I am making my niece’s birthday cakes (one small on for her and one large one for the guests) for her 1st birthday party coming up on Saturday. I already know what kind of cake I am making but I need a good frosting recipe. I would also like to make some sort of yummy filling for in between the two layers of cake. I want to use something different than the frosting. Any ideas?
This is the kind of cake I am making if it helps. It is basically a simple white cake in flavor.
Your favorite jam or fruit preserve makes a very nice filling for a cake.
When I want something a little different, I’ll make a simple lemon curd to give a cake a little extra zip and to balance out some of the sweetness.
five egg yolks
one cup sugar
zest and juice of four lemons
one stick of butter cut into small pieces and frozen solid
Combine yolks, sugar and lemon in a double boiler or metal mixing bowl set over simmering water and whisk vigorously for 7-9 minutes. The mix should coat the back of a spoon when it’s ready. Remove from the heat and add the butter one piece at a time. Keep whisking and don’t add the next piece of butter until the last has been incorporated. Chill two hours before use.
variation - Replace up to half of the butter with cream cheese. It’s never going to be quite as silky smooth this way but will set up firmer and it changes the flavor in a way that I like.
You can make an excellent apricot filling merely by taking a pound or two of dried apricots (all the recipes say to use California-style ones, but I prefer Mediterranean), putting them in a pot with water to cover, and simmering, partially covered, until they break down, 3-4 hours. Stir every half-hour or so, adding a little water as necessary to keep them from sticking and burning, but bearing in mind that you want to end up with something thick and jammy at the end, so don’t overdo it on the water. Taste, add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to taste, and voila: tangy, fruity apricot filling. I’ve only ever used this for cookies, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t be fabulous in a cake.
Check out the ‘Vanilla Cream Filling’ recipe at this link:
It’s basically the filling for Hostess Cupcakes. But when made with real ingredients is really delicious.
Oh, forgot to add that if you make the Hostess filling, make sure you beat it long enough. When you first start beating the butter and cooked flour mixture it looks terrible and you’d think there is no way this is going to work… and it stays that way for a while. But after 5 or 6 minutes of beating it goes through a transformation and it becomes super light and fluffy.
Both the lemon curd and the vanilla cream are close to the kind of thing I am looking for, rather than the fruity fillings.
How close would you say the vanilla is to the hostess cupcakes? I am not generally a fan of that filling, but I am willing to admit that homemade would likely taste MUCH better.
I am also curious how the cream cheese alters the flavor of the curd. Keep the ideas coming if you have them. I am getting really excited about this cake.
The standard recipe has a pronounced butter flavor that I don’t really like and it also blunts the sharpness of the acidic lemon juice. Replacing part of the butter with cream cheese changes the balance and allows the intense acidic slap across the tongue that fresh lemon provides. Mind you that even the standard recipe is too tart for most people to enjoyably eat by the spoonful straight out of the container. With cream cheese adding its own twang to the formula, you end up with a very sharply flavored pudding-like custard. Although I do like it just by itself, I usually use it as a topping for vanilla ice cream or angel food cake, usually with a few fresh berries on top. It also makes a very nice lemon pie and work well with cheesecake.
Custard filling
600ml cream
1 pkt instant pudding (the sort you beat up with milk and set in the fridge) Vanilla is good, chocolate is nice, honeycomb is amazing.
Beat together until it reaches your desired consistency (about 20 -30 seconds works for me).
I use this recipe to make a wonderful vanilla slice.
What’s a vanilla slice?
with an unusual filling that is miles away from sugary frosting and gooey layers.
Ooh, cake filling. This may not be a perfect match for a rainbow clown cake, but I just want to mention this cake I made a couple weeks ago because I’m so proud of it. 
It’s basically a yellow cake with blueberry pie filling – 3 cups blueberries, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons dry tapioca, simmered on low heat for about an hour so it can stand up without baking (you could also add a touch of lemon juice and cinnamon if you’re so inclined). The icing is 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon ghee, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, beaten until the oiliness disappears and a smooth, even consistency is achieved.
It’s not a very loud cake, so maybe not birthday party material; but IMHO cake should be made whenever the slightest excuse presents itself, and I’d recommend it for future reference.
:dubious: instant pudding mix != crème pâtissière 
I’d be all until I bit into it, then I’d cry.
But then I’d probably just eat the damn thing anyway and ask for another. I like pudding, even if it’s from a box.
But re: the OP, I’ve made and enjoyed a vanilla chiffon filling. Can’t find the recipe though. Too many recipes in the tubes for chiffon cake and chiffon pie, neither of which is what I have in mind.
[QUOTE]
It may not be the real deal but it tastes darn close (the first time I tried a slice made this way I was amazed that the custard filling was nothing more than instant pudding mix and cream - in fact I had to make it myself before I would believe)
