Chantilly Cake is a luxurious dessert that combines velvety layers of moist vanilla cake with rich, creamy frosting. Each bite offers a perfect balance of sweetness and indulgence, making it a showstopper for any occasion. The airy texture of the cake paired with the smooth, decadent frosting creates a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
With just over two hours of total time, this recipe is surprisingly manageable for such an elegant treat. Fresh berries add a burst of brightness, complementing the cake’s richness beautifully. Whether for a celebration or a cozy gathering, this cake promises to delight every palate with its irresistible charm.
This dessert isn’t just a feast for the taste buds—it’s a sensory delight. The golden layers are tender and fluffy, while the frosting is silky and luscious, infused with a hint of vanilla. The prep time of an hour and a half is well worth the effort, as the result is a masterpiece that feels both comforting and sophisticated.
Each slice is a harmonious blend of textures and flavors, from the soft crumb to the creamy frosting. Perfect for sharing, this Chantilly Cake is sure to leave everyone craving just one more bite.
Ingredients for Chantilly Cake
- Cake Layers:
- 2 ⅔ cups (333 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar (firmly packed)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter (softened and cut into 12 pieces)
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) buttermilk (room temperature preferred)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature preferred)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Berry Filling:
- ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (23 g) cornstarch
- 3 cups (340 g) fresh or frozen mixed berries (e.g., strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
- Chantilly Cream Frosting:
- 2 ½ cups (590 ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar (divided)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese (softened)
- 8 oz (226 g) mascarpone (softened at room temperature for 15-20 minutes)
- Optional: Additional fresh fruit for decorating the cake (e.g., fresh berries)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8” cake pans or spray with baking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Make the cake batter:
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to mix.
- With the mixer on low speed, add butter one tablespoon at a time, ensuring each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. The mixture should look slightly sandy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the batter on low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The batter should be smooth and silky.
- Bake the cake layers:
- Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-32 minutes, rotating pans midway if your oven bakes unevenly. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before assembling.
- Prepare the berry filling:
- In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.
- Add berries, water, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the berries release their juices. Mash the berries with a fork or potato masher.
- Continue cooking until the mixture thickens to a loose jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Make the Chantilly cream frosting:
- In a bowl, beat heavy cream, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl, beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and the remaining ½ cup powdered sugar until smooth.
- Add the mascarpone mixture to the whipped cream and beat on low speed, then gradually increase to high until thick and fluffy.
- Assemble the cake:
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Pipe a frosting dam around the edge and fill with half of the berry filling.
- Add the second cake layer and repeat the process with the remaining filling.
- Top with the final cake layer. Frost the entire cake with the Chantilly cream frosting. Decorate with piped rosettes and fresh fruit if desired.
- Store the cake covered in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Perfect Pairings: Sauce and Topping Ideas
While the Chantilly Cake is already a showstopper, you can elevate it further with a drizzle of raspberry coulis or a dollop of lemon curd for a tangy twist. For a decadent touch, consider adding a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes or chopped pistachios on top. Fresh mint leaves can also add a pop of color and a refreshing finish.
Serve It Right: Presentation and Portioning
For a stunning presentation, slice the cake with a warm, sharp knife to ensure clean cuts. Serve each slice with a side of whipped cream or a few extra fresh berries for added flair. If you’re hosting a party, consider pre-slicing the cake into smaller portions for easy serving and a touch of elegance.
Keep It Fresh: Storage and Reheating Tips
Store your Chantilly Cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To maintain its freshness, place it in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap. If you’d like to enjoy it at room temperature, let it sit out for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Note: Avoid freezing the cake, as the frosting and filling may lose their texture.
Mix It Up: Recipe Variations
For a chocolate twist, swap out ½ cup of flour for cocoa powder in the cake layers. If you’re not a fan of mixed berries, try using sliced peaches or mangoes in the filling. For a lighter frosting, substitute the mascarpone with Greek yogurt or whipped coconut cream for a dairy-free option.
Time-Saving Hacks for Busy Bakers
To save time, prepare the berry filling a day ahead and store it in the fridge. You can also bake the cake layers in advance and freeze them (wrapped tightly in plastic wrap) for up to a week. When ready to assemble, simply thaw the layers and proceed with the frosting and filling. Using a stand mixer for the frosting will also speed up the process significantly.
Chantilly Cake
Ingredients
Cake Layers
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (333 g)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed (100 g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened and cut into 12 pieces (170 g)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk room temperature preferred (355 ml)
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Berry Filling
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 g)
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch (23 g)
- 3 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries (340 g) I used a blend of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
Chantilly Cream Frosting
- 2 ½ cups heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (590 ml)
- 2 cups powdered sugar divided (250 g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (226 g)
- 8 oz mascarpone softened at room temperature for 15-20 minutes (226 g)
- Additional fresh fruit for decorating the cake if desired. I used fresh berries.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and thoroughly grease and flour three 8” cake pans or spray with baking spray. To ensure cakes don’t stick, I recommend lining the bottoms of your cake pans with rounds of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment), combine flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and stir.
- With an electric mixer (or your stand mixer) running on low speed, add butter, one tablespoon at a time, not adding the next tablespoon until the previous one is fully incorporated into the dry ingredients. Once all butter has been added the mixture should appear slightly sandy in texture.
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Turn mixer speed to low and slowly pour buttermilk mixture into batter until completely combined. Be sure to pause and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Once finished, batter should be smooth and silky.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared cake pans and transfer to 350F (175C) preheated oven (if all of your cake pans do not fit at once it is OK to leave a cake pan on the counter while the other two bake). If your oven bakes unevenly, be sure to rotate cake pans midway through baking. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (cakes may still be very pale when baked through, this is OK, and yes they are supposed to be thin layers).
- Allow cakes to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes then run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan and carefully invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Cakes must be completely cooled before assembling!
- Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and whisk until combined.
- Add berries, water, and lemon juice and stir together until ingredients are all combined.
- Transfer saucepan to stovetop and turn heat to medium (do not increase heat above medium, heat slowly so the sugar has time to dissolve and the mixture thickens properly).
- Stir constantly until berries have released their juices. At this point, take a potato masher or fork and smash/break up the berries.
- Continue to stir constantly as the mixture cooks and thickens to a loose jam-like consistency. This may take several minutes. Keep in mind that the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools, so you don’t want it to be too thick when you remove it from the stove or it could become like a paste once cooled.
- Transfer berry filling to a heatproof container and allow to cool completely before spreading over cake.
- Combine heavy cream, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (190g), and vanilla extract and use an electric mixer to beat until you have just achieved stiff peaks (meaning the peak that forms when you pull the beater out of the cream holds its shape and doesn’t dissolve back into itself. Normally I would say the peak should stand tall and not fold over, but if it folds over a little in this instance that is fine).
- In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and remaining ½ cup (63g) powdered sugar. Briefly beat together these ingredients on low-speed just until smooth (mascarpone can become grainy if it is over-mixed).
- Add mascarpone mixture to whipped cream mixture and beat on low-speed. Gradually increase speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and fluffy.
- Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate/serving dish. Use a large round tip (I use a ½” tip/Ateco 826, but you can just use a large ziploc bag with a corner snipped) to pipe a dam along the top edge of the cake, forming a ring.
- Fill this ring with ½ of your cooled jam filling, spreading the filling evenly.
- Top first layer with a second layer of cake and repeat steps above by piping a dam and filling with remaining jam.
- Top with remaining layer of cake. Cover entire cake evenly with mascarpone frosting. You will have a bit extra left to pipe decorative rosettes or other decorations on top, I like to use my Ateco 848 to do additional decorations and then top the cake with additional fresh fruit.
- Store cake covered in the refrigerator. Enjoy!