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There are cakes, and then there’s Chantilly cake, a towering layer cake stuffed with fresh berries and blanketed in whipped cream frosting. The impressive dessert marries the delicious simplicity of a classic yellow cake with the berries and cream combo that makes shortcakes shine. What’s even sweeter? The all-American dessert has a charming origin story that started in a grocery store bakery. Make it as a spring dessert to enjoy all season long, or as a Mother's Day dessert to make the day extra special. Here's everything you need to know:
What is Chantilly cake?
The cake was originally made by Chaya Conrad, who was working as a bakery manager at Whole Foods in New Orleans. She based the dessert off a cake her grandmother once made, and the dessert took off! Conrad now owns Bywater Bakery, but the cake is still sold at Whole Foods locations all over the country. It’s especially popular in the South and is also a TikTok fan favorite. There is also another Chantilly cake that’s popular in Hawaii, but it’s a chocolate cake with a frosting that’s similar to German chocolate frosting without the coconut.
The Chantilly cream:
The cake’s name comes from Chantilly cream, a French term for sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla or liqueur. To make the frosting for this cake, you fold sweet, fluffy Chantilly cream with a rich, tangy mixture of whipped mascarpone and cream cheese. The Chantilly cream makes the frosting light and fluffy; the cream cheese mixture helps stabilize the frosting and adds tangy cream cheese frosting vibes.
How to make Chantilly cake:
The frosting is the perfect pairing for the tender cake that gets a little extra oomph from a combination of vanilla and almond extracts. The cakes are split into four layers, which makes sure that every bite has the perfect ratio of cake, frosting, and berries. We use raspberry jam, blueberries, and raspberries in this cake, but you can use an assortment of fresh berries.
Storage & make ahead:
One of the best things about this cake (other than eating it) is that it can and should be made ahead. Assemble the cake at least four hours before you plan to serve it or make it the day before and chill it overnight. This resting time gives the flavors time to meld and helps the cake settle, which will make it more delicious and also much easier to slice.
If you have any cake leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3 days.
Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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- Yields:
- 10 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 45 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 25 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 1090
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 c.
(2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
- 3 c.
(333 g.) cake flour
- 2 1/2 tsp.
baking powder
- 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 3/4 c.
(325 g.) granulated sugar
- 4
large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp.
almond extract
- 1/4 c.
vegetable oil
- 1 c.
whole milk, room temperature, divided
Frosting & Assembly
- 2 c.
heavy cream, chilled
- 1 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
- 2
(8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, room temperature
- 1
(8-oz.) container mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 2 1/2 c.
(260 g.) confectioners' sugar, divided
- 9 Tbsp.
raspberry jam, divided
- 1 pt.
fresh blueberries, divided
- 12 oz.
fresh raspberries, divided
Directions
Cake
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 2 (9") round baking pans. Line pans with parchment.
- Step 2Into a medium bowl, sift flour and baking powder. Whisk in salt.
- Step 3In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer (or in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Step 4Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat until fully combined.
- Step 5Add one-third of dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just barely combined. Add oil and half of milk; beat until combined. Beat in another one-third of dry ingredients, followed by remaining milk. Fold in remaining dry ingredients.
- Step 6Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Step 7Let cool in pans 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
Frosting & Assembly
- Step 1In a large bowl, using handheld mixer, beat cream, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Step 2In another large bowl, using handheld mixer, beat cream cheese and mascarpone on medium-high speed until smooth, light, and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add one-third of confectioners' sugar and slowly beat to combine. Continue to add remaining confectioners' sugar in 2 batches, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until incorporated. Continue to beat on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes more.
- Step 3Using a rubber spatula and working in 2 batches, fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
- Step 4Using a serrated knife, cut off tops of cakes so surface is flat, if needed. Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake on a platter or cake stand. Using an offset spatula, spread 3 tablespoons jam all the way to the edges. Top with about 1 cup frosting and spread, leaving a 1/2" border. Top with one-quarter of berries, gently pressing into cream. Top with another cake half. Gently press on cake to distribute frosting and help the layers stick together. Repeat process 2 more times.
- Step 5Using an offset spatula, spread frosting over top and sides of cake. If desired, add a few swooshes. Top with remaining berries.
- Step 6Refrigerate cake at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Let sit at room temperature 20 minutes before slicing.
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