Often when I am looking at cakes in the gallery, it is mentioned that the cake has some exotic sounding filling or icing. I am wondering if many of you make fillings from scratch or often use just flavored icings. Do you have a basic recipe for a filling like so much juice and cornstarch or some other ingredient, that could be shared with others? I would like to branch out and make some of these wonderfully deliciously sounding fillings and icings?

This is the mousse from a cake I found on the internet a while ago. I love the mousse so much I put it in alot of cakes. I LOVE it in chocolate cake!

Nutella Mousse

12 lg egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
6 tbsp Frangelico (Hazelnut Liqueur)
1/2 cup butter, cut in pieces, room temp
4 oz Bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
6 tbsp Nutella
1 cup whipping cream, cold

Whisk egg yokes and sugar in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Whisk in Frangelico. Add butter. Whisk gently over medium heat until mixture is thick, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Gently stir in Nutella. Transfer mixture to large bowl, cool to room temperature. Beat cream in medium bowl until cream holds peaks, fold into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Cover mousse and chill up to 1 day

if you want to try branching out on your fillings, check out this site, she has an incredible selection. careful, they are not all shelf stable and may require refrigeration.

http://www.ladycakes.com/Recipes/Fillings/fillings.htm

I pretty much just use the sleeved fillings. Good shelf life and good stability.