If I'm doing a wasc how do I do a fruit filling with it? I haven't done one yet and had a request for a strawberry filling. Thanks for any help!!!

I usually use the sleeve fillings. I'm not sure when you need it, you could also use pie filling.

for strawberry filling, I use the same recipe as for my fresh strawberry pie. I blend up part of the strawberries to make a puree and then cook it with corn starch, let cool and add a bit of lemon juice and sliced strawberries. It's yummy

i also use the sleeve fillings. they're so convenient, and i can get a better deal on them because they come in larger amounts than most grocery store preserves or fruit fillings.

Ditto on the sleeve fillings--they are really good and designed for use with cakes and pastries. Strawberry blended into bc is my favorite filling.

For strawberry filling I just mix sliced strawberries with the red strawberry jell stuff they sell near the strawberries in the produce section.

I like the style that LaSombra uses. That is the one I use because it tastes the most like fresh strawberries when I am done!

Sorry this is such a silly question....but what are sleeve fillings?? And where can I get these from? Thanks guys!!!

Michelle, Sleeve fillings are the premade pastry fillings that you can find at any cake decorating store, and some grocery stores. They are sort of diamond shaped and resemble a piping bag at both ends, so that they can just be snipped and used. You can find so many flavors of filling like strawberry, raspberry, mango, lemon, cream cheese, bavarian cream, etc. all premade. Save yourself the time of making your own. They taste great! These also can be refridgerated, since you will probably not use the entire pack at once. Also, if you haven't iced/torted a cake with filling before, be sure to use a dam in between each layer. By piping a dam of buttercream around the edge of each layer, and then piping in the filling, you will have no problems with leakage, or bleeding of color into your icing. This also prevent cake bulge. Hope this helps. I'm going to try and pull up a link I have of a free video that will show you exactly how to torte and fill a cake with fruit filling! Will post as soon as I find it!

Here's the link that I promised. Its from a free cake site called cakesmadeeasy.com. You can sign up for their free email, and they send you daily cake decorating tips. They are really helpful if you are just starting out, and haven't taken courses, because they show you the exact same thing. They will send you advertisements to get their DVDs but its certainly not a nuisance or anything. I've found alot of helpful tips on there for both cakes and cookies. Hope it the link works, if it doesn't just sign up for the email newsletter, and its the 2nd tip you will get from them! Happy baking, and good luck!!!

http://www.cliksecrets.com/ar/battleofthecakebulge.php?ar=4

Oh I LOVE the videos from Cakes Made Easy. In fact I bought the whole set. Well worth every penny!

I loved the instructor so much I remember as I watched them I thought to myself "I wish my instructor was like the lady in the video". Well I was on another cake forum and a girl posted that just happened to be Trish, the girl in the videos!

We started to chat through emails and I found out she lived about an hour away from me. She told me about a class she was giving and so I signed up. I loved her even more in person!

Turns out we got along great and have become great friends!

JoanneK.....I think we need to become new best friends. hahahahaha. That is such a great story, and what a small small world it really is. Keep me posted on your "inside" tips. hehehe PS....tell your friend I think the videos are a great idea. Though, I haven't purchased them myself, I may purchase the more advanced levels. They really seem to be right on the mark with the courses that I've taken, and the things my mom has taught me over the years. Talk to ya soon!

For my fresh strawberry filling, I just ice a dam around the edges, spread a thin layer of icing and then place sliced fresh strawberries. I then fill in any "holes" with a squirt of icing. That's it! The strawberries naturally juice (but not too much and does not make the cake soggy) since they are coming into contact with sugar and when you cut into the cake............ yyyyuuummy and simple.

Oh - I also use the sleeves when people do not want to pay the extra charge for fresh fruit filling or they want the "regular" filling that they are use to getting in a lot of chain stores and bakeries. I have to say that I love a chocolate cake with the raspberry sleeve filling.... or pound cake with the strawberry sleeve (super sweet). yummy.

bj

bjfanco... How far ahead can a cake be made with fresh strawberrys as the filling? My cousin has asked me to do his grooms cake and would like fresh strawberrys as the filling. I'm going to be out of town the day before the wedding so I will need to make it at least two days ahead of time. I'm just wondering if the strawberrys will last or will go bad. TIA

I would keep the cake in the fridge if you are going to do it two days ahead of time. The strawberries will start to juice when they come in contact with sugar so I think in the fridge would be ok for two days. Anyone out there have any other thoughts on this? I have not done one two days in advance before. I know they last for a couple of days once you cut into it so I feel that refrigerated for two days would be fine. HTH
bj