Berry Chantilly Cake is the queen of summer desserts! Three layers of THE softest vanilla sponge cake soaked in homemade raspberry simple syrup, filled with colorful fresh berries and clouds of mascarpone chantilly cream frosting.
Light and fresh with just the right touch of sweetness, this Berry Chantilly Cake is a gorgeous dessert for celebrating life's sweet moments - from Mother's Day lunches and baby showers, to sunny garden get-togethers.
I've taken inspiration from Whole Foods Market's ever-popular version, but made it even better! Most recipes use raspberry jam to bring moistness to the chantilly cake, but I've found that soaking the sponge in my raspberry simple syrup creates the dreamiest, melt-in-your-mouth texture, with an authentic berry flavor. I've thoroughly tested this recipe to create super soft and tender vanilla cake layers, that works every time!
Just like my other summertime cakes - Strawberry Angel Food Cake and Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake - this Berry Chantilly Cake recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser at your next soirée!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A simple, light dessert that isn't too sweet.
- Can be made ahead of time for effortless entertaining.
- Cake layers are soaked in raspberry syrup for incredible flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
You'll find most these ingredients in your kitchen already, or at your local grocery store.
- Cake Flour - Cake flour gives the most tender crumb, but if you don't have it, you can also use all-purpose flour.
- White Sugar - The best choice for balancing this light dessert.
- Butter - Unsalted butter to control the level of salt in the cake.
- Milk - Use whole milk for a fluffy and velvety sponge.
- Eggs - Always use large eggs when baking, and try to use free-range if you can.
- Vegetable Oil - This will make the cake super moist. Any flavorless oils will do, such as canola oil or sunflower oil.
- Vanilla Extract - Use high-quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
- Almond Extract - Almond really shows off the flavor of the berries.
- Fresh Berries - You can choose your favorite seasonal berries for the filling and decoration. I like to use strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
- Heavy Cream - Make sure to use heavy cream, double cream, or heavy whipping cream so the fat content is high enough to whip up properly.
- Mascarpone - Classic chantilly cakes don't contain mascarpone, but the Whole Foods version does so we are aiming to replicate that creamy flavor. Some cake recipes suggest you can substitute mascarpone cheese for cream cheese, but I don't recommend this. If you can't find mascarpone, try leaving it out and making this a classic chantilly cake instead.
- Powdered Sugar - This adds sweetness and stability to the frosting. The corn starch in powdered sugar is what stabilises the chantilly cream so it can support a layer cake.
Make sure your milk, butter and eggs are all at room temperature, but keep your heavy cream and mascarpone cold.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Make the Vanilla Cake
The cake layers should be a super soft and fluffy white cake, so this recipe uses the reverse creaming method, just like my French Vanilla Cake, to create that beautiful texture to complement the lightness of the fresh berries and creamy filling.
Separate the Milk
Heat the oven to 335°F / 170°C, then grease and line three 8-inch round pans.
Split the milk into two containers, one with ½ cup of milk (120ml) and one with ¾ cup of milk (180ml).
Create Milk Mixtures
Mix the ½ cup of milk with the vegetable oil and set aside.
Mix the ¾ cup of milk with the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and set aside.
Dry Ingredients
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and turn it on low speed with your paddle attachment.
Add the Butter
Slowly add the butter, one small chunk at a time, letting it mix into the flour mixture for a few seconds in between additions.
Once it's all in it should look kind of like chunky breadcrumbs.
Combine Oil Mixture
Add in the oil and milk mixture, and slowly turn your mixer up to a medium speed. Beat for exactly two minutes.
This controls the gluten development to keep the cake nice and soft.
Add Egg Mixture
Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure there are no lumps, then turn the mixer back on low speed.
Add the egg and milk mixture slowly and mix on low speed, just until just combined.
Bake
Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the cake pans for at least 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Measuring Ingredients: I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's very difficult to measure accurately with cups and this can mess up your bakes.
Make the Raspberry Simple Syrup
To infuse the entire cake with delicious fruity flavor and achieve an irresistibly moist texture, I like to soak the sponge in a homemade berry syrup. This is the same method used in my Fraisier Cake recipe and is definitely worth the extra step!
Heat Ingredients
Place the sugar, water, and raspberries in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture boils, the sugar has dissolved, and the liquid is no longer cloudy.
Strain
Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the raspberries, which will have infused it with their lovely flavor.
Let Cool
Let your raspberry simple syrup cool until ready to use or store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Tip:
You won’t need all of the raspberry simple syrup for this cake, so feel free to bottle up the leftovers and store in the fridge. It’s perfect for drizzling over future bakes or stirring into lemonade or cocktails for a fruity twist.
Make the Mascarpone Chantilly Cream Frosting
Chantilly Cream is already a dreamy blend of whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla - but this version takes it up a notch with rich, velvety mascarpone for an extra layer of flavor.
Mix Mascarpone Filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Whip Cream
In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the cream until it reaches firm peaks - this means it will form peaks that still droop slightly at the top, unlike stiff peaks, which will be completely straight. Do not overwhip your cream.
Fold Together
Fold half of the whipped cream gently into the mascarpone mixture, then fold in the rest.
Assemble the Berry Chantilly Cake
Once you have all the elements ready, putting your chantilly cake together is pretty straightforward.
Level Cakes
If your cake layers have domed tops, carefully trim them with a long serrated knife to level them out.
Soak the Sponge
Place the first cake layer onto your serving plate or stand, then generously soak it with raspberry simple syrup.
I use a food-grade pastry brush for this.
Spread Cream and Berries
Spread a thin layer of Chantilly cream over the top, then arrange an even layer of sliced berries on top of the cream.
Layer Cream
Add a thicker layer of cream - using a piping bag makes it easier to avoid displacing the berries - then smooth it out gently with an offset spatula.
Add the second cake layer and press down lightly to ensure everything stays level. Repeat the layering process.
Finish Frosting
Place the final cake layer on top, soak in raspberry syrup, then spread Chantilly cream over the entire cake, making sure to fill in any gaps around the sides of the cake.
Decorate
Use the remaining frosting to decorate as you wish, and finish with a generous handful of fresh berries on top.
Troubleshooting
This cake is pretty simple and smooth sailing, but I thought I would point out a few potential mistakes which might occur.
- Cream isn't spreading smoothly - If your chantilly cream frosting isn't going onto the cake smoothly or has some lumps, the cream was probably overwhipped. You can fix it by whipping up a little more cream to soft peaks, then folding it into the frosting to soften it up.
- Dry Cake - This recipe should make an incredibly soft and moist cake, so if your cake layers are dry they may have been overbaked. Every oven and cake pan is different, so for best results, learn how to look for the visual cues that your cakes are baked. When this cake is ready it will be golden brown on top, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted will come out clean.
- Frosting is runny - If your chantilly cream frosting is too runny, the mascarpone cheese is the likely culprit. In the US, some brands of mascarpone have a lot of liquid in them. If your cheese is like this, drain off and squeeze out any excess liquid before using it.
What is Chantilly Cake?
Chantilly cake is traditionally a layer cake filled with fresh fruit and chantilly cream, which is whipped cream that has been sweetened with sugar and vanilla. Chantilly cream is a great topping for other desserts, like my Banoffee Pie, or as an accompaniment to fresh fruit, like Strawberries and Cream.
The viral Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Cake folds mascarpone cheese into the chantilly cream, so I have included that in this recipe to replicate the rich, creamy flavor. However, you can absolutely leave the mascarpone out to make a more traditional chantilly cake.
The taste of Chantilly Cake brings together everything I love about a summer dessert - light, fluffy cake, vibrant berries, and soft clouds of cream. It’s a beautiful balance of freshness and sweetness, made to be enjoyed with good company and sunshine.
Variations
There are lots of little tweaks you can make to this recipe to suit your preferences and tastebuds! Try any of these:
- Berry Jam - If you don't want to make the raspberry simple syrup, you can just spread a layer of raspberry jam onto the cake instead; it's still delicious!
- Different Berries - There are so many juicy berries you can use in this cake - mix them up and go with what you like the best! Blackberries and cherries are also a great addition.
- Lemon - If you're a citrus lover, add an extra element of freshness by adding in lemon juice and/or lemon zest to your Chantilly cream for that sharp flavor.
Equipment
- Cake Pans - Three 8-inch round pans.
- Stand Mixer - You can use an electric hand mixer, but I wouldn't recommend trying to do it by hand.
- Offset Spatula - For spreading the Chantilly cream.
- Sieve - Use a fine mesh sieve if you are making homemade simple syrup.
- Saucepan - To heat the berries for the syrup.
Storage
Store your assembled Berry Chantilly Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and eat within 2-3 days.
You can make it ahead of time, but different elements will last longer than others. The sponge can be made in advance and stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You could also make the chantilly cream a few days before, and store it in the fridge. The raspberry simple syrup can be made up to 3 weeks in advance if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
For best results, it's a good idea to assemble your cake on the day or the day before, as the berries can bleed into the cream.
FAQ
If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, feel free to write it in the comment section and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Berry Chantilly Cake is a layer cake consisting of vanilla cake flavored with almond, filled with fresh berries. and chantilly cream (sweetened whipped cream).
Chantilly cream is whipped cream that has been sweetened with sugar and vanilla. It is a common accompaniment to many desserts.
The famous Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Cake does include mascarpone cheese in the frosting. This differs from a classic chantilly cake, which has just plain chantilly cream as the filling.
Regular whipped cream is just heavy cream or heavy whipping cream that has been whipped to make it airy. Chantilly cream has been sweetened with sugar and vanilla for flavor and stability.
More Berry Desserts
Looking for other desserts that use delicious berries? Try these:
Recipe
Berry Chantilly Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 ¼ cups Whole Milk 300ml (room temperature)
- ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil 80ml
- 3 Large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 2 ¾ cups Cake Flour 312g
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated Sugar 350g
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 sticks Unsalted Butter 227g (room temperature)
For the Raspberry Simple Syrup
- 1 cup Raspberries 130g - fresh or frozen
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar 200g
- 1 cup Water 240ml
For the Filling
- 4 cups Heavy Cream 960ml (cold)
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar 120g
- 8 oz Mascarpone Cheese 225g (cold)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups Fresh Berries approx 450g - any kind you like - I used strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan-assisted) and line three 8-inch cake pans.
- Divide the milk into two containers, one with ½ cup of milk (120ml) and one with ¾ cup of milk (180ml).Mix the ½ cup of milk with the vegetable oil and set aside.Mix the ¾ cup of milk with the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Whisk together lightly and set aside.1 ¼ cups Whole Milk, ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil, 3 Large Eggs, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of your mixer and turn on low with your paddle attachment.2 ¾ cups Cake Flour, 1 ¾ cups Granulated Sugar, 1 tablespoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Slowly add the butter, one small chunk at a time, letting it mix for a few seconds in between additions. Once it's all in it should look kind of like chunky breadcrumbs.2 sticks Unsalted Butter
- Add the milk/oil mixture and slowly turn your mixer up to a medium speed, just so it doesn't splash. Beat for exactly two minutes.
- Scrape the sides of your bowl to make sure there are no lumps, then turn the. mixer back on low. Add the milk/egg mixture slowly and mix on low until just combined.
- Divide the cake batter between the three prepared pans and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the cake is springy and a skewer comes out clean.
- Take them out of the oven and let them cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing and putting on a wire rack to cool.
Make the Raspberry Simple Syrup
- Put the water, sugar, and raspberries in a small saucepan over medium heat.1 cup Raspberries, 1 cup Granulated Sugar, 1 cup Water
- Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is no longer cloudy. This should only take a few minutes.
- Pass the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl or jar to remove the raspberries - they should have infused their flavor into the syrup already.
- Let cool until needed or store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Make the Chantilly Cream
- In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Make sure you sift your powdered sugar to avoid any lumps.1 cup Powdered Sugar, 8 oz Mascarpone Cheese, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- In a stand mixer, or with an electric whisk, whip the cream until firm peaks. This means peaks that still droop slightly at the top and are not quite as solid as stiff peaks. Do not overwhip the cream.4 cups Heavy Cream
- Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture in two batches.
Assemble the Berry Chantilly Cake
- Cut any domes off the top of your cooled cakes so you have nice, flat layers.
- Place the first layer onto your cake plate and brush generously with the raspberry simple syrup.
- Spread a thin layer of mascarpone chantilly cream on top of the soaked cake to give the berries something to stick to.
- Lay a single layer of sliced berries onto the cake to cover the whole layer.
- Spread more chantilly cream on top of the berries. I find the easiest way to do this is to pipe the cream from a piping bag so that it doesn't displace the berries, then smooth it out with a spatula.
- Place the next layer of cake on and repeat the process.
- Add the last layer of cake on top and soak with raspberry syrup.
- Spread a layer of chantilly cream all over the top and sides of the cake, then decorate however you like.
- Top with more fresh berries.
Notes
It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
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