This berry chantilly cake recipe is made with moist vanilla cake, fresh fruit, and layered with a luscious chantilly cream frosting made of lightly sweetened whipped cream and mascarpone filling. This cake is not too sweet and is the perfect refreshing dessert for weddings, birthdays, bridal showers, or any special occasion that needs a dessert everyone will love.
The first time I tasted a berry chantilly cake, it was from Whole Foods Market which has actually trademarked the name "berry chantilly cake" because of it's popularity. I can see why. After my first bite, I was hooked. The layer cake is so light. The chantilly cream is not too sweet and the seasonal berries are so delicious! I had to try recreating it at home.
What's in this blog post
- Chantilly cake ingredients
- What is a Chantilly cake?
- Chantilly cake instructions
- Berry filling instructions
- Chantilly frosting instructions
- Cake Assembly
- FAQ
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8 cups
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5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Chantilly cake ingredients
- Cake Flour - This is the best option for the most delicate and delicious cake crumb. You can make your own cake flour using all purpose flour and cornstarch but the texture will be a bit more like cornbread. You can find cake flour in most grocery stores.
- Cream Cheese - Make sure this is cut into small cubes and either microwaved for 15 seconds to soften it or left out room temperature while you bake your cake layers. Cold cream cheese is very hard to make into frosting without having lumps.
- Mascarpone cheese - Similar to cream cheese but less tangy. Slightly sweet and incredibly creamy. This will make the texture of your Chantilly cream extra extra creamy.
- Heavy whipping cream - This is the basis for your Chantilly cream. Sometimes referred to as double cream or whipping cream. Half and half will not whip up due to its low fat content.
- Berries - You'll need some berries for the berry filling as well as for adding in between the layers and the top of the cake.
What is a Chantilly cake?
Sweetened whipped cream frosting is sometimes referred to as “Chantilly cream,” which came from its place of origination, Hameau de Chantilly (English translation: “hamlet of Chantilly” or settlement within the town of Chantilly). This was thought to originate around the 1800s.
Chantilly frosting is just heavy whipping cream that has been sweetened and vanilla extract added but my version I also add in mascarpone cheese and cream cheese frosting for texture and flavor which is very similar to the Whole Foods berry chantilly cake recipe.
So I guess my Berry Chantilly Cake version is a cross between a classic Chantilly cake and a Gentilly cake because I like the fluffy vanilla cake with berries but prefer the cream cheese/mascarpone frosting over basic whipped cream.
But this is where it gets weird.
On our last trip to Hawaii, we made a stop at the famous Ted's Bakery and had a slice of their famous Chantilly cake. Guess what the flavor was? Chocolate cake frosted with a rich kind of frosting that was similar to coconut pecan frosting but without the coconuts and pecans. So Chantilly cake can also be Chocolate cake depending on who you ask.
Chantilly cake instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350º F and prepare two 8"cake pans with cake goop or your preferred form of pan release.
- Measure out all your ingredients and make sure they are room temperature or even slightly warm. This allows them to mix together properly.
- Pour 4oz of the milk into a separate measuring cup and add in the oil. Set it aside.
- Add the eggs and vanilla to the remaining milk, whisk together to combine and set it aside.
- Place the dry ingredients (cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) into the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached.
- While mixing on low, add in the softened unsalted butter in small pieces to the flour mixture.
- Continue mixing until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Add the oil/milk mixture to the sandy mixture and increase the speed to medium (speed 3 on a kitchenaid, speed 2 on a bosch).
- Mix on medium speed for two full minutes. Don't worry, this won't overmix your batter. It's an important step to developing the cakes delicate and tender crumb.
- Reduce the mixer to low again and slowly pour in the milk/egg mixture. Keep mixing on low until everything is combined.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between your cake pans.
- Bake the cake layers in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out from the center cleanly.
- While the cakes are baking, prepare your berry filling.
- Place the cakes on a cooling rack.
- After the cakes have cooled for about 20 minutes or the pans are cool enough to touch, flip the cakes over and remove the cakes from the pans onto the wire rack to cool. Place the cake layers into the freezer for about an hour before frosting.
Berry filling instructions
- Place the berries and sugar into a saucepan on medium heat.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until the berries start to break down.
- Combine the cornstarch and water together and add it to the hot berry mixture.
- Add in the lemon juice.
- Stir constantly until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove the berry filling from the heat, transfer it to a heat proof container, and place it into the fridge to cool down.
Chantilly frosting instructions
- Place the softened butter into the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Add in the softened cream cheese and mix on medium speed until smooth.
- Add in the mascarpone cheese and mix until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar to the mixture and mix until smooth. Set the mixture aside.
- Place the heavy whipping cream into a separate bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment attached.
- Whip on medium speed until firm but soft peaks form. They should hold their shape when you lift the whisk out of the bowl.
- Add in the vanilla and almond extract and mix until combined.
- Fold the whipped cream carefully into the mascarpone mixture with a spatula until smooth. Do not overmix.
Cake Assembly
- Trim the domes off your cooled vanilla cake layers to make them flat and if desired, you can trim off the brown edges and bottom of the cake as well.
- Place your first cake layer onto your cake board and spread a thin layer of raspberry or berry jam on top.
- Now spread a nice thick layer of your chantilly frosting and layer in some fresh berries. I don't slice them so that they don't drip into my frosting unless the strawberries are really big then I slice them in half.
- Repeat process with the other layers of cake, frosting and berries.
- Finish frosting the cake with the rest of the mascarpone frosting and top with more fresh berries.
FAQ
Sometimes a Chantilly cake is referred to as a Gentilly cake. The main difference between a Gentilly cake and a Chantilly is the Gentilly cake typically has buttermilk rather than regular milk in the cake recipe. The frosting usually contains cream cheese and mascarpone frosting.
If you would like to use a buttermilk based cake rather than my vanilla cake, check out my white velvet buttermilk cake recipe.
The history of Chantilly cream is actually pretty interesting if you want to read more about the inventor but I won't bore you with all that here. I fully understand not everyone is a freakish food nerd like I am.
Because this berry Chantilly cake contains fresh fruits and whipped cream, it must be kept refrigerated. The whipped cream is stabilized by the cream cheese so it the frosting is stable for 1-2 days with no problems.
Berry Chantilly cake can be brought to room temperature before eating (1-2 hours) with no problems and actually tastes better when a little warm.
I know this might sound crazy but don't keep this cake in the sun. It will melt.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
Choose a pan type
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Cupcake Tin Size
Choose number of pans
Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
Select an option below to calculate how much batter or frosting you need. Adjust the servings slider on the recipe card to change the amounts the recipe makes.
Choose a pan type
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Choose a cake pan size
(based on 2" tall cake pan)
Cupcake Tin Size
Choose number of pans
Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Round Piping Tip and Piping Bag
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake Recipe
- 13 oz bleached cake flour
- 13 oz granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz butter unsalted
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 10 oz whole milk room temperature
- 3 oz vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Chantilly Cream Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 8 oz unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese softened
- 22 oz powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 oz heavy whipping cream
Berry Cake Filling
- 2 cups fresh or frozen berries
- 2.5 oz sugar
- 1 oz water
- 1 oz cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
Decoration
- 2 cups fresh berries for decoration
Instructions
Vanilla Cake Instructions
- Note: It's VERY important that your cold ingredients are at room temperature or slightly warmed. See video for tips. Heat oven to 350º F/177º C.
- Place 4oz of the milk and oil in a separate bowl or cup and set aside
- Combine remaining milk, vanilla extract, almond extract and room temp eggs in a separate measuring cup and set aside
- Measure out dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) and place them into the stand mixer bowl.
- Attach the paddle to the mixer, and turn on the slowest speed (setting 1 on Kitchen Aid mixers). Slowly add chunks of your softened butter until it is all added. Let mix until batter resembles coarse sand.
- Add milk/oil mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed (speed 4 on my KitchenAid) and mix for 2 full minutes. Do not skip this step or your cake will not rise.
- Add in ⅓ of your milk/egg mixture. Repeat 2 more times until batter is just combined. Don't forget to scrape your bowl.
- Divide your cake batter into your cake pans and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes from the center of the cake cleanly.
- Prepare your berry filling while the cakes are baking.
- Remove the cake pan from the oven and "tap" it lightly on the counter once to remove air from the cake and keep it from shrinking un-evenly.
- Place cakes on a cooling rack and let them cool for about 20 minutes. Then flip them out onto a cooling rack.
- Place the cakes in the freezer for one hour to cool down before decorating.
Chantilly Cream Instructions
- Cream together the softened butter, cream cheese and mascarpone cheese together until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar and continue creaming until combined
- Whip the whipped cream to soft peaks. Add in the vanilla and almond extract. Peaks should be firm but not curdled. This happens quickly so watch your cream closely!
- Fold your cream cheese mixture and whipped cream together to make your frosting.
Berry Cake Filling
- Place the berries in a medium saucepan with the sugar and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
- Combine the cornstarch with the cold water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the bubbling berries. Add in the lemon juice.
- Cook a few minutes until the mixture is thick (1-2 minutes). Remove the berries from the heat.
- Cool berry filling before using.
Video
Notes
Cake flour sources: UK - Shipton Mills Cake & Pastry Flour
Bea says
FYI: if you will put a strip of aluminum foil around the outside of your cake pan you won't have to trim the outside. It won't get real brown. I never bake a cake over 325° so it's moist &.never dry plus it stays fresh longer.
Nicole Hernandez says
I really want to make this cake for an upcoming baby shower. However, the design calls for the cakes to be covered in fondant. Will this mascarpone frosting hold up well under fondant? Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
No this frosting cannot touch fondant, it will cause it to melt. You can however use it as a filling with a buttercream dam and buttercream on the outside just like you would treat a fruit filling or a custard.
Breana says
I’m a little confused, the post says to add the vanilla extract to the whipped cream but then in the recipe instructions say the vanilla extract is added to the marscapone, cream cheese and butter mix. Does it really matter which one the vanilla extract goes in, since they are folded together in the end? The 4 oz of heaving whipping cream doesn’t seem like enough to get 2 cups of stabilized whipped cream to me?
The Sugar Geek Show says
It doesn't matter when you add it. Probably a leftover instruction from the stabilized whipped cream on it's own 🙂 I'll fix it.
Sandra says
I found this recipe and it looks so good. I would like to try to make it for my wedding! Although, what do the oz translate into cups for the dry ingredients?
Kelsey says
This recipe is so AMAZING! The cake is so velvety, the filling is so creamy and luscious, the frosting is decadent and the berries add that pop of flavor! The Whole Foods version doesn't compare!
Shirley Ellsworth says
Hi! I live in Florida. Can I use these same measurements, to make the vanilla cake, or do I have to adjust them? And if so, by how much?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No need to adjust, do you typically make adjustments for baking? I've never heard of needing to do that for living in Florida, only for high elevation
Kris Torres says
Your first item in the chantilly cream ingredients list is "cream cheese frosting". Did you mean to just say "cream cheese"? Making this tomorrow! Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Oops! You're right! fixed it and thank you!
Llordo says
Hi again Liz! Question for the Chantilly cream filling, can this be made in advance? I haven’t made any cream cheese fillings that’s why. Thank you! ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would make it right before you use it.
Alejandra says
Looks amazing ?,I will make it Saturday for my sister-in-law’s
Rebecca says
Hi Liz! Firstly, thank you for so generously sharing your recipes and techniques. I'm a huge fan of you and your amazing work!! Also, a huge congrats on the birth of baby Ezra, he's absolutely gorgeous 🙂 Regarding the Berry Chantilly Cake, I'm interested to know if this filling can be used in a double barrel cake (around 9 inches high), if I were to use dowels and a cake board for every 3-4 cake layers? I'm so tempted to make it for my friends 40th in a couple of weeks, but not sure if the filling will be stable enough to hold the weight of the cake.. Would love to get your thoughts on this. From Australia, Rebecca xx
The Sugar Geek Show says
As long as the filling is well chilled and everything is supported, I don't see why not 🙂
Rebecca says
Thank you so much : )
Mary Grace says
I’m wondering about the instant pudding mix - can it be replaced with gelatin? I’m super excited to try this recipe! Thanks so much for posting it 🙂
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it sure can. I'd do 1 tsp gelatin powder dissolved in 1 Tablespoon heavy cream before adding it in 🙂
Mary Grace says
Thank you!!
Ron says
Are you supposed to use 1 cup of heavy cream or 2? I've made this frosting recipe before but it was 1/2 quantities, 1 pack cream cheese, 1 pack mascarpone, and 8 oz of heavy cream, so shouldnt that be doubled for this? I think it says 2 cups of whipped cream in the video too but the recipe here says 1.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Just follow the written recipe. I found that 1/2 cup of heavy cream wasn't quite enough for some people so I increased the cream
Mary Grace McClellan says
I made this and it was fantastic! Thanks for sharing!!
Andrea says
Sorry I just read the answer to my question in the post about it holding up for 1-2 days.
Simone says
Can you freeze the leftover slice cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you're asking if you can freeze one slice of cake the answer is yes but you would need to wrap it really well in plastic wrap then tinfoil to prevent it from drying out and getting freezer burned
Kornya Musa says
Hi Sugar Geek,
I want to make two 9" cakes but I don't know how I will increase the recipe; should I double it, triple it. Can you please tell me how much of this recipe I need for two 9" cakes.
thank you and have a great day.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would do a 1 1/2 half batch. 9" is not much bigger than 8"
Kornya Musa says
Thank you so much
Amanda says
Is the 'instant pudding mix' listed flavored?
The Sugar Geek Show says
just vanilla
Diana says
THE BEST CAKE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!
This cake is so delicious from the berry filling to the soft velvet cake. I didn't have any mascarpone cream for the Chantilly cream but it was still delicious. I made it for this Thanksgiving and it was a complete hit!!!!!!!
Brigitte says
Does it matter if the cake flour is unbleached?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No it doesnt
Olena says
I made this cake first and it came out very nice!!! Thank you .
The second time I made it,I sprayed the spring form with a nonstick IG spray and the batter spilled out of the spring form., big time.
Why did it happen?
The first time everything was just perfect
Thank you
For
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't know what IG spray is or what would cause the cake to overflow other than the cake tin being too full or maybe the leavening being mismeasured
Rae says
Do you need to add the instant pudding mix to the frosting or can it be omitted?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The pudding mix is to stabilize the whipped cream. Here are some other alternatives for you https://sugargeekshow.com/recipe/stabilized-whipped-cream/
Santa Stocking says
Can one use Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour for this cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you sure can
Santa Stocking says
Thank you so much! I made this cake yesterday using an all purpose gluten free flour. While it wasn't fluffy like yours it still turned out simply delicious!!????? Any suggestions for a fluffier cake when cooking at a higher elevation?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Here are my tips for baking at high altitude 🙂 https://sugargeekshow.com/news/high-altitude-baking-hacks/
Angelica J says
This cake is so delicious, can this be turned into cupcakes ? Or do I need to just use cream cheese buttercream?
The Sugar Geek Show says
This cake recipe is just my vanilla cake recipe so you can definitely use it as cupcakes. you can use the same frosting for cupcakes too
Mahala cooper says
I made this cake . I was pleased with the icing and the fruit spread; however I Wasn’t with my cake. My cake was spongy and dense and it did not rise the way I expected it to. I made 3 attempts but they all turned out the same. What can I do to make this cake light and fluffy?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I am sorry the cake didn't turn out for you. It's impossible for me to know what went wrong unless I know if you replaced any of the ingredients with something else, changed the way you mixed the cake or if you made sure all the ingredients were at room temperature. There are many ways a cake can go wrong. My advice is to look through the ingredients and recipe step by step to see if you changed anything along the way.
Barbara says
Hi! The measurement for the sugar in the recipe is 2.5 oz but in the directions it says 5 oz. Which measurement do we follow?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The recipe card is the correct measurement 🙂
Candis says
I’m making this now. Is it 5oz of sugar or 3.5 for berry sauce? You have two different instructions. Just checking 😉
The Sugar Geek Show says
It's 2.5 ounces for the berry filling