Description
This Easy Strawberry Cake Filling recipe creates a luscious, sweet, and tangy strawberry compote perfect for layering in cakes, topping desserts, or spreading in pastries. Made with fresh strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and thickened with cornstarch, this homemade filling is quick to prepare and offers a natural fruit flavor without artificial additives.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Filling
- 3 cups Strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced in half
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest (optional)
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch mixed with a little bit of water (to form slurry)
Instructions
- Prepare the strawberries: Wash, hull, and chop fresh strawberries or use frozen ones. Keep strawberry pieces larger if you prefer a chunkier texture in your filling.
- Combine ingredients in saucepan: Place the strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and optional lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it starts to bubble and the strawberries begin releasing their juices.
- Simmer the mixture: Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps blend flavors and prevents the mixture from sticking to the pan.
- Prepare cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, mix the teaspoon of cornstarch with a little water until smooth to avoid lumps when added to the hot filling.
- Thicken the filling: Slowly add the cornstarch slurry into the simmering strawberry mixture while stirring constantly to keep the texture smooth.
- Cook until thickened: Continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes until the filling thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Cool the filling: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the strawberry filling to cool completely. It will thicken further as it cools. Use the filling immediately or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.
Notes
- For chunkier filling, keep strawberry pieces larger.
- Adjust the amount of sugar to your preference, especially if your strawberries are very sweet or tart.
- Lemon zest is optional but adds a nice citrus aroma and flavor.
- The filling can be used in layered cakes, cheesecakes, tarts, or as a topping for pancakes and yogurt.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Ensure to stir constantly when adding cornstarch slurry to avoid lumps.
