This Chantilly cake recipe is moist, light, and full of almond and vanilla flavors. Each layer of fluffy vanilla cake is wedged between fresh berries and a mix of sweetened whipped cream, mascarpone, and cream cheese frosting. It’s the perfect cake for a special occasion and guests will ooh and ahh over how pretty it is!
If you’ve ever shopped at Whole Foods Market, you are probably aware that they have a signature Chantilly cake that consumers go wild for! The main difference between theirs and mine is I left the blackberries and added an additional layer to the cake; the higher the better right?
Use your leftover berries to make Strawberry Lemon Blondies, sourdough blueberry muffins, or a strawberry cheesecake trifle. Most love making this recipe during the spring and summer months because it’s so airy and refreshing. It looks great next to lemon tarts and orange creamsicle truffles. For a decadent cake without the berries, try our coconut cream cake!
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Why You’ll Love Berry Chantilly Cake
- The presentation is beautiful!
- A simple and delicious way to use up fresh fruit.
- Fluffy Chantilly cream filling is unlike any other!
- An easy recipe alternative to the Whole Foods version.
🍰 Ingredients:
Cake Ingredients:
- cake flour – this specialty flour can be found in the flour and sugar aisle of most grocery stores. It is lighter than all-purpose flour with a lower protein percentage, hence yielding a fluffier crumb to the cake layers.
- baking powder and baking soda – both used as leavening agents in the chantilly cake batter
- eggs – room temperature eggs should be used to incorporate into the batter completely, the eggs give rise to the cake and help stabilize the batter.
- whole milk – provides moisture to the cake
- vegetable oil – used in conjunction with the butter, the oil gives a softer texture to the cake and locks in moisture
- sour cream – sour cream adds some extra moisture to the cake batter. If you don’t have sour cream, substitute buttermilk for the whole milk; it will have a similar effect.
- unsalted butter – the butter should be softened to room temperature before mixing into the cake batter.
- granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract – to flavor the cake
Chantilly Cream Ingredients:
- unsalted butter – butter should be at room temperature so that it mixes properly with the other ingredients. Salted butter has a different moisture content than unsalted and may change the texture of the chantilly cream, so please stick to unsalted for this reicpe.
- cream cheese – also incorporates best at room temperature
- mascarpone cheese – mascarpone is an Italian cheese, very similar to cream cheese but slightly lighter and more mild in flavor, it is available at most grocery stores or you can make your own with this super easy mascarpone cheese recipe.
- heavy whipping cream – for this particular recipe, we are whipping the heavy cream and gently mixing it in with our other frosting ingredients for an ultra light and creamy texture
- vanilla extract and almond extract – signature flavors of chantilly cream
- powdered sugar – this is our sweetener
- fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries – choose ripe berries; best if they are in season. Rinse and pat dry just before using – we put sliced berries in between each layer of the cake for that signature chantilly layer cake look; we also keep the decorations simple and elegant by topping the cake with more fresh berries.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
📋 Instructions:
PREP: Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line each with a piece of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (see notes), salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla.
Step 3: Use an electric mixer (or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) to cream the butter and sugar on high speed until fluffy.
Step 4: To the creamed sugar and butter mixture, pour in a third of the milk mixture, and half of the flour mixture. Repeat until all of the ingredients are combined, starting and ending with the wet ingredients.
Step 5: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pans and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
Step 6: Once done, allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours.
Pro Tip: Freezing the cake layers makes cutting them in half, stacking, and frosting MUCH easier. The cakes will be defrosted by the time you’ve finished assembling the whole cake, so it can be served as soon as you’re done assembling and decorating.
Step7: Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, and butter together. Add the extracts and powdered sugar.
Step 8: In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture and stir.
Step 9: Slice the cakes in half using a serrated knife.
Step 10: Place the first cake layer on a serving tray and spread ½ cup of frosting across. Top with a single layer of berries and more frosting. Stack the next layer and repeat.
Step 11: Mound the remaining frosting on top. Use an offset spatula to frost the sides. Pile the berries on top of the cake. Transfer some frosting to a piping bag to make a border around the top if desired. Keep the cake in the fridge until you are ready to serve
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Garnish the cake with berries and/or mint leaves.
Recipe Tips for Chantilly Cake
- Measure the flour by sifting, then spoon it into the measuring cup, level it with a knife, and then measure the flour into a bowl.
- When mixing the butter and sugar, scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
- Baked cake layers can be frozen up to 1 week in advance.
- You can use 9” round cake pans also, but they will cook more quickly and the layers are thinner.
- Cake flour is a light, fine-grain flour and really makes a noticeable difference in the crumb of the cake. You can use all-purpose flour in the recipe, though the crumb of the cake will be more dense.
- Allow the eggs to come to room temperature before use. Also, give the cheeses time to soften so they are smooth and creamy when you are ready to mix.
Fun Fact
Hawaii has its own style of Chantilly which is actually a chocolate cake and is more like a sheet cake versus tall layers. There is no berry filling, but it’s brushed with a simple syrup and topped with macadamia nuts.
Recipe FAQs
The assembled cake will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month, though the berries will become watery after thawing from frozen. If you are storing individual slices, keep them in an airtight container.
It is called Chantilly cake because it is typically decorated with Chantilly cream, which is a type of whipped cream that is sweetened and flavored with vanilla extract. The name “Chantilly” comes from the town of Chantilly in France, which is known for its production of cream and other dairy products. The term “Chantilly cream” is sometimes also used to refer to whipped cream that has been flavored with other ingredients, such as chocolate or liqueurs.
More Amazing and Easy Cake Recipes
If you tried this Chantilly Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Chantilly Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 3 ¼ cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Chantilly Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese softened
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 cups fresh strawberries and blueberries rinsed and pat dry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 8” round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each bottom with a round of parchment paper.
- Carefully measure the flour by sifting it, then spoon it into the measuring cup, swipe a knife across the top of the cup and then measure the flour into a bowl.
- To the flour, add in salt, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk together,
- In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
- In a third mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes on high, scraping down the sides of the bowl often).
- Rotate to add the wet and dry ingredients to the butter mixture: beginning and ending with the wet ingredients: add ⅓ of the milk mixture, then ½ of the flour mixture, another ⅓ of the milk mixture, the remaining flour mixture, and then the remaining milk mixture.
- Divide the cake batter between the two prepared pans.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours (or up to 1 week in advance).
- Beat together butter, cream cheese, and mascarpone until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla and almond extract and then powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese/mascarpone mixture until combined.
- Slice cakes in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Place the first layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Spread ½ cup of Chantilly frosting across the face of the cake. Top with a single layer of berries. Add a bit more Chantilly frosting to sandwich in the berries. Stack the next cake layer and continue adding frosting and berries until your 4-layer cake is stacked.
- Mound the remaining frosting on the top of the cake and use a large offset spatula to spread it over the top and down the sides of the cake.
- Top with berries.
- Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
The assembled cake will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month, though the berries will become watery after thawing from frozen. Notes: The cake is light and moist. The Chantilly frosting is airy and creamy with vanilla and almond flavors. You can use 9” round cake pans also. They will cook more quickly. The cake layers will be thinner. Freezing the cakes makes cutting them in half, stacking, and frosting MUCH easier. The cakes will be defrosted by the time you’ve finished assembling the cake, so it can be served right away without a problem, if you wish. Cake flour is readily available in most supermarkets. It is a light, fine grain flour and really makes a noticeable difference in the crumb of the cake. You can use all purpose flour in the recipe, though the crumb of the cake will be more dense.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Teresa says
Excellent recipe! Thank you. It looked impressive and the birthday girl and everyone else thought it tasted as good as it looked!
Mary wyman says
This cake was a little complicated to make but so worth it. It is delicious.
mary says
Just a ok cake. ive had better cake mixes for much less expense to make. THE frosting recipe made way too much for this cake. Ive made with another recipe just previously and it was delicious. So no I will not use this recipe again.
mary says
Please in need of further information about using buttermilk, sour cream and whole milk. If sour cream is not used, how much buttermilk is used? Please quickly answer because Ive decided to make this cake soon . Thanks
Stefanie says
Hi Mary, you can try leaving out the sour cream and then just use buttermilk instead of the whole milk – same measurement – 1 cup of buttermilk.
Kaylee MacDonald says
My 4yo son requested a “cake with strawberries and blueberries!” So I went on the hunt to find the perfect recipe. I am so excited to make this!
Cake recipes always seem to call for vegetable oil.. how come? Is there any substitute?
Thank you!!!
Stefanie says
Vegetable oil (or canola oil) works really well in cakes to add moisture. It’s because oil remains liquid at room temperature vs. butter that is a solid. You can substitute butter, but the texture may be slightly different. You can also use coconut oil, but it sometimes adds a coconut flavor. I haven’t tried avocado oil in a cake yet, but it should make an excellent substitute as well. I think your son will love this cake whatever form of fat you use. My girls looooove cakes stuffed and topped with berries!
Rachael says
I made this for my daughter’s birthday and it was perfect. Everyone said it was the best cake they ever had.
Stefanie says
What a lovely compliment, thank you so much. Happy birthday to your daughter!
Nonnafromnj says
Simply Delicious!