Chantilly Cake

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

This Chantilly cake recipe is made with moist vanilla cake layers, silky Chantilly cream, and fresh berries. This cake is fresh and light, it’s perfect for all occasions.

It is spring, and that means there are all sorts of celebrations on the calendar. Easter, Mother’s Day, graduations, and bridal showers. There are so many wonderful opportunities for friends and family to gather and celebrate milestones, holiday and each other.

Of course, at these gatherings, friends and family are the centerpiece. Desserts are a close second. I love to set a dessert table with lemon bars, chocolate mousse cups, macarons, chocolate orange brownies and personal-sized creme brulees.

But no spring celebration dessert table is complete without this delicious berry Chantilly Cake.

This cake is like a strawberry shortcake cake, but the cake is lighter and the frosting is more of a cream cheese frosting than a whipped cream frosting.

It is everything a spring cake should be. Light and airy, this Chantilly cake is made with cake flour, which makes baked goods softer and more tender than all purpose flour. The addition of the oil and the buttermilk makes for a very moist yet fluffy cake.

The frosting is a Chantilly cream, which has a distinct flavor that is somewhere between cream cheese and whipped cream frosting. However, due to the addition of heavy cream and mascarpone cheese, Chantilly cream is smoother, silkier and a little lighter.

With the finishing touch of fresh berries bursting with flavor in between the layers of cake, this cake is a springtime delight.

This cake needs to be refrigerated, so it is not the kind of cake you can leave out on the counter and grab a slice whenever you feel like. Even so, it’s so delicious I’m sure it won’t be around for long.

---

Recipe Snapshot

• TASTE: Sweet vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting with berries
• TEXTURE: Light and airy
• EASE: Medium
• TIME: Just under an hour.

---

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

• Oil – Canola oil, or vegetable oil, will add moisture to the cake without adding flavor.
• Butter – Unsalted butter at room temperature
• Sugar – White granulated sugar for the cake, and confectioners sugar for frosting.
• Eggs – If the eggs are at room temperature they will combine more easily with the other ingredients.
• Vanilla bean paste – This has a much more intense vanilla flavor than vanilla extract. It’s worth finding it.
• Cake flour – Cake flour makes a slightly silkier cake. You can make your own cake flour, or find it in the baking aisle of your local market.
• Baking powder – For leavening.
• Salt – Balances the flavors and activates the baking powder.
• Buttermilk – This adds tang and moisture, and should be at room temperature.
• Cheeses – This frosting requires both mascarpone, which is lighter and fluffier than cream cheese, and cream cheese. Use the full fat version, you won’t regret it.
• Heavy whipping cream – Blends with the cream cheeses to make for a smooth and creamy frosting.
• Vanilla extract – Adds vanilla flavor to the frosting.
• Seedless strawberry jam – For the filling, to hold the berries together. You can also use raspberry jam.
• Assorted berries – Blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries for the filling, plus more for decorating, if desired

How to Make Chantilly Cake

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease the inside bottom and sides of three 8-inch round pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper cut to fit. Lightly grease the parchment paper. Dust the inside bottom and sides of the pan with flour, then tap out any excess. Wrap the pans in wet bake-even strips.

Make the Cake

1. Cream the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the oil, butter, and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 20 seconds after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk and add half to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until the flour is almost fully incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour mixture, and beat on low until just combined. Take care not to over-mix.
3. Bake. Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake the cake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
4. Cool. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Chantilly Cream

1. Beat the cheeses. In a large bowl, beat mascarpone and cream cheese on medium-high speed until blended.
2. Add the sugar. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
3. Make the whipped cream. In another bowl, beat cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
4. Combine. Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and beat on low speed until combined.

Assemble the Cake

1. Prepare the first layer. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread one-half of the jam over the top of the cake. Top with about 1 cup of frosting and sprinkle one-half of the fresh berries on top.
2. Repeat. Top with another cake layer, and gently press down. Repeat the layers.
3. Frost. Spread the remaining frosting onto the top and sides of the cake, decorating however you’d like with the remaining frosting and berries.
4. Chill. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.

Tips For Success

• Oil is important for this recipe because it adds moisture. Canola or vegetable oil work best.
• Vanilla bean paste is preferred but you can use pure vanilla extract. 

Storage & Freezing

Cake may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Printable Recipe