3 Methods for Filling Cupcakes to Perfection

Knowing how to fill cupcakes with an extra surprise or dimension of flavor is one of those essential cupcake basics that stumps novice bakers, but here we’re going to share three different ways to fill up your tasty mini treats. From piping in your homemade preserves to utilizing a handy coring tool, you’ll soon be super creative with your cupcake flavors and fillings!

Method #1: Bismarck Piping Nozzle

This is how gorgeous pastries and doughnuts are filled with delicious ganache or cream patisserie. Fit a piping bag with a Bismarck piping tip, fill up your bag with your chosen filling before inserting into the top center of your cupcake, and pipe the filling in gently. Pipe too hard and you risk your jam or cream bursting out from underneath the nozzle. Pipe too soft and you’ll be left with barely any filling.

Pros:

• Quick way to add filling
• Small opening, which is not only tidy but creates less mess when adding frosting

Cons:

• The inside is hidden so it can be hard to gauge how much filling has been added
• If using re-usable piping bags there’s a little extra cleaning up
• Not good for the heavy-handed
• Tends to under-fill

Method #2: Cupcake Corer

In the past few years companies have began manufacturing cupcake-specific corers for bakers to easily fill their cakes with. To use, position your corer at the top center of your cupcake (make sure that the middle plunger piece of the corer is pushed back) and gently press down twisting the corer as you push to cut the cake and not squish it. Lift the corer out and then with a teaspoon (or a piping bag if you prefer) fill up the cavity.

Pros:

• Great for anyone not too confident with piping
• Better option for anyone heavy-handed
• Tends to add more filling than using a Bismarck tip
• Tends to yield more uniform results

Cons:

• Corers come in different sizes, which can affect how much filling is added
• Some extra steps needed to core and fill
• Large opening tends to lead to filling being pushed out when frosting is piped on top

Method #3: Small Knife

For anyone who needs to fill up cupcakes, but lacks a Bismark tip or cupcake corer, using a small sharp knife can be just as good. Don’t try to cut out a perfect circle, as this can lead to squashed cakes, crumbs or just a mess. A great way to core a cupcake with a knife is to plunge it in halfway down the cake in a linear fashion creating a hexagon-like shape. Use the knife to carefully lever the cut center out and fill with a teaspoon.

Pros

• Great for anyone not too confident with piping
• Handy and everyday tool
• Tends to add more filling than using a Bismarck tip

Cons

• Can be less uniform, depending on person
• Some extra steps needed to core and fill
• Large opening tends to lead to filling being pushed out when frosting is piped on top
• Can tend to “over-core”

Finding out which super handy method is best is totally up to you. Every body works differently so for someone who feels at home with a piping bag maybe using the bismarck tip is the way to go. Try out each technique before you devote yourself to just one and make sure to have fun!