This recipe for berry chantilly cake is a light and yellow cake with plenty of fresh berries and a unique fluffy whipped cream frosting. The perfect cake for a celebration!
When I’m looking to impress, I turn to dessert recipes such as pink cake, Nutella cake, red velvet brownies, black forest cupcakes and this beautiful and delicious chantilly cake.
Easter is almost upon us and I can’t think of a better way to usher in the holiday than this berry chantilly cake recipe. Each year I host Easter at my house and my girls are already so excited! Of course their favorite part is hunting for Easter eggs but I enjoy spending time with the family and of course creating a fabulous holiday meal.
I always make an Easter ham with a variety of side dishes and a showstopping dessert like mini egg cookies or a layer cake. One of my favorite Easter desserts is this chantilly cake which is a copy cat of a Whole Foods recipe. This cake has four layers of yellow cake, plenty of fresh berries and the fluffiest frosting I’ve ever had that literally melts in your mouth. Once you taste it, you’ll never want to buy a cake at a bakery again!
Table of Contents
Berry Chantilly Cake Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need butter, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, kosher salt, baking powder, all purpose flour, buttermilk, raspberry jam, water, heavy whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, powdered sugar, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and fresh mint sprigs.
How Do You Make Berry Chantilly Cake?
Start by preheating the oven, and soaking cake baking strips in water. Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, then pour in the vanilla extract. Mix together the dry ingredients of flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, then mix. Next, add half the buttermilk to the mixer, and combine. Repeat the process with the rest of the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Divide the vanilla cake batter into two pans, wrap the baking strips around the pans, then bake. Let the cakes cool for a bit, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the berry syrup. Mix together raspberry jam and water, then microwave for a few seconds until the jam melts. Strain the jam mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds. Next, prepare the frosting. Beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl. Add butter to the mixer bowl, and beat until smooth. Place the mascarpone cheese, cream cheese and powdered sugar in the bowl with the butter, then beat until smooth.
To assemble the cake, trim the cakes so that they are completely flat. Cut each cake in half so you end up with four layers. Spread a little frosting onto a cake stand, and attach the first layer of cake onto the stand. Brush some of the berry syrup over the cake layer. Pipe a layer of frosting onto the cake, then arrange some of the berries on top of the cake layer. Repeat the process with more cake layers, syrup, frosting and berries. Coat the entire cake in a thin layer of frosting as a crumb coat, then chill the cake. Add a final layer of frosting. Decorate the cake with more berries and fresh mint, then cut into slices and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Cake
- Baking at a low temperature and using baking strips will help to prevent the cakes from doming so you will be able to cut two even layers from each cake.
- Overmixing the batter can cause the cake to have a tough texture. To create a light airy cake, only mix until just combined.
- Weigh your cake pans before adding the batter, then weigh again once the batter has been added to ensure each pan contains the same amount of batter.
- I highly recommend using cake baking strips for this recipe. These strips wrap around the sides of the cake pans, and help the layers bake up flat. You can find cake baking strips online or at craft stores.
Quick Tip
Chantilly cake will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Berry chantilly cake contains sugar, butter, flour, buttermilk, fresh berries, raspberry jam, eggs, egg yolks, baking powder and vanilla extract. The frosting contains heavy cream, butter, mascarpone cheese and cream cheese.
Chantilly cake is a delicious option because it’s the perfect blend of flavors and textures. The whipped cream frosting pairs perfectly with the berries, and the cake is light and fluffy, which makes this a dessert that doesn’t weigh on you after a big meal.
This recipe is called berry chantilly cake because the frosting is based off of chantilly cream, which is a type of whipped cream that is sweetened and flavored with vanilla.
FOLLOW ME
So tell me, what’s on your Easter menu this year? I’m still working on finalizing my menu but one thing’s for sure, I’m excited to make this berry chantilly cake again to share with my family and friends.
More Dessert Recipes
Fresh Strawberry Pie
1 hr 35 mins
Lemon Bundt Cake
1 hr 10 mins
Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes
50 mins
Greek Yogurt Cheesecakes
35 mins
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Berry Chantilly Cake
Ingredients
For the cake layers
- cooking spray
- 1⅓ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1⅓ cups buttermilk
For the berry syrup
- ½ cup raspberry jam
- 3 tablespoons water
For the frosting
- 1⅔ cups heavy cream
- 1 ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1⅔ cups mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1⅔ cups cream cheese room temperature
- ⅓ cup butter room temperature
- 4⅛ cups powdered sugar sifted
For the filling and decoration
- ¾ cup strawberries
- ¾ cup blueberries
- ¾ cup blackberries
- ¾ cup raspberries
- fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
For the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 325º F. Coat two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper cut into rounds and line the sides with parchment paper cut into strips.
- Soak two cake baking strips in water.
- Place the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for about 2-3 minutes until combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and beating after each addition.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.
- Stir together the salt, baking powder, and flour in a large bowl. Pour half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add half of buttermilk, then add the remainder of the flour mixture followed by the remainder of the buttermilk. Do not over mix.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the pans.
- Squeeze out the excess water from the baking strips and secure around the pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place the pans on a wire rack. Remove the baking strips and allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes. Then, turn the cakes out on the cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, wrap the cakes and store at room temperature if assembling the following day. If you are assembling the cake on the same day, freeze them for 30 minutes.
For the berry syrup
- Combine the raspberry jam and water; heat in the microwave for 20 second increments or until melted.
- Press through a sieve to remove seeds.
For the frosting
- With a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks just start to form. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl. Keep a close eye on the cream once it starts to thicken to prevent over whipping it. If the cream is over whipped it will become grainy. If this happens, stir in some unwhipped cream until smooth.
- Put the butter into the mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, and powdered sugar and beat until very smooth.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until completely incorporated. Use immediately or chill until you are ready to use it.
For the filling, decoration and assembly
- Set aside a few strawberries for decoration. Hull the remainder and cut them in half or into quarters if they are quite large.
- To create four even cake layers, first trim the tops off the cakes with a cake leveler or large serrated knife so that they are 1½ inch thick. Next, cut each cake in half so that you have four ¾ inch layers.
- Spread a little frosting onto your serving plate or cake stand and attach the first cake layer onto it.
- Brush the berry syrup over the cake layer.
- Fit a piping bag with a large round tip, and half fill with frosting. Pipe a layer of frosting onto the cake (approximately 1 1/3 cups). If you don’t have a piping bag, spread a ¼ inch layer of frosting onto the layer with an offset spatula.
- Arrange a mixture of the berries (approximately 2/3 cup) over the frosting layer.
- Place the second cake layer on top. Brush the second layer with syrup and repeat the process from the first layer of adding the frosting and berries.
- Add the third layer of cake, brush with syrup, spread with frosting and arrange more berries on top.
- Place the final layer on top and crumb coat the whole cake by covering it in a very thin layer of frosting. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Spread the remaining frosting over the cake with an offset spatula. To create a swirl finish, place the cake on a turntable and hold the offset spatula against the side of the cake. Turn the cake continuously as you slowly run the knife up the side of the cake. Repeat on the top starting in the middle and work out towards the edges.
- Arrange the remaining berries and mint sprigs on top of the cake. The cake can be refrigerated for one day. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Baking at a low temperature and using baking strips will help to prevent the cakes from doming so you will be able to cut two even layers from each cake.
- Overmixing the batter can cause the cake to have a tough texture. To create a light airy cake, only mix until just combined.
- Weigh your cake pans before adding the batter, then weigh again once the batter has been added to ensure each pan contains the same amount of batter.
Se ve delicioso
What a gorgeous cake. Almost too pretty to eat. I appreciate all the helpful tips. I’d never thought about weighing the cake pans with and without the cake batter.
I made this for my friend’s birthday, and she loved it! This cake is absolutely delicious!
This was such a beautiful cake for a birthday we had. It was pretty easy to make too. I think we’ll have it again in the summer with fresh berries from the garden – yum!
I am making this next week for guests and I can’t wait – it is just amazing! Beautiful and lush!
The combination of fluffy cake, sweet chantilly cream, and fresh berries is simply divine. It’s the perfect treat for any special occasion or just a sweet craving.
This cake turned out great! I ended up using only two cups of sugar in the icing because my family and I don’t like it too sweet, and it was delicious. 10/10 for sure
I’d give this recipe a million stars if I could! My family requests this for every special occasion. We have made this so many times and it never fails! My daughter asked for a strawberry cake and I still turned to this recipe with strawberries as the star. I just blended some freeze dried berries to add the pink and flavor along with some diced berries in the batter. We’ll use strawberry jam for the syrup. I am planning on trying an orange version with amaretto orange jam at some point too! Thank you for bringing so much joy to my family by sharing this recipe!
Can you make the cake ahead of time?
Yes you can make it a day in advance!
I guess this review is more for the Chantilly cream frosting. Although I usually make my cakes from scratch I decided to cheat and use a boxed white cake mix. I had odd size oval pans, and the mix made three fairly short cakes. I think I over frosted between the layers, this sucker is gigantic! It looks phenomenal, and the bit of frosting that I snuck out of the mixing bowl was delicious. I will definitely keep this recipe, and I will try the cake too next time.
I’m nervous about splitting the layers. I’ve never done that before. Can I assemble it as a two layer cake? Is there a downside to that? Thanks!
It’s totally fine to serve just two layers!
I made this for our 4th of July and birthday celebration. Everyone loved it and was impressed that I had made it.
I don’t usually try new recipes on company or when we’re out with friends. It’s just a rule I have. So when my friend asked me on kinda short notice to make a cake for his wife’s birthday dinner, I was between a rock and a hard place. Chantilly Cake is her fave from our local grocery store’s bakery, and she (like myself) loves anything with strawberries. All my recipes were super basic… I read this one and thought it seemed reasonable and safe. Folks, this recipe is off the chain! My friends loved it, and strangers across the restaurant wanted to know where we bought it. *takes a bow* The cake was super moist and flavorful. The frosting was just right–not too sweet, perfectly fluffy, and played nicely with the mixed berries. Everyone oohed and ahhed when the first slice was lifted up because the inside was as pretty as the outside! My only modification was to use a mixed berry jam in the syrup rather than a raspberry jam because it mirrored the actual mix of fresh berries that I used. All you have to do is follow the directions!
Hi I made this for my daughters birthday and it was sooo good! I want to make it again for my sister but with no eggs. Would you be able to tell me what replacement I can use and how much of it? Thank u❤️
Can you refrigerate the cake layers overnight before doing the rest of the cake?
Yes that’s fine!
Can I use 8 inch pans instead? Do I just increase cooking time?
I haven’t tried it this way but I believe it would work!
This type of cake benefits greatly from a simple syrup addition, I used about a cup of sugar, less that of water, and two pints raspberries boiled then sieved. Cool, add some amaretto to taste and sprinkle liberally on each layer..this helps moisten the layers and avoids the dreaded “dry cake” and adds another flavor dimension with the addition of amaretto or maybe Grand Marnier or Spanish orange liqueur Gran Torres. Also, in this recipe I think it’s pretty stingy to expect one fourth cup of raspberry sauce to cover four layers..you might also experiment with more mascarpone and less cream cheese..other than that, a good attempt at this style..
I also meant to say “cooking” spray should be replaced with “baking” spray..as baking spray gives better results. Baking spray is a combination of natural nonstick ingredients and flour, cooking spray is usually just an oil or lecithin.
Do you store in the refrigerator Or leave it out?
You can leave it out for up to 4 hours, refrigerate after that!
Could this be made into cupcakes? How many would this recipe make?
I haven’t tried it this way but I believe other people have tried it with success!
My family loved it! It isn’t overwhelmingly sweet like some other cakes. I didn’t have 9 inch pans so I used my 8 inch pans. Just had to bake them longer and make 3 layers instead of 4. I thought the cake would be a little fluffier, not dense like pound cake. (Maybe I did something wrong haha) But it tasted great and my family liked the density to it. When I make it again, I would definitely add more fruits and a little less sugar since it cuts the sweetness and adds some tartness that I like. Thank you!