When I owned my cakery, I wanted a filling that was super versatile, tasted delicious, and that would be different than buttercream. And I felt like, especially in the south, people were constantly asking for cream cheese icing, which just isn’t practical in the heat. So I found a way to give them that cream cheese flavor, but still have stability in the buttercream on the outside of the cake!
And I recalled that a family friend, Maureen, would make a yummy dip for fruits that we’d eat at her house, and I knew it would be perfect for the filling of cakes! I remembered that she had told me it was cream cheese and marshmallow fluff, and I thought that was sooooo clever and easy!
Hence, the cream cheese filling recipe was born!
Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 7 oz marshmallow fluff
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (or use a hand mixer), fitted with a paddle attachment, mix all of the ingredients together on high until light and fluffy.
Notes
Yep! It’s just that simple yall!!! However, as we branched out more and more with flavors, and the requests came in, I took this filling as a base and added yummy stuff to it! So here are just some of the variations for yall, and feel free to come up with your own as you get more creative!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 oz marshmallow fluff
- 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
- 2 Tbsp strawberry puree/sauce
- 1/2 tsp strawberry extract
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients, except for the extract, and beat until light and fluffy! If you think it needs more of a strawberry flavor boost, add the extract! You can also use strawberry cream cheese if you'd like! Add more fluff if you want more sweetness! If you've never made strawberry puree before, just thaw frozen strawberries, and blend them into a smooth consistency! Make enough for this recipe, or make a lot, and then freeze the rest (or use it in something else)!
Notes
Key Lime Pie Cream Cheese FIlling
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 5 oz marshmallow fluff
- 2 Tbsp key lime juice
- 1 lime zest
- 2 drops lime green food coloring
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the bowl and beat on high until light and fluffy! Add more juice if you want more lime flavor, but make sure it's not too runny!
Notes
Cannoli Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 7 oz marshmallow fluff
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients, except for the mini chips, on high speed until light and fluffy. Then add the chips in by hand and fold into the mixture!
Notes
This recipe makes enough filling to go in between the three layers of 6 inch cakes, and still have some left over (which you can freeze). Feel free to double or triple the recipe based on how much filling you need, and again freeze whatever you don’t use. After you’ve finished filling the cakes, it’s time to crumb coat and do the final buttercream application before decorating! Click HERE to get to the buttercream recipe and icing instructions!
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Looks delicious! Cannot wait to try!
you’re going to love it!
Can I just eat the filling alone #fatty
absolutely! It’s my favorite part of any cake! xo
I love this Idea! Is it safe to leave out of the fridge for say 24 hours? Or does the cake need to be refrigerated after it’s filled?
I’m so sorry I’m just seeing this comment! Technically, I have to say fridge because it’s cream cheese 😉 However, there’s enough sugar in the fluff to “preserve”/”cancel” the dairy in the cream cheese, so it will be fine! I have certainly left it out for 24 hours and room temp and no one has been harmed 😉 LOL!