This delicious cherry cake and cupcake filling tastes just like homemade cherry pie! With just four ingredients, including frozen red tart cherries, it only takes 15 minutes to prepare. This tart cherry filling can also be used in pies, cheesecakes, and pastries.A 1x batch will fill one 6" three-layer cake or about 14 cupcakes and a 2x batch will fill one 8" three-layer cake or about 28 cupcakes.
Servings 1heaping cup(s)
Prep Time 5 minutesmins
Cook Time 10 minutesmins
Ingredients
Thickener Ingredients
3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Cornstarch or 3Tablespoonsinstant clearjelSee Note # 1 for the differences
150 grams (¾cup)Sugar
Remaining Compote Ingredients
12 ounces (340 grams, around 2 ½cups)Frozen Red Tart CherriesSee note #2
1TablespoonSalted Butter
Instructions
Whisk the sugar and your choice of 3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Cornstarchor3 Tablespoons Instant Clearjel together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Combine the frozen red tart cherries and salted butter in a nonstick skillet or saucepan. The butter can be cold as it will melt while the cherries cook.
When Using Cornstarch
If you're using Cornstarch, add the whisked cornstarch/sugar mixture to the pan of frozen cherries and butter and stir. Cook on medium heat until the cherries are fully thawed and the liquid begins to simmer.
Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes on medium as the mixture boils, scraping the pan frequently with a sturdy spatula. Larger batches will take longer to cook. Stir frequently and carefully to avoid damaging the cherries. The cherry filling is ready when it is thick, shiny, and coats your spatula (watch the recipe video). The cherries should be soft but still have their round form.
When using Instant Clearjel
If you're using Instant Clearjel, cook just the frozen cherries and butter on medium heat until the cherries are fully thawed and release their liquid. The cherries should be soft but still have their round form.
Remove from heat and immediately add the whisked Instant Clearjel/Sugar mixture and stir it in quickly until it dissolves. The cherry filling will thicken immediately, and continue to thicken as it cools. *Reminder--make sure you are using INSTANT clearjel. Cooktype and original clearjel do not work the same as Instant and require heat to thicken like the cornstarch method*
How to Store it
Chill the cherry cake filling in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze. It may be used from cold as a cake, cupcake, or pastry filling. Enjoy!
Notes
Read my article Instant Clearjel: a Magical Little-Known Bakery Ingredient to see why I think this ingredient is worth having in your pantry. Instant Clearjel must always be whisked thoroughly with other dry ingredients before being added to wet ingredients to avoid clumping. Cornstarch works just as great in this recipe--the difference is that the Instant Clearjel option will be slightly thicker and glossier, and unused cherry filling made with cornstarch can separate slightly the longer it sits in the fridge--simply stir before using.
Frozen "red tart cherries" will make the most flavorful and bright red cherry filling, but they can be hard to find--I get mine at Hyvee. These are different than frozen "dark sweet cherries." Tart cherries are what give this filling its traditional "sour" cherry pie flavor. One 15-ounce can of "tart cherries in water" may be substituted for the 12 ounces of frozen cherries (in a 1x batch). To substitute, first strain the cherries, reserving the cherry water. Then add enough cherry water back to the strained cherries to make 12 ounces (it's about ¼ cup of cherry water).