Strawberry Cake Filling

This strawberry cake filling is the perfect consistency and is packed with strawberry flavor! It’s sure to elevate any dessert and is delicious in cakes, cupcakes, and tarts.

How To Make This Strawberry Cake Filling

This recipe is pretty straightforward, but I love walking through the steps to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible.

Step 1: Cook Down the Strawberries and Sugar

Note: This recipe has about an hour of cook time and an hour of cooling time. If you’re short on time, the strawberry reduction can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

Add 6 cups of fresh or frozen (and thawed) hulled strawberries and 3/4 cup granulated sugar into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour this into a medium-sized saucepan.

Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to boil. Once it reaches this stage, lower the heat to medium-low.

Stir the mixture occasionally, and let it continue to cook down for about 50-60 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced in volume by half.

Cook time will vary based on the size of the pan you use. You should be left with about 3 cups (720g) of strawberry reduction.

I recommend pouring it into a heat-proof bowl and weighing it or using a liquid measuring cup to check before adding in the cornstarch slurry. If you have more than that, it needs to be cooked down further.

Step 2: Add in the Cornstarch Slurry

After it’s cooked down to this point, make the cornstarch slurry. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of cornstarch until fully combined (make sure there are no lumps!).

Pour the cornstarch slurry into the strawberry mixture and stir until combined, then let the filling simmer for 5-6 minutes. At this point, the mixture should have visibly thickened and look kind of glossy.

Step 3: Remove From Heat to Cool & Add in the Lemon Juice and Zest

Turn off the heat, and remove the pot from the stove. Pour the filling into a separate bowl to cool, then stir in 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon zest, and a pinch of fine salt. Let the filling cool to room temperature before using it.

If you make it in advance, cover it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container and place it in the fridge once it’s reached room temperature.

Strawberry Cake Filling – Ingredients and Substitutions

• Strawberries – You can use fresh or frozen strawberries in this recipe. If you use frozen, just make sure the strawberries are thawed before blending them to make the reduction. You can also use other types of fruit, like blueberries or blackberries.
• Granulated Sugar – Other types of sugar can be used if needed, but this recipe turns out best with granulated sugar. You can also reduce the amount of sugar by a few Tablespoons if needed, but I wouldn’t recommend reducing it more than that, or it won’t end up with the right consistency.
• Cornstarch – This is a must!! It helps thicken the filling. If you need this to be gluten-free, you can use arrowroot powder. If you go this route, you will need to use about twice as much arrowroot as you do cornstarch.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest – These really brighten the flavor of the filling, but can be omitted if needed. You can also use oranges or limes, or bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but the flavor isn’t quite the same.

Making this Cake Filling in Advance and Storage Tips

Once the filling has cooled completely, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

When you’re ready to use it, stir the filling with a rubber spatula to make it easier to spread.

If it’s super thick, you can heat it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to make it easier to work with.

Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Cake Filling

• Make sure the cornstarch is fully combined with the water before adding it to the strawberries. If it isn’t, you can end up with cornstarch lumps and a runny strawberry cake filling.
• Frequently stir the filling as it cooks to avoid burning the strawberries. This also helps the filling cook evenly and thicken properly.
• Let the filling cool fully before using. If you’re in a rush, pour it into a wide bowl and pop it in the fridge uncovered to speed up the cooling process. The filling will continue to thicken and develop its flavor as it cools, and it needs to be nice and thick before you use it to fill a cake.
• Use fresh lemon juice and zest to enhance the flavor of the strawberries.
• Save leftover filling to fill cupcakes, thumbprint cookies, or even to top ice cream!

Let Me Know What You Think

If you try this strawberry cake filling recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating below.

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