How to Fill Cupcakes (Video)

Learn how to fill cupcakes using 2 different methods, depending on how thick the filling is. Whether you’re making vanilla cupcakes with raspberry filling, cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, or any other combination you can dream up, this is a great way to add something special to your homemade cupcakes. Bonus: It’s really easy to do!

I love filling cupcakes, because there’s a fun surprise inside when you take that first bite. You can have a lot of fun mixing and matching different filling and frosting flavors. Some of my favorite combinations, and the exact cupcakes pictured above, are:

1. Vanilla cupcakes with raspberry cake filling
2. Cream-filled chocolate cupcakes
3. Lemon raspberry cupcakes (filled with more of the raspberry jam buttercream)
4. Coconut cupcakes with salted caramel filling and chocolate frosting
5. Vanilla cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and a jam filling (AKA PBJ cupcakes)

Today I’m going to walk you through 2 methods for how to fill cupcakes.

Filling Cupcakes Video Tutorial:

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How to Fill Cupcakes – Method #1

The first method works really well if you have a thick filling, like this raspberry cake filling, chocolate ganache, pastry cream, a butterscotch sauce like in these butterscotch cupcakes, or a buttercream frosting such as this white chocolate buttercream.

For this method you need:

• A paring knife
• A small spoon, such as a teaspoon
• A piping bag (reusable or disposable) fitted with a large round tip, like Wilton 12 (optional)
• Cupcakes & filling

Here’s how to do it: With the paring knife, cut a hole in the cupcake, about an inch deep. The piece you remove will be roughly cone-shaped. Set it aside. Use a teaspoon to scoop some of your filling, and fill the cupcake with however much fits in there without overflowing (it’s usually between 1–2 teaspoons’ worth). If your filling is smooth, like a buttercream frosting, you can pipe it rather than use a spoon.

Pick up the cone-shaped piece of cupcake you removed, and tear or slice off the pointed tip. You can discard this bit, but I like to think of these pieces as bakers’ bonus bites. 😉 Place the round piece back on top of the filled cupcake. Don’t worry about how it looks on top, because—obviously!—you’ll cover the top with frosting.

Here are some visuals of this process:

Again, don’t worry about how it looks on top because you’ll be decorating it with buttercream.

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How to Fill Cupcakes – Method #2

This second cupcake filling method is great if you have a thinner filling, like a thin and smooth jam, lemon curd, or raspberry sauce.

For this method you need:

• Piping bag (reusable or disposable) fitted with a long, skinny filling tip, such as Wilton 230 (just like we use to fill homemade cruffins)

Take your filled piping bag and insert the tip into the center of the cupcake, about 1/2 inch deep. Begin squeezing the piping bag to fill the cupcake. You’ll notice the cupcake expand a bit. That’s when you’ll know to stop filling. And again, if it looks a little messy on top, don’t worry, because you can cover it up with frosting!

Here’s a visual of this process:

Whichever method you choose, adding a filling is a fantastic way to add a little something special to your next batch of cupcakes.

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Here Are Some Cupcake Filling Suggestions:

• Salted Caramel (use method #1)
• Thick Fruit Preserves/Jam (use method #1)
• Chocolate Ganache (once it thickens; use method #1)
• Buttercream, or really any frosting (use method #1)
• Whipped Cream (use method #1)
• Pastry Cream (use method #1)
• Thin Jelly (use method #2)
• Lemon Curd (use method #2)
• Raspberry Dessert Sauce (use method #2)

Filled Cupcakes Recipes

The cupcake flavor, filling, and topping combination possibilities are endless, but here are a few favorites to get you inspired!

More Baking Tips

• 10 Best Cupcake Baking Tips
• How to Use Piping Tips
• How to Properly Measure Baking Ingredients
• DIY Cake Flour Substitute
• 14 Best Baking Tools