Cherry Cake Filling

This delicious cherry cake filling is thick, sweet, and flavorful- perfect for filling cakes, pies, cupcakes, tarts, and more! It's easy to make in under 15 minutes with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

Canned cherry filling can't compete with homemade cherry cake filling! Made with frozen cherries and a little cherry liqueur, it has a strong tart cherry flavor that is perfect in chocolate cupcakes, black forest ice cream, on muffins with dried cherries, and more.

Like my strawberry cake filling and blueberry cake filling, this particular filling is similar to a compote. However, it's made with a thickener (cornstarch) to create the perfect, sturdy yet jammy texture that won't leak out of your pies and cake layers.

The best part about this recipe is that it only takes 15 minutes to make. You'll never buy cherry filling from the store again!

Key Ingredients

• Frozen cherries- Frozen dark sweet cherries work best for this recipe. Frozen cherries release more water than fresh cherries, which creates the perfect texture for cake and pie fillings. Plus, frozen fruit is cheaper, frozen a peak ripeness, and available year round!
• Granulated sugar- White sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the cherries.
• Cornstarch- This helps thicken the filling. Mixing it with water before adding it to the warm cherries keeps it from getting clumpy.
• Kirsch- This is an optional ingredient, but it makes the filling so delicious and perfect to use in a Black Forest cake!  Kirsch (or kirschwasser) is a German cherry brandy made from distilling tart cherries. It's typically clear and traditionally used in Black Forest desserts. If you don't have Kirsch, you can use cherry liqueur or omit the alcohol completely.

Substitutions

• Kirsch: ¼ teaspoon of almond extract adds a similar flavor.
• Cornstarch: You can substitute another thickener, like potato starch, arrowroot powder, fine milled rice flour, or tapioca flour. Some thickeners, like potato starch, will thicken more quickly than cornstarch, so keep an eye on your filling!

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: First, add the frozen cherries and sugar to a large pot over medium heat. Let the cherries cook and soften for 10 minutes, stirring often. Don't let the mixture come to a boil; keep it at a gentle simmer.

Step 2: While the cherries are cooking, combine the water and cornstarch using a fork or a small whisk. Make sure to thoroughly mix the two ingredients until they are well-blended, without any cornstarch settling at the bottom of the bowl.

Step 3: Once 15 minutes are up and the cherries are soft, turn the heat down to low. Gently stir in the Kirsch.

Step 4: Next, pour in the corntarch mixture and let filling cook on low for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.

Step 5: Take the saucepan off the heat and let the filling cool completely for about 30 minutes before using it in your baked goods and other creations.

Expert Tips for Success

• Cook low and slow. To be sure that your filling has a thick, jam-like consistency, cook it over low heat for a longer period of time. This allows the cherries to break down and release all their juices.
• Mix cornstarch with water. Whisking the cornstarch with water before adding it to the filling prevents clumping and ensures that the starch is evenly distributed for a smoother texture.
• Stir often. Make sure to stir the mixture often while it's cooking to prevent it from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot.

How to Use

There are so many different ways to use this filling! Here are some ideas:

• Slather it between layers of chocolate cake or vanilla cake frosted with cream cheese frosting or whipped chocolate buttercream.
• Use it as a filling for this chocolate cherry bundt cake, a chocolate cherry tart, vanilla cupcakes, or chocolate cupcakes.
• Try it as a topping for yogurt parfaits, overnight oats, cheesecake, or for a crumb cake.
• Swirl it into ice cream or spoon it on top with a dollop of whipped cream.
• Roll it up in sweet yeasted dough to make cherry cinnamon rolls.
• Use it to fill a cherry pie (you'll need to triple the recipe for a 9-inch pie), cherry turnovers, or danishes.

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