Hi all! Making a baptism cake and need some advice. 

Cake: two tiers, bottom is 12 inch chocolate cake with requested raspberry filling.  Top is 8 inches, vanilla with strawberry filling.

Each cake will be 4 layers, so 3 layers of filling.  Middle layer will be buttercream (variety of flavor and stability), the other two raspberry and strawberry. 

Each tier will be ganached, then covered in fondant and decorated.

I have never used either raspberry or strawberry fillings before (do not want to go with store-bought options, have fresh strawberries, lemons and frozen raspberries ready to go).  Due to time constraints, my plan is to fill the cakes today (already baked yesterday), ganache and freeze once the ganache is firmed up.  Next week I will cover them in MMF and decorate.

So, aside from needing a good recipe for each filling (i looked and there seem to be tons of good recipes flying around), my bigger concern is making sure these fruit fillings will do well if I freeze the cake till next week, then thaw it out to decorate (then it'll stay refrigerated until the party).

Can you help with advice?

Thank you!

BUMP.. anyone?

I really just need one question answered... can I freeze the torted cake with fruit filling?  I always freeze my ganached cakes, so I know that won't be a problem.  Just wonder if the raspberry and strawberry fillings would go nuts if frozen and then thawed? 

I hope some of you can share your experience, I need to fill and freeze the cake tomorrow.

thank you!

I'm sorry I don't have the answer to your question, I always use the sleeve pastry fillings that I can buy from local bakeries, which I'm sure can be frozen, but I haven't tried it. I wanted to ask you about freezing your ganache covered cakes. How long do you wait for your ganache to set up before wrapping and freezing the cake? Does the condensation that may form on the outside of the ganache affect it at all, and does it still taste the same as before it was frozen? And how long do you wait to cover with fondant?    

Hi Kelly! thanks for the input.  I may play around with making raspberry buttercream for the 12" tier and if that turns out good, I may go with that ,and then a strawberry filling for top tier. 

As far as freezing ganached cakes, I've done that many, many times and it works beautifully.  Once i discovered ganache, I switched to that from buttercream under fondant.  Once I ganache the cake and get it even and fondant-ready, I let it set either until ganache is mostly firm.  I use mousses and a lot of perishable fillings, so I stick the cake in the fridge and it sets just as nice as at room temp.  I leave it there for good 6-8 hours.  Then I wrap it and put in the freezer.  I don't really let it thaw out completely before I take the wrap off (probably should), but condensation has never been a big issue.  I let it sit at room temp maybe 1-2 hour (to get the temp of ganache closer to room temp) before covering with fondant.  works beautifully!

I hope this answered your questions :)

Let me know how it turns out! I haven't mixed fruit into buttercream yet, but it sounds delicious! and I'm sure that will freeze well since the fruit will be preserved in the buttercream(with lots of sugar). I've only frozen my cakes layers, not assembled, for added moistness. I love ganache too, it's the only thing I'll use under fondant. But thank you for all the information, I'm making my own 5 tier wedding cake so trying to make it as easy on myself as I possibly can. I still have a year though, so getting prepared now! I hope someone can still answer your original question!

Kelly, congratulations on our upcoming wedding!!! And... I say this with UTMOST respect.. are you crazy for wanting to make your own wedding cake??? Not because you can't, but because it gets so, so, so busy!   But at the same time, if you can master the art of freezing fully decorated cake (even if it's in tiers) and make it like a month before the wedding and just unthaw/unwrap it the day before, maybe that's not a bad idea, after all :)  I would love to see how it turns out:)  And mad props for planning this a year ahead of time!   We just celebrated our 10th a few months ago..

I will definitely report back with results on how everything turned out, according to the customer (I won't be at the baptism).

Hi, I like to use clear jel in my fillings.  You can find it on line.   It is a modified cornstarch that freezes well and can also be use for safe canning recipes.   It is available in cook type and instant.  I prefer the cook type.  I mix the powdered clear jel with the granulated sugar that is being used in the recipe.  It thickens very well.  I make triple batches of fruit fillings and freeze what I don't need.  I have frozen for 3 months with out it separating.   You can't do that with regular cornstarch.  3/4 tablespoon  is approx. substitution for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.

I have a recipe that I use for my fresh strawberry and raspberry fillings that I get rave reviews on all the time. The only thing with fresh fruit fillings like this that you have to be careful with is them "oozing" out. I always cut down into the cake a bit (maybe 1/2") and create sort of a damn around the edge so the filling rests inside just to be safe. A buttercream damn may not be enough, but you can try it and see what works for you.

Anyway, I make my strawberry/raspberry filling like this: (and forgive my estimated measurements. LOL. I tend to just throw it together)

Cut up some of your strawberries  (or raspberries. the recipe is the same for either) to make the "juice", and set the rest aside

Throw the cut strawberries in your mixer

To the mixer, add fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 to 1 1/2 lemons)

some honey (about 2 tablespoons)

some pure maple syrup (about tablespoons)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix it all together until the fruit is basically juice. (I usually cover the mixer with a hand towel so juice doesn't go flying everywhere).  It's okay if there are some small chunks but you want a good amount of juice for the base. If I had to estimate I'd say I probably end up with about 1 cup of juice. Taste it and make sure the flavor is what you're looking for. If you need to, you can add more honey, syrup...whatever.

Pour the juice mixture into a tupperware bowl and add about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Close the lid tightly and shake it until all the cornstarch is dissolved. I just do it this way so I don't have to worry about lumps

Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and add about 1/4 cup white sugar

Stir with a whisk and heat on medium high. I don't necessarily stir it constantly at first but you don't want to walk away from it. Stir it enough to make sure it's not sticking to the pan. I heat it until just before it starts to really bubble (and at that point I do stir it constantly) and then I take it off the heat and set it aside to cool. It should thicken and stick to your whisk or spoon but it shouldn't be super thick like jam either. (Unless you want it a jam consistency. Then by all means, thicken away) Obviously you just don't want it to leak into or out of your cake

Slice the rest of your strawberries into strips. Once your juice mixture is cooled to room temperature, stir your sliced strawberries into it.

If you are worried about it seeping into the cake, you can always put down a thin coat of buttercream before you fill with the fruit mixture.

This filling freezes and thaws just fine :)

Hope that helps!

AI have made a delicious raspberry filling.

First I make vanilla SMBC. Then I make a raspberry curd. I put frozen raspberries, butter, a dash of lemon and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. When it's turned into a liquid I strain it through a very fine sieve to get rid of seeds, then back onto the stove to reduce down. It sets like jam. Then I mix it into the buttercream (once its cooled). Both are fairly firm, so I haven't needed to use a dam, and haven't had oozing problems. It is very delicious, tangy and sweet.