If you’ve been flipping through cake recipes and this berry Chantilly cake isn’t there, go ahead and stop. Let me tell you when you think fruit cake recipes, you’re not thinking of anything this decadent and beautiful.
This little labor of love isn’t quite as simple as a no-bake summer berry icebox cake but it is well worth the time involved. If you prefer a strawberry cake you can also try may tempting strawberry layer cake.
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What I Love About This Recipe
- There is a little time commitment to making this sweet masterpiece, but the payoff is worth its weight in, well, cake!
- It’s as dazzling as a movie star and tastes even better than it looks!
- The gorgeous and elegant cake that is perfect in every occasion!
How To Make Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe
As I said, this little delicious labor of love takes a little more time, but it isn’t complicated. Just prepare your cakes, fruit filling, and jam separately. Then prepare your apricot glaze and Chantilly frosting and follow the assembly directions. Voila!
Chantilly Cake Recipe Notes
Temperature – It’s always best to start with room temperature ingredients for baking and especially with chantilly cake. Cold ingredients alter the cooking time and the texture of your cake. Plus, the butter won’t cream right.
The only exception is the whipping cream which should be whipped straight out of the fridge. For best results, chill your bowl and attachment too.
Frosting – If you pipe frosting around the edges first and then fill in the middle with the piping bag, the whole process is much smoother.
General Cake Baking Tips – One of the best pro tips for creating bakery-quality cakes is accurately measuring your flour. It’s natural to scoop your measuring cup directly into your canister, but you’ll end up with more flour than you need for the recipe and ultimately a heavier, dryer product. Here are some tips for measuring flour for cakes.
Doneness – you know if your own oven runs cool or hot, but you may want to start checking the cake for doneness at around 25 minutes. The toothpick method is perfect for this. You’re looking for a clean toothpick, with no wet batter left behind. A few moist crumbs are a-okay.
Chantilly Cream Cake Ingredient Notes
Building this cake does take a little patience but it’s not all that much when you break it into steps. Here’s a little about the ingredients to get you over the hump.
Simple syrup – The basic ingredients are equal parts sugar and water, plus anything you want to infuse the syrup with, things like vanilla beans for vanilla simple syrup, candied fruit peels, or cinnamon sticks.
- Simple syrup will keep the cake layers moist, which is especially important when you’re dealing with a more elaborate, multi-step cake construction like this one. It can also be used to add additional flavor either to complement or intensify the flavors you already have going on in your cake, plus it helps to set the crumbs so they don’t get all rolled up in your frosting.
Time-Saver – Even though this cake isn’t hard to make, it does take some time, so you can cook the cake layers the day before assembly.
- Wrapping them well with plastic wrap overnight will actually help set the crumb too and make frosting even easier.
- It’s best to assemble the cake on the day of serving. This will minimize the amount the berries may potentially bleed into the cake layers.
Use what’s ripe – Depending on the time of year and the availability of fresh fruit in your grocery store, you may need to adjust the fresh berries in this recipe. You can make substitute blackberries for the blueberries, etc. Just make sure you use fresh since frozen berries won’t work well for this cake.
Seedless Jam – If you can’t find a seedless version, make sure you push the jam through a sieve to remove the seeds. Also, leave a little “margin” around the edges of each layer jam-free, or else our lovely cake frosting will go sliding off the edges.
Fruits – Marinating the fruit adds a subtle, extra layer of flavor, but if you don’t want to use alcohol you can skip this step or just use orange juice. The cake will still be delicious!
Storing Tips
This cake definitely needs to be stored in the fridge (in a cake saver for best results). You’ll want to protect it from air and keep it cool until serving time.
Can You Freeze This?
Unfortunately, this cake is best served fresh. The fruit is never quite the same after it freezes and all the cream in the icing goes to pot.
Make Ahead Tips
To make things easier, I like to make the cakes a day ahead. Just double wrap them so they don’t dry out and toss them in the fridge. It actually helps set the crumb, so the layers are easier to frost.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Your Berry Chantilly cake will stay fresh and yummy in the fridge for up to 3 days. With all the fruit and dairy in this beautiful little gem it’s best to err on the side of caution but don’t expect it to last that long. This one tends to get gobbled up quickly.
Tools to Make
All the regular cake stuff plus bowls and 8-inch cake pans (3). It also helps to have a rubber spatula for folding items. You’ll want a stand mixer or a hand mixer (works just fine) and you’ll need to use the microwave. In the interest of ease, a piping bag really simplifies things too.
Recipe Variations
There are lots of different ways you can make this Berry Chantilly Cake all your own. Here are a few tasty options.
- I suppose you could add some shaved coconut after you ice your cake but a coconut cream cake would probably do better to satisfy that craving.
- You can garnish your berry cake with lemon or make a lemon sheet cake instead.
- If you’ve got blueberries left, throw them in a blueberry pound cake or a blueberry dump cake. They’re awesome with fresh blueberries.
Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake:
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
- 8 large egg whites at room temperature
Simple Syrup:
- 6 tablespoons vanilla simple syrup
Jelly Layer:
- 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
Fruit for Filling:
- 1 cup strawberries hulled, cut into chunks the size of the raspberries
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Apricot Glaze:
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Chantilly Frosting:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 8 ounces Mascarpone at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of 3 8-inch cake pans then, spray it with baking non-stick spray.
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, combine the butter, 1 3/4 cup of sugar, and the vanilla, using medium speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing just until the yellow disappears, before adding the next.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Turn the stand-up mixer on low, and alternate adding the flour mixture then the sour cream, to the butter mixture, one-third of each at a time, allowing them to just incorporate before adding the next. When finished with adding both, turn the mixer on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
- Pour the batter into a clean mixing bowl. Wash and dry the bowl of the stand-up mixer and fit with the whisk attachment. Add the egg whites and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes until opaque white and foamy. Add the remaining 1/4 sugar and continue to beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gently fold into batter in 3 additions.
- Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake in preheat ovens, rotating pans halfway through, until they are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
- Allow cakes to cool, in pans, set on a wire baking rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack, about 3 hours.
- When Cooled, brush tops and sides of each cake layer with about 2 tablespoons simple syrup per layer.
Prepare Fruit Filling:
- Combine Grand Marnier and orange juice in a mixing bowl. Very gently, fold 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup raspberries, and 1/2 cup blueberries until berries are coated with liquid mixture. Allow to marinade for 20 minutes. Drain VERY well before adding to cake.
Prepare the Jam Layer:
- Meanwhile, in a small microwaveable bowl, add raspberry jam. Heat in microwave 20-30 seconds, or until jam softens. Whisk with a fork to soften to a spreadable texture. When cakes have absorbed the simple syrup, spread 1/2 of the jam over 2 of the layers, leaving a 1/4 inch margin around the edge.
Prepare Apricot Glaze:
- Meanwhile, in a small microwaveable bowl, mix apricot jam and water. Heat in microwave 20 seconds and whisk with a fork, until mixture is a brushable texture. Strain jam through a sieve to remove any lumps of fruit.
Prepare Chantilly Frosting:
- Whisk together heavy cream with almond extract until soft peaks form.
- In another mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, mascarpone, and powdered sugar until smooth and evenly combined. Gently fold whipped cream into cheese mixture until evenly incorporated.
Assemble Cake
- Place one of the layers that have been topped with jam on the platter. Pipe a thick line of frosting around the edge of the cake. Fill the center with frosting and smooth. Arrange 1/3 of the drained berries on top of the frosting. Top with the second jam topped cake and repeat the frosting and fruit process. Top with the third layer and cover with remaining frosting. Top decoratively with remaining fruit. Lightly brush the fruit with the apricot glaze. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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More Fruit Cake Recipes
If you can tear yourself away from this awesome Berry Chantilly Cake (not likely) there are also other cake recipes, you’ll probably love. Here’s what to make when you’re ready to try a new fruit cake!
- Raspberry Cheesecake – Decadent and fruity bliss.
- Fruit Cake – Not your grandma’s fruit cake.
- Pumpkin Cake Recipe – Warm pumpkin spice in a moist sweet cake.
- Hummingbird Cake – Classic recipe gets a 5-star makeover.
- Dundee Cake – Dense, decadent and delicious – straight from Scotland.
- Strawberry Shortcake Cake – strawberry fans will love this!
Conclusion
Brighten their day or celebrate any occasion with this show-stopping Berry Chantilly Cake! It’s gonna’ be the new FAV, hands down. This little labor of love is so good it should come with a warning – beautiful, versatile, and insanely delicious!
Source for Yellow Cake: The Craft of Baking
The show stopper cake!
The frosting seems too loose I’m not sure what I might have done wrong 😩
Hi Heather! So, sometimes over beating can make the frosting too loose. The only other thing I can think it might be it a slight accidental miss measurement. I’m sorry it wasn’t perfect for you!!
This was a fabulous recipe! We had our neighbors over for dinner to celebrate his 80th birthday and I wanted to make something super special for dessert. This was just the thing! Wonderful! Wonderful!
Thanks, Cathy! 😀 Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Such a beautiful cake! Would this Convert to a cupcake recipe? If so, do you have any recommendations for timing?
Thank you.
Hi Victorua. I’ve never converted this to cupcakes so, I’m sorry, I can’t advise. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear back from you! <3
So I tried it with cupcakes–success! I did not change a thing about the recipe (such a great one) and was able to get 24 standard size cupcakes. I baked them at the same temperature but for 40 minutes total–20 then rotated then pan and baked the final 20 minutes. They came out moist and cake-like in mouth-feel and density.
Next experiment is with jumbo-size cupcakes.
Wow! That’s great, Victoria! 😀
Making this a two-layered 9×13 sheet cake. Any suggestions with the measurements?
Hello Marquise! I am glad you asked. Actually you can follow the directions without changing a thing. In the wonderful world of baking, (3) 8-inch round cake pans accommodates 15 cups by volume which is coincidentally the same as (2) 9×13-inch pans with 2-inch sides. You shouldn’t have any issues making as directed. Let me know how it comes out!
Just wanted to say that I made this cake for my mom’s birthday, and she says it’s now officially gonna be her birthday cake every year cause it’s the “best cake ever!” After I made the cake, I made a second batch of frosting for an angel food cake today, and my whole family wants to eat it on everything! Thanks for the delicious recipes ❤️
Hey Skype! Wow! So happy your mom enjoyed it as her birthday cake!!
This is the best cake I have ever made. I substituted the raspberry jam with huckleberry jam and the almond extract with vanilla (only because I had those ingredients on hand & didn’t want to buy them). Everyone that I shared this cake with gave me rave reviews. Thank you for being so detailed in the description of the recipe.
Hi, Shelly! I’m so happy to hear that you all love this cake! Thanks for the feedback too! I love your tweaks, wanna try huckleberry jam next time too! <3
Hello 🙂
If I bake the cakes a day before, should I put the simple syrup on and then wrap & chill them?
Thanks!
Sounds like a great idea!
Hi Kathleen! Can I substitute simple syrup? Can I use strawberry jam?
I haven’t tried that but it sounds like a cool idea. I’m sure it would provide the same sealing quality!
Hi
Should I put Simple Sugar on today if I’m planning on frosting it tomorrow.
DJVR
Hey Doreen. Yes absolutely. It will seal the moisture into the cake <3
Pardons if I missed it somewhere, but should I assume this recipe makes enough cake batter for three 8” pans?
Yes, it does make enough batter for the 3 cake pans! 🙂
What size cake pans do you use?
Hi, Heath. I use 8-inch cake pans 🙂
Can you substitute mascarpone for ricotta
This cake is absolutely worth the effort!
Hi, Mona! Yes, it is! It’s so yummy and pretty. I hope you enjoy this! 🙂
Hi Mona! So glad you think so. I truly adore this recipe! <3
OMG, everyone in my house absolutely LOVE this delicious recipe. Only wish I could take as pretty photos as you <3