Layer Cakes

1. Cool your cakes properly before filling and level the cake by shaving the top with a knife to remove any bumps or mounds.

2. Bring cream filling to just above room temperature.

3. Scoop cream filling onto the top of the cake serving as your bottom layer and use a spatula or spoon to spread the cream within 1/4 inch of the edge.

4. Place the top layer cake carefully on top of the cream-covered bottom layer. The cream filling will spread out toward the edges from the weight of the cake.

Frosted Bundt and Ring-Style Cakes

1. Fit a long, hollow pastry tip to a pastry bag and fill the bag with cream cake filling.

2. Twist the top of the pastry bag and squeeze the cream filling down toward the tip of the bag to release all of the trapped air.

3. Place the cake on a flat, solid surface.

4. Working around the cake, pierce the sides with the metal tip of the pastry bag and gently squeeze cream filling into the cake.

5. Make multiple holes all around the cake at 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch intervals. This method is only appropriate if you will be frosting the cake because large holes will be visible on the sides.

Unfrosted Bundt and Ring-Style Cakes

1. Place the cake on a flat, stable surface.

2. Slice the bottom off of the cake in one solid ring starting one-half up the cake.

3. Remove the top portion of the cake and turn it upside down on a flat surface.

4. Hollow out a canal that runs around the entire cake ring using a sharp knife and a spoon. Leave both sides of the cake intact to prevent the cream from squeezing out.

5. Make the canal approximately 1 to 2 inches deep and fill it with cream filling.

6. Fit the bottom back on the cake and then turn the cake right side up.

Filling Solid Cakes

1. Place the cake on a flat, stable surface.

2. Remove the top or bottom of the cake, depending on how you are frosting it, and hollow out the center of the cake with a sharp knife and spoon. If you remove the bottom of the cake, it will need to be turned upside down in order to fill it.

3. Fill the canal you created with cream filling and replace the bottom or top of the cake, if desired. The layer of cake that was removed also can be left off and the cake can be decorated with the filling exposed.