I’ve wanted to make a berry Chantilly cake for the longest time and this Spring I finally got around to it!!
Berry Chantilly cakes are usually made with soft white cake layers, frosted with a Chantilly cream, and filled with loads of fresh berries. Sounds pretty incredible, right??
The Trick to Making This Mixed Berry Cake Filling
My favorite part of this cake is the mixed berry cake filling. It’s packed with flavor and adds so much flavor to this cake.
While you could just add fresh berries between the cake layers, I find that cooking down a mixture of berries with sugar and a touch of lemon really concentrates the flavor.
To help thicken the filling, I like to add a slurry of cornstarch and water. It makes it so much easier to add the filling between the cake layers.
This also prevents the juices from seeping out of the cake once it’s assembled.
I love berries so much that I actually pressed fresh berries on top of the filling before covering it with frosting! This adds another layer of texture to this cake, which I am a huge fan of.
The Importance of Leveling Your Cake Layers
Usually, I say that leveling your cake layers is optional. Most of my cake recipes bake up pretty flat, so it is possible to assemble your cake without trimming the tops.
However, I highly recommend leveling your cake layers for two reasons.
The first reason is that by removing the caramelization from the top of the cake layer you allow your cake layers to soak up that delicious berry filling!!
The second reason is that this cake ends up being super tall! Leveling your cake layers makes it a lot easy to stack your cake layers. It also makes the cake more stable.
My Spin on This Whipped Cream Frosting
Chantilly cream is usually made with a stabilized whipped cream base, and that’s exactly what we make with this recipe!
This recipe uses cream cheese to stabilize the whipped cream and give it an incredible flavor.
The end result is a fluffy, perfectly balanced whipped frosting that pairs perfectly with the ripe berries.
Decorating This Berry Chantilly Cake
The last thing to consider about this cake is how you want to decorate it!
I wanted to decorate this cake in an elegant yet simple way that let the ingredients in this cake be the star of the show.
I chose to decorate this cake in a semi-naked style. This lets those delicious vanilla cake layers peak through the frosting!
With that in mind, I decided to pile the same fresh berries that were used in my cake filling on top of this cake.
You can decorate this cake however you like, but I swear sometimes all you need are some fresh berries!
Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Layers
This recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.
Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake recipe.
- Cake Flour – This recipe turns out best with cake flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed or all-purpose flour if that’s all you have on hand.
- Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar because it will change the texture of the cake layers.
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this cake recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and also omit the salt)!
- Egg whites – I like to use the pasteurized egg whites that come in a carton, but you can also use 7 fresh egg whites or 4 whole, large eggs. If you have an egg allergy you can try using flaxseed eggs or an egg replacer.
- Sour Cream – You can also use full-fat yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
- Vegetable Oil – Any flavorless oil can be used in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!
Substitutions and Swaps – Whipped Cream Frosting
- Heavy Cream – Light or heavy whipping cream will both work in this recipe, but I prefer heavy whipping cream (36-40% fat).
- Cream Cheese – The full-fat version that comes in a block works best. I highly recommend using Philadelphia for the best results. Avoid organic cream cheese as it has different stabilizers which make it harder to whip up.
Making this Berry Chantilly Cake in Different Sizes
One batch of batter is about 1800g or 10 cups, so I add roughly 600g to each of my cake pans when using 3, 8-inch cake pans.
You can also use one batch of batter to make 2, 9-inch cake layers or 4, 6-inch cake layers. Bake time will be a few minutes longer at 350 F / 175 C.
If you want to make a tiered cake with this recipe, check out my cake batter calculator to see how many batches of batter you’ll need.
If you want to make berry chantilly cupcakes, bake them at 350F / 175C for 18-21 minutes. One batch of batter will make about 3 dozen cupcakes (yield will vary based on the size of your liners).
Tips for Making the Best Berry Chantilly Cake
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Level the room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack and fill. This also lets the berry filling seep into the cake layers.
- Use fresh berries for the cake filling if they are in season, and frozen if they aren’t.
- Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake, to make it easier to stack and frost.
Making These Cake Layers in Advance and Storage Tips
I highly recommend making the components of this cake in stages. It breaks the process up and makes it so much more approachable!
The berry filling can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge.
The cake layers can also be made in advance and frozen for up to a month. They taste just as great when they’re frozen as when they’re freshly baked, I promise!
You can make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container or piping bag in the fridge for up to 3 days and will keep its shape. There’s no need to re-whip it once you’re ready to use it, just use it cold straight from the fridge.
If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this berry Chantilly cake recipe, I’d love to hear what think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts.
And don’t forget to tag us @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations.
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NOTE: This recipe was updated in June 2023 and the frosting recipe has been changed to make the process simpler. If you want the original recipe, please email me at [email protected].
Berry Chantilly Cake
This berry Chantilly cake is made with fluffy whipped cream frosting and the best mixed berry filling! It tastes just like Summer.
Ingredients
Berry Cake Filling
- 2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries etc.) (290g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 Tbsp water, room temperature (15g)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (12g)
- 2 tsp lemon zest or zest of 1 large lemon (6g)
Soft Vanilla Cake Layers
- 3 cups cake flour (360g)
- 3 cups granulated sugar (600g)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
- 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
- 1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 1 cup pasteurized egg whites from a carton or about 7 egg whites, room temperature (240g)
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream, room temperature (360g)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (28g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g)
Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (8 oz.) full fat cream cheese, cold (226g)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (125g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g)
- 2 1/2 cups heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold (600g)
Decorations
- 1-2 cups fresh berries
- fresh mint sprigs
- edible flowers
Instructions
Berry Cake Filling
- Make the filling first so that it has time to cool and thicken. It needs a few hours to cool.
- Pour 2 cups of mixed berries and 1/2 cup of sugar into a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the 1 Tbsp of cornstarch and 1 Tbsp of water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the saucepan and stir to combine.
- Let the berry mixture cook for several minutes until it thickens, stirring constantly. If you use frozen berries it will take a few minutes longer to thicken. Once the mixture has thickened, turn off the stove and mix in 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice and 2 tsp lemon zest.
- Pour into a separate bowl and set aside to cool. To accelerate the cooling process, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.
Vanilla Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line and grease three, 8” pans or four, 7” pans with parchment rounds. You can also use this recipe to make 4, 6-inch cake layers but the bake time will be a few minutes longer. If you don't have 4 cake pans, the batter can sit at room temperature for a few hours. Bake as many layers at a time as you can at a time.
- Whisk together 3 cups cake flour, 3 cups sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl.
- Mix in 1 cup of room-temperature butter slowly with a paddle attachment on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks like moist sand.
- Pour in 1 cup of egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated.
- Add in 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 2 Tbsp oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a low speed until the batter is smooth.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on a medium speed for 30 more seconds to make sure everything is properly combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 33-36 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the pans cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Place cake layers on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Place the cake pans into the freezer for 45 minutes to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans, and remove the layers from the pans. Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers. Set aside.
Whipped Cream Frosting
- Chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 30 minutes to help this whipped cream frosting whip up better.
- Place 1 cup (8 oz. block) of cold cream cheese into the chilled mixing bowl and mix on a medium-low speed until smooth.
- Pour in 1 cup of powdered sugar, and mix on low at first to avoid powdered sugar clouds/explosions. Increase the speed to medium-high once the powdered sugar is incorporated, and mix for about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed throughout this process.
- Add in 1 tsp of vanilla extract, then turn the mixer to a medium-high speed and gradually pour in 2 1/2 cups of cold heavy cream. I like to do this in about 4 additions and focus on pouring the heavy cream down the side of the bowl to prevent it from splattering.
- Watch the mixture closely once the heavy cream is fully mixed in. It should thicken and take shape shortly after this (mine usually does within about 30 seconds of mixing in the heavy cream). Take care not to over-mix your whipped cream frosting!! It will become soupy and sadly, you won't be able to fix it.
- As soon as you see the frosting start to take shape, turn off your mixer and do a quick whisk test. Dunk your whisk attachment into the frosting, then put it out and flip it upside down. The frosting should keep its shape and form a nice peak. If it doesn't, continue to mix the frosting on a medium-high speed for 30-second intervals until it does.
- Place 2/3 of the frosting into a large piping bag and cut a 2 cm opening at the tip of the bag.
Assembling This Berry Chantilly Cake
- Build this cake on a greaseproof cake board or flat plate using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
- Pipe a thick frosting ring around the edge of the cake layer to act as a frosting dam for the berry filling.
- Spread a thick layer of cooled berry filling into the ring of frosting. Top with additional fresh berries (optional) and cover with an even layer of whipped cream frosting. Flip the top cake layer upside down to make it easier to frost.
- Add a thin layer of frosting around the cake to fully cover the cake layers. We're going for a semi-naked look, so it's ok if you can see the cake layers peeking out through the frosting.
- Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (10 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
Top the cake with fresh berries and edible flowers, then enjoy!
Notes
NOTE: This recipe was updated in June 2023 and the frosting recipe has been changed to make the process simpler. If you want the original recipe, please email me at [email protected].
Substitutions and Swaps
If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out the section on ingredient substitutions in the post above.
Making this Berry Chantilly Cake in Different Sizes
One batch of batter is about 1800g or 10 cups, so I add roughly 600g to each of my cake pans when using 3, 8-inch cake pans.
You can also use one batch of batter to make 2, 9-inch cake layers or 4, 6-inch cake layers. Bake time will be a few minutes longer at 350 F / 175 C.
If you want to make a tiered cake with this recipe, check out my cake batter calculator to see how many batches of batter you'll need.
If you want to make berry chantilly cupcakes, bake them at 350F / 175C for 18-21 minutes. One batch of batter will make about 3 dozen cupcakes (yield will vary based on the size of your liners).
Tips for Making the Best Berry Chantilly Cake
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Use a serrated knife to level your cake layers once they’re fully cooled to let the berry filling seep into the cake layers.
- Use fresh berries for the cake filling if they are in season and frozen if they aren't.
- Chill the cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake, to make it easier to stack and frost.
- If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, read my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.
Making This Berry Chantilly Cake in Advance
I highly recommend making the components of this cake in stages. It breaks the process up and makes it so much more approachable!
The berry filling can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge.
The cake layers can also be made in advance and frozen for up to a month. They taste just as great when they're frozen as when they're fresh, I promise!
You can make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container or piping bag in the fridge for up to 3 days and will keep its shape. There's no need to re-whip it once you're ready to use it, just use it cold straight from the fridge.
If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 455Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 71mgSodium 285mgCarbohydrates 52gFiber 1gSugar 37gProtein 5g
Lori Kragnes
Thursday 25th of July 2024
Should I trim the cake tops before I freeze the cake layers. I have to make ahead, I have lots of cooking to do for my sister's that are coming to visit. Thank you
Lori Kragnes
Sunday 21st of July 2024
This was the best flavor cake. I made it for my friend's birthday and she said service that they couldn't.This was the best cake she's ever tasted.
Karina
Sunday 23rd of June 2024
Hi! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Would using mascarpone cheese would for the frosting recipe instead of cream cheese?
Chelsweets
Monday 24th of June 2024
Hi Karina,
That should work just fine! I'd just make sure there isn't any excess moisture in the mascarpone cheese (squeeze out any excess with a paper towel if there is!). Hope that helps, happy baking!
Lauren Gonzales
Sunday 26th of May 2024
This looks amazing! I'm going to make my daughter's birthday cake and would like to use this recipe. I see you mentioned two different icings. Which one is easiest to smooth? Which is better in your opinion? I'm going to make a 3 layer and decorating in a masquerade theme. Wondering which would be better to create a smooth/textured final coat. Thanks!
Chelsweets
Tuesday 4th of June 2024
Great questions! I think the original icing is the easiest to smooth. I'll email you the original recipe so you can make that version! I love the current frosting in this recipe because it's super easy to make, but it doesn't smooth quite as well as the original (which is a Swiss meringue based frosting). Hope that helps, happy baking!
Tanisha Nekiwala
Friday 24th of May 2024
Hi! I tried this recipe and everything turned our great Just my Chantilly cream wasn’t stable enough What could be the reason? The cream wasn’t whipped enough or it was over whipped Thanks
Chelsweets
Sunday 26th of May 2024
Hi Tanisha,
Glad to hear the recipe turned out great, but that's a bummer that the cream wasn't stable enough! As long as the mixture didn't look like curdled, I'd say it might have been slightly underwhipped. The cream cheese might have been underwhipped too?? Could be either of those things!