Easy Cake Filling

For an easy cake filling try a pudding cake filling.

It’s amazingly versatile and easy to make!

Once you try this orange filling for cake, you’ll find you’ll want to include it in your rotation of options when baking.

It’s. That. Good.

A few years back, I found a scribbled down a recipe I had found for cake-filling.

Cake filling!

It’s always worth a scribble, right? No surprise there, as I lurv cake and everything that fills it.

The paper was a bit worn, and as I looked at the ingredients I thought, “Why not?”

I proceeded to whip up a batch of the now FAMOUS best cake-filling you’ll ever eat, and the rest is spoon-licking history.

The original recipe called for vanilla pudding, so consequently I made it as a vanilla-flavored filling.

Easy cake fillings recipe:

What if you want something other than a vanilla flavored cake filling?

Is this cake filling recipe adaptable?

Yes and YES!

Brace yerself – as you are well aware, OMT! gets bored with regular recipes and is constantly futzing with them.

Futz, I did.

What happened was wonderful and, of course, delicious.

This is the new, soon to be AS FAMOUS, orange cake filling.

Orange cake filling is amazing!

You’ll need a spoon.

Grab one for me too.

Cool Whip plus pudding is the key.

Add orange juice and you have flavor perfection.

I had made a Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake (yours could be layers) and wanted to try a creative flavor for the cake.

I thought about a chocolate ganache or a fruit spread, but then it came to me to try adding orange to my simple cake filling.

As you’ll see from the recipe, the filling is a glorified Cool Whip and instant pudding concoction.

Add some orange juice and you get flavor perfection!

Cake with pudding filling.

It’s what your life has been missing.

Cake. Pudding. Cool Whip. 

As the kiddos say: Mic drop.

Orange pudding?

So, there is some thought to using orange pudding mix for this filling instead of orange juice.

You absolutely can try that. See if you prefer the boldness of orange pudding for this recipe.

Personally, I like the subtle flavoring of fresh.

But, you do you!

To the recipe!

Easy Cake Filling 

(If you prefer a printable recipe, scroll to bottom of post!)

Ingredients:

1. 1 large box vanilla instant pudding mix.
2. 1 1/2 – 2 cups Cool Whip or heavy cream
3. 1/4 – 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
4. 1 tbsp fresh orange zest

Instructions:

• Mix pudding mix with 1 cup milk.
• Place in fridge for about 5 minutes to set.
• Mix in orange juice and zest.
• Fold in Cool Whip or whipped heavy cream (I used 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip – or what equals to one regular-sized tub).
• Makes enough to fill and top a two-layer cake.

Notes:

• You can see my orange juice measurements are from 1/4 – 1/2 of a cup. It’s totally up to you how much to use. Add more for a fluffier filling and less for a more dense filling.
• If you can stand it, make the filling a day ahead, then fill cake. This allows the flavors to marry (I now pronounce you…), making your eating experience eye-rolling good.
• FYI: I have yet to let the flavors marry. IT’S TOO MUCH TO ASK OF ME!
• Store uneaten cake (BWHAHAHAHAHAH! “uneaten cake” – is there such a thang?!) in fridge – tightly covered or wrapped. This will also allow flavors to get acquainted.

FAIL Note:

Orange Jello:

* I did try to flavor with orange jello mix before I hit upon the idea of fresh orange juice. The jello mix is gritty (doesn’t dissolve very well) and weighs down the fluffiness of the filling.

Truly my only fail to date with adapting easy cake fillings recipe.

Easy Cake Filling Ideas:

As soon as I made the filling with fresh ingredients, and knew it was gold, my brain immediately started to play around with it for more modifications:

* Cut up fruit and add to filling.

* Add mini chocolate chips.

* Use on cupcakes!

* Pancake, waffles and French Toast filling!

* Make and hide in the back of your fridge – for your spoon only!

Totally not kidding about hiding it in the back of the fridge. As soon as you taste it, you’ll forgive me for my seemingly hoardy ways.

Can you use this as an orange frosting for cake?

Yes and YES! 

You can definitely use this as a frosting or as an orange icing for cake (yes, I know frosting and icing are technically different, but colloquialisms, people!), but just be aware it’s not as sturdy as buttercream.

When frosting a cake with this filling, I do it right before serving, with cold filling straight from fridge.

Bonus Notes:

* If you need forgiveness from someone – make them this.

Humbly show up, don’t say a word, offer them a spoon, offer them a bowl full of filling (don’t be greedy and hold some back) and get ready for ALL THE FORGIVENESS!

* When you’re done eating the filling straight from the bowl – oh, yes you will – don’t forget to wash the dish. Sure, it looks clean from all that licking, but you really should go ahead and wash it.

* Milk. Orange juice. Breakfast. This is essentially breakfast. IS SO.

Your turn.

Get thee to a grocery store and grab these ingredients (may as well get three of everything…just trust me on how often you’re going to make this), STAT.

Let me know what you think.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check the back of my fridge.

Continue to Content

Orange Pudding Cake Filling

Yield: 2 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Orange-flavored pudding cake -filling!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 large box (4.6 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix.
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups Cool Whip or heavy cream
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tbsp fresh orange zest

Instructions

* Mix pudding mix with 1 cup milk.

* Place in fridge for about 5 minutes to set.

* Mix in orange juice and zest.

* Fold in Cool Whip or whipped heavy cream (I used 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip - or what equals to one regular-sized tub).

* Makes enough to fill and top a two-layer cake.

Notes

* You can see my orange juice measurements are from 1/4 - 1/2 of a cup. It's totally up to you how much to use. Add more for a fluffier filling and less for a more dense filling.

* If you can stand it, make the filling a day ahead, then fill cake. This allows the flavors to marry (I now pronounce you...), making your eating experience eye-rolling good.

* Store uneaten cake (BWHAHAHAHAHAH!) in fridge - tightly covered or wrapped.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Oneida Flambe Stainless Steel Oversized Serve Spoon
• 
  Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling, 3.4 ounce (96g) (3 Packs)
• 
  Bormioli Rocco Frigoverre Classic Glass 25.25 Ounce Round Container with Teal Lid
• 
  Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Wire Whisk Set - 3-Piece
• 
  Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls (Set of 6) Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set - Easy To Clean, Nesting Bowls for Space Saving Storage, Great for Cooking, Baking, Prepping

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 82Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 39mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

~ Original Post: September 10, 2018 ~   ~ Updated Post: July 26, 2022 ~

Happy Mixing, Filling and Hiding, Y’all!

If you liked this post, here are a few more you may like:

Hands Down The Best Cake Filling You’ll Ever Eat

This post is where the original filling comes from. From the moment it was made – it’s been a family fav.

The Best Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

Easy to make and a crowd pleaser – even if you’re not from Texas!

The Best 1-2-3-4 Cake Recipe You’ll Ever Make

You’ll notice that many of my recipes proclaim they are the BEST! 

I think they are. After testing and baking many version of each cake (or recipe), I then share the best I have found, saving you the time of serching!

This cake? The. Best!

Thank you for coming and reading and trying these recipes.

If you make this easy cake filling (with modification or not!), come back and tell us how it you like it.

Happy nomming, y’all!

Share It!