This homemade, raspberry filling recipe is simple and easy. It can be made from fresh or frozen raspberries. Also, this filling is so versatile it goes well between cake layers, macarons, tarts, pies, as well as on the side of a delicious dessert.
Table of Content
One of my favorite things about a tasty raspberry filling is the color. Look at that deep raspberry red color! Can you imagine that between layers of a cake? And especially between the layers of my white wedding cake?
A fruit filling is one that is always in my freezer. Mostly in tiny little bags. Just enough to top on small desserts or pancakes for the kids' breakfast. So when I have a cake order that includes a fruit filling, you can bet that I will make at least twice the amount needed.
If you noticed, I have left my fruit-filling chunky. I even take extra care when making the filling. That is why I shake the pan, not stir the fruit, so it holds its shape, though it's soft and ready to burst into tiny pieces.
The texture is a personal preference. It depends on how you are going to use it. For example, if I were using it between cake layers, I would strain it because no one likes biting into seeds when eating. And yet, if I use it over desserts, like cheesecake, or over pancakes, then I'm not straining it. Love the chunky fruity topping.
Why make homemade fruit filling?
- A fruit-filling recipe is so versatile. Of course, it is delicious on its own but, there is so much more you can do with fruit fillings apart from using it as a filling for cakes, pies, tarts, and pastries, desserts, cheesecakes, pastry etc (more on that below)- try it over pancakes, waffles, French toasts.
- Homemade fruit fillings are less sweet, fruitier and unlike commercial fruit fillings are not loaded with sugar, flavoriings, and additives
- The best part is it takes just 5 to 7 minutes to make it. And, it has a shelflife of up to a 4 days in the fridge. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for months.
- The list of ingredients is just 4 - fruit, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and water.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Fresh or frozen fruits - You can use either of these. Fresh berries are not always available to me. So, frozen is often my option. I prefer to use frozen, as the fruit breaks down nicely, giving you that melt in the mouth texture and mouthfeel. And if you notice, unlike most other recipes that call for mashing the fruit up, I prefer to leave them whole, so they look like a berry in the desert. Since that mouth full of fruit when you bite into a dessert is decadent on its own.
- Cornstarch - I think this is by far the most commonly used ingredient. And yet, if for some reason, you cannot use cornstarch - try arrowroot powder or potato starch. I have used both on two different occasions - and there is not much difference.
- Sugar - I prefer to use a fine grain sugar for this, so I get a nice thick syrup consistency.
- Lemon Juice - Helps cut the sweetness and also brings out the flavor.
Raspberry cake filling
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water. Cook on low to medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Use a vegetable masher to mash some of the fruit.
Pro tip - Mashing will add a nice thicker consistency to the topping but make sure to leave some raspberries whole. - Make a cornstarch slurry by combining the remaining water with cornstarch. Add it to the raspberry mixture. Continue to cook on medium heat until the filling comes to a boil and becomes thick and glossy. Remove and let cool for a while.
Pro tip - Cornstarch can settle to the bottom of the water. So, you must stir it just before adding it to the saucepan.
- At this point, you can strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Or leave it fruity and chunky just as I have done here.
- Remove and pour into a large bowl or mason jar. Let cool completely or use as directed in your recipe.
Pro tip - The filling will thicken as it cools so keep that in mind when you take it off the heat. - Enjoy!
Tips for success
- You can use fresh or frozen fruits. Make sure to check if the fruits are sweetened and adjust sweetness accordingly.
- Also, if the fruits are frozen you may need a little less water. You can omit the additional water and add only sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Once the sugar dissolves adjust water if necessary.
- Use fine-grain white sugar so it dissolves easily and does not affect the color of the filling. For example, brown sugar can give a very dull red color.
- Overcooking the fruit filling causes the cornstarch to become lumpy. If that happens just add a little water and cook to the right consistency.
- This filling will stay in the fridge for a week but can be frozen in the fridge for up to 3 months.
- This batch would be enough cake filling for 2 x 8-inch cake layers,
- a tart filling for one 9-inch tart and
- dessert servings with a 9-inch cheesecake.
- You can use this same recipe to make any other fruit filling such as blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, mango, cherry, etc.
How to use raspberry filling?
- Cake filling - You can use fruit filling instead of jam filling in cakes between layers of cake with a buttercream frosting dam and more fresh fruits. See how to fill and frost cakes. Fruit fillings are especially delicious with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting.
- Cake sides - I love to serve it on the side of my vanilla or chocolate pound or bundt cakes.
- Pie filling - Spread it on a prebaked shortcrust pastry shell with vanilla pastry cream as a base, and also top it with whipped cream.
- Tart filling - line a tart pan with rich shortcrust pastry, pour in the cool raspberry filling and top with a lattice crust. Bake until golden.
- Deserts - A fruit filling can take any dessert to the next level. Serve it with pound Cake. Top it over your favorite New York cheesecake or mini raspberry cheesecakes.
- Pastry - bake it in puff pastry or danish pastry dough over pastry cream or cream cheese filling similar to this strawberry braided pastry blackberry braided pastry, or danish pastry rolls.
More raspberry recipes
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cake - you can also use dark chocolate.
- Raspberry Linzer Cookies
- Mini Cheesecakes - Raspberry
- Raspberry Pavlova Ice Cream
- Raspberry Doughnuts
- French macarons - raspberry
- Raspberry Crumble Recipe
Frequently asked questions
The raspberry filling can be kept at room temperature for up to two days. It will also last in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days and can be frozen for over a month. Always keep filling recipes well wrapped to prevent it from drying out.
Absolutely. I get fresh raspberries in the season. And yet, during the year I have to use frozen raspberries. Also, the frozen ones tend to be more affordable and work best for cake and pie fillings.
You will need twice (double batch) this recipe for a raspberry pie. You can use either fresh or frozen raspberries. And if you have fresh raspberries, save some for garnish.
The raspberry filling works excellent on a simple vanilla cake or chocolate cake. You can also try my vanilla cream cake or simple moist chocolate cake.
A fruit jam like raspberry jam is sweeter, gelatinous, and more concentrated. Jam gets its unique flavor from slow cooking which caused the sugar to caramelize with the fruit juices releasing pectin. This creates that jelly texture that helps jam set. Fruit fillings like this raspberry filling are more fruity, less sweet, using a quick cooking method that preserves the taste of fresh fruit. It is thickened with the help of a cornstarch slurry. The shelflife of jam can be years while fruit filling will last for months in the freezer.
I have a detailed video and progress pictures showing how to level, tort, and fill a cake. The process is simple
- Bake your favorite cake batter in the right size cake pans.
- Cool cake layers then level or torte them using a serrated knife.
- Brush the cake with simple syrup using a pastry brush.
- Pipe a buttercream frosting dam around the edge of the cake.
- Fill the center with the fruit filling eg raspberry filling
- Top with the next cake layer.
- Continue with the dam and filling until you have used all cake layers.
- Chill the cake for 15 minutes then frost the top and sides
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Printable Recipe
The Ultimate Raspberry Filling
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Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) Raspberries
- ¼ cup (50 g) White sugar
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) Water ((see notes))
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water. Cook on low to medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Use a vegetable masher to mash some of the fruit. Pro tip - Mashing will add a nice thicker consistency to the topping but make sure to leave some raspberries whole.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by combining the remaining water with cornstarch. Add it to the raspberries. Continue to cook on medium heat until the filling comes to a boil and becomes thick and glossy. Remove and let cool for a while. Pro tip - Cornstarch can settle to the bottom of the water. So, you must stir it just before adding it to the saucepan.
- At this point, you can pass through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Or leave it fruity and chunky just as I have done here.
- Remove and pour into a large bowl or mason jar. Let cool completely or use as directed in your recipe.Pro tip - The filling will thicken as it cools so keep that in mind when you take it off the heat.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- You can use fresh or frozen fruits. Make sure to check if the fruits are sweetened and adjust sweetness accordingly.
- Also, if the fruits are frozen you may need a little less water. You can omit the additional water and add only sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Once the sugar dissolves adjust water if necessary.
- Use fine-grain white sugar so it dissolves easily and does not affect the color of the filling. For example, brown sugar can give a very dull red color.
- Overcooking the fruit filling causes the cornstarch to become lumpy. If that happens just add a little water and cook to the right consistency.
- This filling will stay in the fridge for a week but can be frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- This batch would be enough a
- cake filling for 2 x 8-inch cake layers,
- a tart filling for one 9-inch tart, and
- dessert servings with a 9-inch cheesecake.
- You can use this same recipe to make any other fruit filling such as blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, mango, cherry, etc.
- Doubling the recipe - If you double the amount do not double the amount of water and cornstarch. You can add ½ cup water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for up to 500 grams / 15 oz of fruit. Otherwise, it takes longer to reduce the water.
- The cornstarch needs to be activated for the filling to thicken up. Otherwise, it will be very syrupy with a starchy taste.
- If the filling is too thick means the water is reduced considerably, you can add a little more to bring it to consistency. Add regular water when still hot or warm water when the filling has cooled.
- When cooled, if the filling is too thick, first give it a good mix, only then add a few tablespoons of water as necessary.
- If used to fill a cake, make sure to fruit filling make so to make a frosting dam around the edges of the cake. This will prevent the filling from coming out of the sides of the cake. See my video, how to level, fill, torte a cake
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Jaime
Thank you for having a cornstarch free option. I have a corn allergy and you wouldn't believe how hard corn is to avoid! I used potato starch and it turned out well. I'm happy.
Veena Azmanov
Great. Thank you for the lovely feedback. Jaime