Well, something has to go inside!

so what finely finessed fabulous fillings do you have?

OK, I'll go first.

I swear by SMBC, I love to bake from scratch. But sometimes, I just don't have the ambition to make a filling.

If I need a fast caramel filling, I use pre-made Dulce de Leche in a can, made by Nestle. It is soft, and creamy, and pipes easily into cupcakes, spreads wonderfully on cake layers.

For quick curd fillings, I use Robertson's Curds in jars. It's imported, and the best pre-made that I have found in supermarkets. I am sure there might be other brands available in specialty shops, but this is the one for me. I only use curd with sponge cakes, which can take the extra moisture.

Robertson's also beats very nicely into SMBC. I use a half jar to a batch of SMBC. It adds flavor without changing the texture of the icing, and is not overwhelming in taste.

I have scattered shelled cocoa nibs over an icing filling, to give the middle a bit of crunch. I have also used crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans this way. Jimmies also work, but tend to soften after a while.

If I want to add fruit flavors to SMBC for a filling, I either use icing fruit or Smucker's Simply Fruit.

Nutella is good, but I only use a thin layer of it between cake layers, on top of SMBC, because of it's consistency. It pipes nicely into cupcakes.

When I do make filling, it's almost always fruit or ganache. I buy crushed pineapple, drain the juice, then cook the juice to about half. See Merissa's raspberry filling recipe for more details:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2503-0-Raspberry-Filling.html

Then I add the cornstarch with water slurry, and cook it a bit more. When it is thick, then I add the pineapple. This way the pineapple keeps some of it's crunch.

I use her recipe with fresh raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and black cherries. Works every time. Thanks, Merissa!

Otherwise, it's plain SMBC or ganache for filling.

Theresa

Thanks for trying Doug!! But again anyone can click my link !!playingwithsugar.. Im real interested in the SMBC you use ? I have been trying to find one I can make flowers with Just because I want to !! Sorry if you already answered this on another thread !But your post caught my eye !For Fillings I love the bettercreme with flavored syrups Added in( Thanks Melvira ) Its my new love ! Also the sleeve fillings. And Im a smuckers fan to !Also Creamcheese fillings with any choped candy added !

I always recommend Martha's SMBC recipe, especially to newbies to SMBC. Her instructions are no-fail.

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=59dbcf06cd80f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=header_2&autonomy_kw=swiss+meringue+buttercream

SMBC is easier than IMBC, because you don't have to stand there all day and wait for the sugar to hit the temperature it needs.

The ingredients are the same, so the taste and texture are the same.

And yes, it pipes nicely.

SMBC is not recommended for people with very hot hands, unless they take precautions -

use silicone bags (HY-GO or Patisse), because they do not transfer hand heat as easily as plastic, canvas, or parchment do

do not fill the bag up very much - even with the silicone bags, with a bag which is too full, the icing will start to melt from your hand heat

refrigerate bags if necessary - I do this all the time.

Theresa

Thanks so much !

Wow - Lots of great ideas here!

thanks for your tips playingwithsugar!
yep, fiddle you are right, us cupcakers are partial to bettercreme and syrup- thanks to melvira!
I like bettercreme w/ hershey's dulce le leche piped into chocolate cc iced with choc ganache.
and bettercreme with reese PB syrup ( or reg PB!) is fabulous on choc cc filled with coarsely chopped reese cups.

oHHH and dont forget the choc malt syrup in the bettercreme that started it all !!so yummmy !

Just mix that nutella right into your SMBC.. it's to DIE for.

I mix fruit purees and curds into SMBC and it's like eating fruit mousse.. soooo good. Raspberry is one of my favs as is lemon.

Stir some coco lopez into your SMBC and use that to frost a white cake filled with pinapple filling.. soak your cake with some coconut rum too for an extra kick.

I love cream cheese filling.. some softened cream cheese with some sugar and vanilla added then fold in some whipped heavy cream.. crush up some oreos and fold that in to go to the next level.. mmmmmmmm.. so good with chocolate cake.

I made a praline filling from wilton this weekend. It is my families new favorite. They requested it again for this weeks cake.

Praline filling

2 sticks of butter
2 cups brown sugar

bring to boil

turn down to simmer and add 8 egg yolks

stir constantly for 10 minutes, it will thinken, be careful not to make scrabbled eggs!

remove from heat and add 1 tb mable flavoring, I used vanilla,
add 1/2 cup pecans

let cool before filling cake

very yummy!
enjoy

You can use about any kind ! The torani syrups are good the hershey ice cream topping syrups Just make sure you add it into the liquid before you whipp it up ! Delicious ! Add to your taste I add a good amount !

I need to use more fillings.. most of my cake requests don't think out of the box and always want buttercream filling.....

I have a question for those of you who add fruit purees and nutella to SMBC. Does it still have a strong fruit taste? Or choc/hazelnut with the nutella?

yes... you can add quite a bit of thickened fruit puree to SMBC and have it be stable enough for a filling, maybe not to use for piping flowers, but for a filling no prob. I do it to taste so I don't have a lot of meaurements, but my raspberry SMBC filling is deep pink and the flavor is VERY raspberry. Experiment.. you'll be suprised at how much you can add to SMBC without destroying it. You can even fold in some diced fruit too.. I do this with strawberry SMBC all the time. The nutella SMBC (chocolate SMBC in general really) is a bit soft, but it makes a great filling for a chocolate cake. Another yummy option is mocha. Start with by adding melted and cooled but still pourable dark chocolate and then add some espresso until you have a light coffee flavor and toss in a bit of coffee grinds for texture and visual appeal.

Your options are endless really. SMBC is a great base to start with.. it is stable and silky smooth.

I like a chocolate ganache in chocolate cupcakes or a vanilla custard in vanilla but the Bettercreme, flavored or not, is a great stand by and always delicious and quick to make. I also like to take the instant pudding mixes, especially cookies and cream or vanilla chocolate chip and whip with cream.

OK So if you use a SMBC for a filling plain or otherewise Does the cake then have to be kept in the fridge ? Just because of the meringue icing ??

Hi Fiddle, I read somewhere that the SMBC has enough sugar in it to keep it preserved out of the frig. How do you like it? Kind of buttery isn't it?

I leave it out for a day or so, but cakes do better (for me) wrapped in plastic in the fridge anyway. Just take it out a little while before you want to serve it. I usually just cut a few pieces on put them on plates and cover them with plastic and it takes no time for it to come to temp.

As for it being overly buttery.. do you use salted or unsalted butter? I have made it both ways and with a combination of the 2 and I much prefer it with unsalted butter. Also.. make sure you add enough flavoring. A couple tsp is never enough.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-6927-Very-Vanilla-Swiss-Meringue-Buttercream.html
Heres the recipe I tried ! Just like its posted ! Yes it was buttery but eaten cold it wasent to overly buttery

Try making it with all unsalted butter.. it isn't buttery tasting at all IMHO.

martha stewart's recipe for SMBC seems relatively easy to try.

I absolutely love peanut butter mousse in white & chocolate cakes. I also like cream cheese w/ whipped cream infused with real fruit

jkalman.. Thanks I will do that !

Oooh yes.. PB mousse is sooooooo good. I put it in a chocolate cake that I torted thin and covered it in poured ganache. It was like a sophisticated peanut butter cup. My DH was in HEAVEN.

OHHHH That sounds real good ! Have a pic ?

Sometimes I think I could just devour a whole batch of PB mousse.

No.. it was eaten too fast..

Jeanne, May I have your recipe for PB mousse please?
Many thanks!

I see everyone mentioning SMBC but I use regualr BC can you add all these to regular bc?