Ideas for Filled Cupcakes

Filling cupcakes is an easy way to enhance the flavor and appeal of these homemade treats. Using a simple technique, cupcakes can be filled with almost anything after they are baked. There are an endless variety of fillings to choose from, including puddings, fruits, chocolates and even small objects. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Technique

It is important to allow the cupcakes to fully bake and cool before filling. After they are cooled, point a small, sharp knife into the cupcake at an angle toward the center of the cupcake. Begin slicing in a circle. This should ultimately result in a cone shape that can be separated from the remainder of the cupcake. Once separated, the pointed end of the cone can be removed. Once the cupcake is filled, the remainder of the cone can be used to cover the filling. After the cupcake is frosted, there will be no evidence of the cut.

Creams and Soft Fillings

Jams, puddings, cream cheeses and other soft fillings can be delicious in cupcakes. These fillings should be placed into a pastry bag or Ziploc bag that has had a corner cut off. The filling can then be inserted into the cupcake in a controlled, measured way.

There are a variety of tasty flavor combinations that can be achieved with soft fillings. The popular Hostess-brand cupcakes can be re-created with devil's food cupcakes and a vanilla cream filling. Other popular combinations include a chocolate cake with raspberry or hazelnut filling. White cakes can be combined with strawberry, butterscotch pudding, or other delicious treats.

On holiday occasions, special filling combinations can make cupcakes a delicious, festive decoration. Easter cupcakes can be frosted to resemble eggs and filled with a chocolate treat. On Halloween, frosting the cupcake like an eyeball or other body part and filling the cupcake with a red-colored pudding, syrup or jam can create an eerie dessert.

Solids or Hard Fillings

Cupcakes can be filled with other foods as well. Solid chocolates, ice creams and real fruits can provide an unusual, unexpected texture and flavor surprise. Filling cupcakes with small, hard candies such as Nerds, mini M&Ms and Pop Rocks, can be very popular with children and on certain holidays such as Easter and Halloween.

Real strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries can enhance the flavor of the cake, especially when combined with a similarly flavored frosting.

Solid chocolates, such as Hershey's kisses, also can be inserted into the cupcake.

Inedible Fillings

On certain occasions, filling a cupcake with an unexpected solid object can be a fun, entertaining way of gift giving. For proposals, a wedding ring could be hidden in the cupcake. On Easter, small gifts can be hidden inside.

It is important to be very judicious when considering filling a cupcake with small objects, as they do pose a choking hazard. Object-filled cupcakes should not be consumed by small children. It is extremely important to alert the consumer of the cupcake that a choking hazard does exist.