This pineapple cake filling is creamy, thick, and packed full of pineapple flavor. It's the perfect filling for a cake that needs a tropical twist and a bit of moisture. The consistency is not too thin that it oozes out, and not too thick that it solidifies inside the middle. Lemon juice adds some brightness and helps bring out the pineapple flavor. I also added in a bit of butter to help thicken and keep the filling extra creamy.
I used this filling in my carrot cake with pineapple recipe for a delicious tropical twist.
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🍍 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Quick and easy: This filling is very quick to make so you can whip it up in almost no time.
- Tangy tropical filling: A creamy pineapple filling adds sweetness and vibrant acidity. It's delicious in a variety of cakes from coconut to carrot cake.
- Creamy: Bits of pineapple in a creamy, thick sauce create a perfectly textured pineapple filling.
📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.
- Canned crushed pineapple in juice: Use the whole can with the juice for this recipe.
- Lemon juice: Adds brightness into the filling and helps avoid a "canned" flavor. It's optional but recommended.
- Butter: Added in at the end, makes the filling creamy and rich.
- Cornstarch: You can use arrowroot starch or any other starch you prefer to thicken instead. If you plan on freezing the filling, use arrowroot starch.
✔️ Ingredient substitutions
Fresh pineapple: Peel and core the pineapple and process it into small chunks with a food processor. Because you also need juice for the filling, measure out 2 cups chopped pineapple and ⅓ cup of pineapple juice.
👩🍳 How to make pineapple cake filling
Step 1: Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
Step 2: Add the can of crushed pineapple with all of the juice. Add the lemon juice and stir. Cook on medium low heat, stirring frequently until it thickens and bubbles.
Step 3: Take the saucepan off the heat and add butter. Stir until melted and smooth.
Step 4: Transfer into a glass jar, bowl, or another non metal container and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened.
✔️ Expert cake filling tips
- Use a non-metal or coated saucepan to prevent a metallic flavor in the pineapple cake filling. Ceramic coated saucepans work great.
- Stir the filling frequently when cooking to prevent it from burning or becoming lumpy.
- Store the filling in a non-metal container like a glass bowl or mason jar. This will prevent it from getting a metallic aftertaste.
- Don't overfill the cake: Adding too much filling when assembling your cake can cause it to loose structural integrity and the filling might leak out of the sides. Follow my carrot cake with pineapple recipe for instructions on how to fill and stack a cake.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
Store the pineapple filling in a non-metal container or jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If you plan on making the filling way ahead of time and freezing it, I recommend substituting the cornstarch with arrowroot starch so that it has the same consistency when defrosted. Store any leftover filling in a freezer safe bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
📖 Recipe FAQ
I don't recommend freezing the filling because it's thickened using cornstarch. Cornstarch has the tendency to break down when frozen and the consistency won't be the same after thawing.
If you plan to freeze the filling or a cake filled with the filling, I recommend using arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch. It's a 1:1 substitution.
Yes. Peel and core the pineapple and process it into small chunks with a food processor. Because you also need juice for the filling, measure out 2 cups chopped pineapple and ⅓ cup of pineapple juice.
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📖 Recipe
Pineapple Cake Filling
Equipment
- saucepan
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch (see notes)
- 1 can crushed pineapple in juice 540ml, 19 fl oz, or 2 ⅓ cups
- 1 lemon juiced
- ¼ cup butter cut into small pieces
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt omit if using salted butter
Instructions
- Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.½ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add a can of crushed pineapple with all of the juice. Add the lemon juice and stir. Cook on medium low heat, stirring frequently until it thickens and is bubbling.1 can crushed pineapple in juice, 1 lemon
- Take the pan off the heat and add butter and salt. Stir until melted and smooth.¼ cup butter, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Transfer into a glass jar, bowl, or another non metal container and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened.
Notes
- Preferably use a non-metal or coated saucepan to prevent a metallic flavor
- Stir the filling frequently when cooking to prevent it from burning or becoming lumpy
- Store the filling in a non-metal container like a glass bowl or mason jar to prevent a metallic aftertaste.
- Don't overfill the cake so that it doesn't lean and the filling doesn't leak out. Follow my carrot cake with pineapple recipe for instructions on how to fill and stack a cake.
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