like lemon curd, Bavarian cream, various puddings, jams, and of course beautiful buttercream frostings! So whether you’re making chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, or any other kind of baked goods like cupcakes, these fillings will bring a smile to your face.
Fruit Filling Recipes
Indulge in these delicious fruit flavored filling recipes for your cake! We love fruit filling between layers of vanilla cake. If you want to get creative, check out this pairing guide.
Lemon curd is just lovely as a cake or cupcake filling. With just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time you will have a sweet yet tart creamy spread. It’s perfect for basically any flavor of pastry like chocolate, vanilla, and more.
If you’re making a fall themed dessert try slow cooker apple butter. All you need is prepped apples, sugar or Monk fruit, brown sugar or monk fruit brown sugar, Lemon juice, cinnamon, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, vanilla or maple extract.
This blueberry pie filling is made from scratch for the perfect pastry filling. You will need 6 cups of fresh blueberries, 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp zest from a lemon rind, and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
Instead of a pie use this homemade cherry filling for a luscious cake. It will go great with chocolate, vanilla, or even red velvet. Cherry pie filling is ready in 10 minutes using fresh or frozen cherries and a cool silky texture that you will love.
Apple pie filling would be absolutely scrumptious with a fall flavored maple cake for example. Or even a cheese cake. Yum, I’m getting excited just thinking about it. All you have to do is combine the prepped apples, lemon juice, and other ingredients in a pot and simmer until thick.
Passion fruit curd is just what you need if you are baking something easy for spring or summer. I can just imagine this luscious filling oozing out of a light angel food-style cake or a vanilla layered cake. Just remember to stir vigorously and do not overheat in order to avoid accidentally scrambling the eggs.
You can ice your entire cake including the filling with strawberry frosting. The great thing about strawberry frosting is that you don’t need to use any food coloring, just some fresh ripe red strawberries will give you a lovely pink color.
This easy filling is lovely for pastries, cakes, and cupcakes. You only need five ingredients and it’s ready in less than 20 minutes. Just use frozen raspberries so that you can make it any time of year. It’s cost effective and the perfect tart flavor to complement sweet butter cream.
Lemon butter cream frosting is the best combination of sugar and sour. It’s sweet, light, tart, and super fluffy made with real lemons. Pro tip: make sure that you zest the lemons before you juice them.
Strawberry filling made with frozen strawberries are perfect all year round. You can use this recipe to fill cakes, cupcakes and so much more. It’s ready in under 20 minutes just make sure you let it cool all the way down before using it.
Ganache & Pudding Recipes
While we love a chocolate mousse filling, there is just something about ganache and pudding fillings. They offer a thicker texture that is perfect to pair with dump cakes or ice box cakes.
This delectable ganache recipe is made with raw chocolate and coconut cream. Make sure you don’t overheat the cream because it can cause the ganache to split and acquire a grainy texture. Also make sure to cool the final product uncovered so that all the warm air can escape.
If you don’t like coconut try this creamy chocolate ganache that only uses two ingredients. All you need is dark chocolate and heavy cream but you can add sugar too. It is so creamy, smooth, and silky you will love it with any oven baked dessert.
Just think of the delicious brunch cake you could fill with matcha ganache! It’s quick, easy, and only requires 3 ingredients. Green tea ganache is a silky smooth mix of matcha powder, white chocolate, and cream. It’s absolutely heavenly with a wide variety of baked goods.
Try this lemon ganache cake or cupcake filling with chocolate, vanilla, red velvet and more. With just 2 ingredients you will have a rich and smooth filling recipe that’s extremely easy. Use fresh squeezed lemon juice for optimal flavor.
I love white chocolate, it’s better than regular chocolate if you ask me. Although it may feel daunting to imagine this recipe is quite simple. Just heat the cream and white chocolate chips slowly while stirring until the concoction is smooth. Then simply rest the sauce until cool.
Delicious Bavarian cream pudding is great for dump cakes and ice box cakes. It’s thick, stable, fluffy, and absolutely fabulous. You will need mixing bowls and beater sticks to get the job done right.
This easy bright and beautiful colored cake filling recipe idea is great for all kinds of baked desserts. Make sure to heat at short intervals in the microwave otherwise it might scramble the eggs. All you need is blood orange juice, sugar, eggs, butter, and zest of 1 blood orange.
Crème Diplomate is a French mousse-like cream that’s light and fluffy. It’s a decadent filling recipe for cupcakes and other desserts. You can whip this pudding like cream up in less than an hour and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Chocolate Namelaka is utterly rich and decadent with a well-balanced chocolatey flavor. It’s excellent for filling, frosting, and decorating. Plus it has a good texture and consistency for piping. You will need ingredients like milk, chocolate (either white, milk, or dark), heavy cream, and gelatin.
Pastry Cream (also known as Creme Patisserie) is a French filling used in pastries like cream puffs, Boston Cream Pie, Eclairs, and more. You will need ingredients like whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, salt, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and unsalted butter.
Try making lime curd for something different and unique. Great for cupcakes and more with a tart and sour zest. You only need four ingredients to achieve this acidic yet sugary lime flavor that can be ready in under 30 minutes with no straining.
Best Creams & Fluff
If you’re looking for lighter textured filling these cream and fluff filling recipes are perfect for your upcoming special occasion. Below you will even find sugar free, vegan and dairy free options!
Try an easy sugar-free vegan marshmallow fluff that’s sweet and versatile. Ingredients you will need include aquafaba, xanthan gum, agar powder, cream of tartar, pure bourbon Madagascar vanilla extract, and your preferred powdered sweetener.
Vegan marshmallow buttercream frosting is made without coconut oil, eggs, or butter. It’s an easy dairy free cake filling idea that’s super thick and fluffy. This recipe takes less than 20 minutes to whip up and results in 2 cups of frosting.
Mint chocolate chip frosting is so good especially with chocolate cake or cupcakes. Ingredients needed include powdered sugar, mint extract, vegetable shortening, cacao nibs (or chocolate chips), and green food coloring. Perfect for holidays like Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day.
Another fun and different flavor of frosting is this cookie dough buttercream. It’s also vegan using ingredients like vegetable shortening, almond butter, Smuckers marshmallow topping, butter flavored extract, powdered sugar, and unsweetened dark chocolate chips.
Chocolate whipped cream is great for light and airy cakes. It’ll hpcan fill up multiple layers with delicious chocolatey goodness. This easy recipe is made in only five minutes with three simple ingredients too!
Homemade marshmallow crème is delicate, dreamy, cloudy, and oh so creamy. It pipes well too so you can decorate the inside and outside of all your cakes and bakes. Best used with a large round piping tip as it doesn’t hold well for small decorations.
Simple vanilla buttercream to be all you need for your easy cake filling recipe. You can also use it to fill eclairs, cupcakes, and cream puffs. Make sure that you always use unsalted cream butter for optimal results.
A little salted caramel goes a long way especially in this sweet and salty frosting. It’s ready in 20 minutes and it stands out from the rest. This cake filling idea is super simple, creamy, delicious, and perfect for anything from cupcakes to macaroons and more.
A simple four ingredient orange buttercream frosting that is keto friendly, fluffy, and light is perfect for your baked goods. The orange flavor is refreshing and fun for a wide variety of desserts.
Easy Recipes With Nuts & Seeds
If you’re looking for a filling that has a nutty flavor, look no further! These delicious recipes go perfectly with a layer chocolate cake.
Pistachio paste is a smooth and nutty mixture that is quite lovely. For best results you need to purée the pistachios into a butter like peanut butter. Lightly roast them prior to the processing in order to release oils first and make the purée process easier.
If you want to use pistachios but are not into the idea of a paste try this pudding. It is surprisingly delicious and custardy with a lovely nutty taste. You will need pistachio milk, whole milk, whole pistachios, sugar, flour, corn starch, salt, cream, egg yolk, and vanilla.
This raw raspberry fig chia jam can be used for more than just toast. If you’re making a healthier dessert use this as your easy cake filling recipe. It is raw, naturally sweet, full of omega-3‘s, gluten free, and vegan! All you need are figs, raspberries, and chia seeds.
Are you making a luscious chocolate cake? Why not make it into a Reese’s peanut butter theme by filling it with peanut butter frosting. Make sure you use smooth peanut butter and not chunky.
Coconut custard is dairy free and perfect for coconut lovers to use as a pastry cream. This easy recipe is ready and under 20 minutes with simple ingredients like full fat coconut milk, egg oats, sugar, tapioca flour, and vanilla extract you can also add some toasted coconut shavings.
Sugary and decadent, this dairy free coconut whipped cream is ready in minutes. Having full fat coconut milk in the can is a cheap pantry staple that’s so versatile. That’s why I love this recipe. Plus it’s gluten-free, allergy free, soy free, egg free, peanut free, and more.
Dessert Dips
Dessert dips may not sound like your traditional cake-filling recipe but don’t be shocked when these different flavors are your new favorite filling recipes!
When I was thinking of easy cake filling recipe ideas I remembered dessert dips! Dessert dips had recently been on my radar. They are perfect for this purpose because they’re super thick and delicious. I would say it’s like a combination between moose, custard, and pudding but better.
Funfetti cake Batter dip would make a fantastic filling for cakes or cupcakes. This one in particular would be great for a kids’ birthday party. All you have to do is combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer.
Cannoli dessert dip is utterly fantastic. With ingredients like cream cheese, powdered sugar, ricotta, vanilla, and chocolate chips what’s not to love? Can’t you just imagine it between two moist layers of chocolate cake?
Another absolutely amazing dessert dip to use as your cake filling recipe is this easy German chocolate dip. It’s ready in five minutes with three ingredients and it’s sure to be a winner. All you need is Cool Whip, German chocolate cake mix from the box, plus German chocolate frosting.
I am envisioning a decadent red velvet layer cake stuffed to the brim with this brownie batter dessert dip. You could even use it in cupcakes or macaroons. It is soft yet thick with a ganache light consistency once it cools off.
If you’re making a festive Fall or holiday baked dessert try gingerbread batter. All you need to do is combine gingerbread spice cake mix, smooth cream cheese frosting, and cold Cool Whip. You could even add some little sprinkles if you want.
Our Personal Favorites
Grab your favorite cake recipes, add a delicious recipe from below and voila! A dessert to please the masses!
This easy slow cooker pumpkin butter is wonderful if you’re making a healthier gluten free style cake or cupcakes. All you need is a can of pure pumpkin purée, erythritol, brown sugar erythritol, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and maple extract.
How is dulce de leche different from caramel sauce? Well Standard caramel sauce is whipped up fairly quickly on the stove, however dulce de leche is slow cooked overtime and it’s made with condensed milk. Standard caramel could be made in 15 minutes while dulce de leche takes 8 to 10 hours.
If you are doing some plant-based baking you might consider sweet potato frosting for your easy cake filling recipe. That’s because it is nutrient dense, vegan, refined sugar free, and gluten free. You will need sweet potatoes, cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, a pinch of salt, some vanilla, etc.
Swiss meringue buttercream frosting is perfect for layered cakes, cupcakes, big sugar cookies and so much more. It’s super yummy yet not overly sweet, light yet stable at room temperature, and is made with only five ingredients. The super bright white color would make a lovely addition to colorful cakes because the contrast would really pop.
Biscoff buttercream frosting is a dessert lover’s dream! It’s luscious, decorative, and finger licking delicious. You will need some type of mixer, unsalted butter, Biscoff spread, powdered sugar, salt, lemon juice, and milk.
You only need four easy ingredients to make Bailey’s icing and then use it as your new favorite cake filling recipe idea. You will start by risking your room temperature butter, then sifting in cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Lastly you will pour in your Baileys and mix until thoroughly combined.
Who doesn’t love Nutella? Creamy smooth chocolate and hazelnut spread turned frosting is well balanced, pipes beautifully, and is ready in less than five minutes. You will need lightly salted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, whole milk, hot water, and Nutella of course.
The best 3-ingredient cake filling recipe without butter is this mascarpone frosting. If you’re looking for an idea that isn’t full of a bunch of sugar but still a perfect dessert cream this is the one for you.
What do you put in the middle of a cake?
Whatever you put in the middle of a cake should be thick enough to hold its shape, if you’re baking a standard layer cake that is. In that case, you should use buttercream frosting or something with a similar consistency. On the other hand, if you are making icebox cake, Poki cake, dumb cake, or a trifle you can use custard, curd, whip cream, and even pudding!
Can I use cake filling as a frosting recipe?
It depends. Based on the thickness of the filling you may be able to use cake filling as a frosting recipe. If you are looking to thicken a filling recipe, you can typically add a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken up the filling and use as a ‘drip icing’.
If you enjoyed this post for cake filling recipes you may also like; How to Fix Crumbly Sugar Cookie Dough, 12 Ways to Upgrade a Box of Cake Mix, Maple Bacon Apple Cake, and Italian Cream Cake From Cake Mix!
Delight in baking once again with all these marvelous easy cake filling recipes! I can’t wait to stuff my baked goods like cupcakes and more with frosting, curds, pudding, dessert dips, and more.
