Light and airy vanilla cake layers meet fresh berries and fluffy frosting in this chantilly cake recipe. While the berries and cake make a delicately tasty base, the creamy chantilly frosting is what truly takes it to the next level!
Why this recipe works
Chantilly cake reigns superior to all other fresh fruit cakes in our opinion. A truly beautiful combination of smooth chantilly frosting layered between light and moist vanilla cake with juicy fresh berries creates the epitome of a show-stopping dessert. It’s really a match made in heaven between each layer.
This impressive cake isn’t as difficult as it may look. You’ll start by making two round cakes, slice them, then pile them with berries and frosting. Assemble, chill, and serve. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CAKE – 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 denser. 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 just fine right away, if you wish.
BERRIES – Our berries of choice are strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. However, you can use a mixture of either strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, whichever you enjoy the most. Using fresh berries is preferable over frozen as the texture just doesn’t compare. If you do end up using frozen berries, allow them to thaw completely and pat them dry before continuing with the recipe.
FROSTING – Our chantilly frosting is a cross between whipped cream and cream cheese frosting. A mixture of cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and whipped cream makes it beautifully creamy, smooth, and airy. The almond extract adds a touch of flavor but can be omitted or substituted with additional vanilla if desired.
How to Make Chantilly Cake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- 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 first aerating or fluffing it with a spoon. Gently spoon it into the measuring cup. Level it with a swipe of a knife across the top of the cup, but do not pack it down. Add to a mixing bowl.
EXPERT TIP – Measuring the flour correctly is the most important step to making a light and airy cake that is not dense. You never want to pack flour into a measuring cup, you want it to be aerated and light going into the cup.
- 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 with an electric mixer 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 1⁄3 of the milk mixture, then 1⁄2 of the flour mixture, another 1⁄3 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).
- For the frosting, beat together butter, cream cheese, and mascarpone with an electric mixer 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 1⁄2 cup of Chantilly frosting across the face of the cake. Top with a single layer of berries, about 1/2 cup of each kind of berry. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Your assembled chantilly cake will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days covered with an air-tight lid. I like to use a cake container for storage and transportation.
Yes, chantilly cake can be frozen for up to 1 month. Do note that the berries will become watery after thawing from frozen.
Yes, you can prepare the cake layers a day or two in advance, wrap them in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to assemble. I recommend making the chantilly frosting the day of assembly.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chantilly cake chilled or at room temperature, whichever you prefer. However, you do want to keep it refrigerated while storing. You can pipe a ring around the top of the cake as we did and mound with extra berries or decorate as you see fit.
More Cake Recipes
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Chantilly Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate It Text ItIngredients
Cake
- 3 ¼ cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Chantilly Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese softened at room temperature
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Berries
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries sliced or chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries rinsed and pat dry, plus more for garnish
- 1 ½ cups fresh raspberries rinsed and pat dry, plus more for garnish
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- 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.
- You can also use 9” round cake pans. Though they will cook quicker and 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 just fine right away, 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.
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 first aerating or fluffing it with a spoon. Gently spoon it into the measuring cup. Level it with a swipe of a knife across the top of the cup, but do not pack it down. Add to a mixing 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 with an electric mixer 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 1⁄3 of the milk mixture, then 1⁄2 of the flour mixture, another 1⁄3 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).
- For the frosting, beat together butter, cream cheese, and mascarpone with an electric mixer 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 1⁄2 cup of Chantilly frosting across the face of the cake. Top with a single layer of berries, about 1/2 cup of each berry. 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.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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