Chantilly Cake is a light and fluffy layered dessert filled with fresh berries, sweet mascarpone cream, and whipped frosting. Perfect for celebrations.
Chantilly Cake is a light, elegant dessert made with soft vanilla layers, a rich mascarpone or cream cheese frosting, and plenty of fresh berries. This cake is known for its beautiful presentation and refreshing flavor, making it a favorite for birthdays, holidays, or any special celebration.
With its balance of fluffy cake, creamy frosting, and juicy fruit, Chantilly cake is as delicious as it is stunning. Another gorgeous cake to try is this yummy Lemon Raspberry Cake.
What's in this post: Chantilly Cake
Why We Love This
- Light and Refreshing. Soft cake layers paired with fluffy frosting and fresh fruit make it taste delicate yet satisfying.
- Beautiful Presentation. Bright berries and creamy frosting create a show-stopping dessert for any occasion.
- Versatile Flavor. Works well with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or a mix of your favorite fruits.
- Crowd Pleaser. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, and gatherings. Guests always go back for another slice.
- Make-Ahead Friendly. Can be prepared in advance and chilled until ready to serve. No need to buy from the bakery when you can make it!
Ingredients
Cake
- Eggs. Large, to give the cake structure and lightness.
- Granulated sugar. Adds sweetness and helps stabilize the eggs.
- Vanilla extract. Provides warm, classic flavor.
- All-purpose flour. The base for the cake batter.
- Baking powder. Helps the cake rise and stay fluffy.
- Cornstarch. Lightens the texture and keeps the crumb tender.
Frosting
- Cream cheese. Softened, for a rich and tangy base.
- Mascarpone cheese. Adds smoothness and a subtle sweetness.
- Powdered sugar. Sweetens the frosting and creates a silky texture.
- Almond extract. Adds a light nutty note.
- Vanilla extract. Enhances the overall flavor.
- Heavy cream. Whipped in to make the frosting light and fluffy.
Simple Syrup
- Water. The base for the syrup.
- Granulated sugar. Dissolves into the water to create a sweet glaze that keeps the cake moist.
Topping
- Strawberries. Chopped for a juicy, sweet layer of flavor.
- Blueberries. Add a burst of sweetness and color.
- Raspberries. Bring a tangy, tart balance to the mix.
- Blackberries. Juicy and bold, they round out the berry topping beautifully.
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1. Prepare two 10-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Then lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Step 2. Use a medium mixing bowl and sift together the flour, baking powder, and corn starch.
Step 3. Beat the eggs on high speed until foamy. I prefer to use the large bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
Step 4. Once the eggs are foamy, gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and airy. This takes about 7–10 minutes. Once the mixture reaches ribbon stage (falls like ribbons when lifted), beat in the vanilla extract. Then carefully fold in the sifted dry ingredients with a large whisk or spatula.
Step 5. Once combined, evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans.
Step 6. Allow the cakes to bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Make sure to let cakes cool completely in the pans before removing to cool further on wire racks.
Step 7. Slice each vanilla cake horizontally into 2 thin layers using a serrated knife for a total of 4 cake layers. The cakes should be fully cooled and preferably chilled overnight before doing this.
Step 8. Make the frosting in a stand mixer. Beat together the softened cream cheese, mascarpone, powdered sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract until smooth with the paddle attachment. Use a separate bowl and whip the heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks form. Then gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture using a spatula. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 9. Make the simple syrup using a small saucepan. Combine the water and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened and cool completely.
Step 10. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Lightly brush with the cooled syrup.
Step 11. Top the cake layer with mascarpone frosting on top. Add a mix of the berries on top of the chantilly cream frosting.
Step 12. Then top with another cake layer. Then repeat the syrup, frosting, and berries for each remaining layer. Finally, cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish with fresh berries on top.
Storage
Refrigerator. Store the cake covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The fresh berries and cream frosting make refrigeration essential.
Freezer. For longer storage, you can freeze the cake (without the fresh berry topping) for up to 2 months. Wrap slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Make-ahead. You can bake the cake layers 1–2 days in advance, wrap them tightly, and refrigerate. Frosting and simple syrup can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to assemble.
Pro Tips
- Chill before slicing. Refrigerate the finished cake for at least 30 minutes before cutting to achieve neat, clean layers.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Bring eggs, cream cheese, and mascarpone to room temp so they mix smoothly and evenly.
- Handle the batter gently. Once the dry ingredients are added, fold them in carefully to avoid deflating the whipped eggs, which give the sponge its airy texture.
- Bake right away. The sponge relies on incorporated air rather than yeast, so get it in the oven immediately after mixing.
- Don’t overmix frosting. Whip cream, mascarpone, and cream cheese just until smooth and fluffy. Overwhipping can make them grainy.
- Prepare components ahead. The syrup and frosting can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to assemble.
- Cool the syrup completely. Applying warm syrup can melt frosting or make the sponge soggy.
- Apply syrup lightly. Brush or spray just enough to moisten each layer without oversaturating.
- Choose the right berries. Use only fresh, dry berries to prevent bleeding or sogginess in the layers.
More Delicious Layer Cakes
I’m so excited for you to try this yummy Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe. Please leave a comment and star rating once you make it. I love hearing your feedback.
Chantilly Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
For the Frosting:
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream
For the Simple Syrup:
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
For the Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blackberries
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Line two 10-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and corn starch. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on high speed until foamy.
- Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and airy (about 7–10 minutes).
- Once the mixture reaches ribbon stage (falls like ribbons when lifted), beat in the vanilla extract.
- Carefully fold in the sifted dry ingredients with a large whisk or spatula. Be gentle to preserve the air in the batter.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely in the pans, then carefully remove and cool further on wire racks.
- Once fully cooled (preferably chilled overnight), slice each cake horizontally into 2 thin layers using a serrated knife, for a total of 4 cake layers.
For the Frosting:
- In a stand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese, mascarpone, powdered sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture using a spatula until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the Simple Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine the water and granulated sugar.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool completely.
Assemble the Cake:
- Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Lightly brush or spray with cooled syrup.
- Spread an even layer of mascarpone frosting on top. Add a mix of the berries.
- Top with another cake layer. Then repeat the syrup, frosting, and berries for each remaining layer.
- Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate with fresh berries on top.
- Then the cake is ready to slice, serve and enjoy!
