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].