Description
A luscious and vibrant raspberry cake filling made from fresh or frozen raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and zest, thickened with cornstarch. This filling offers a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors and a smooth texture ideal for layering cakes.
Ingredients
Scale
Raspberry Cake Filling
- 4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (500g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (12g)
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest (5g)
- 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp water, divided (105g; 1/4 cup added to raspberry mixture, remaining 3 Tbsp used to make cornstarch slurry)
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch (22g)
Instructions
- Prepare the Raspberry Mixture: In a saucepan, combine 4 cups of raspberries (fresh or frozen), 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest, and 1/4 cup water. Heat over medium-high heat while stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to boil.
- Simmer the Filling: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the raspberries to break down and the flavors to meld.
- Strain the Raspberry Puree: Remove the pot from heat. Pour the mixture into a metal strainer set over a medium-sized bowl and press through with a rubber spatula, applying firm pressure to extract the juice and pulp. Approximately 1/2 cup of seedy pulp should remain.
- Make the Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of water with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir until the cornstarch is fully dissolved, creating a smooth slurry.
- Incorporate the Slurry: Add the cornstarch slurry to the strained raspberry liquid and stir to fully integrate the thickening agent.
- Cook the Filling: Rinse out the saucepan and pour the raspberry mixture back into it to avoid leftover seeds. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring and cooking for several minutes until the filling thickens.
- Cool and Store: Turn off the heat and transfer the thickened raspberry filling to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight to allow the flavors to develop and the filling to fully set.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 1.5 cups of raspberry cake filling, perfect for filling an 8-inch layer cake.
- The filling can be made up to two weeks in advance if stored airtight in the refrigerator.
- A cake filled with this raspberry filling and frosted will keep fresh in the fridge for up to one week or frozen for up to one month.
- The buttercream frosting helps lock in moisture and maintain freshness when stored properly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup (approx. 60g)
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 1mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
