This fluffy Chantilly cake is made with fresh berries and layers of soft vanilla sponge cake. To finish, it’s frosted with a light and airy mascarpone whipped cream and decorated with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries!
This Berry Chantilly cake pairs delicate, layered Genoise sponge with a cloud-like mascarpone Chantilly cream and plenty of fresh berries. The light vanilla sponge, smoothing syrup, and airy mascarpone whipped cream make this an elegant yet approachable dessert for summer gatherings, birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion.
When berries are in season I make this cake often, but it’s equally lovely any time of year when you want a refined, fruity dessert. The base is a classic sponge (Genoise works wonderfully here); if you prefer a simpler method, an easy sponge cake will also produce excellent results.
What is Chantilly Cake?
Chantilly cake features tender sponge layers filled and covered with Chantilly cream — essentially sweetened whipped cream — and fresh fruit. The modern berry Chantilly cake popularized in some bakeries blends a light Genoise sponge with mascarpone-stabilized Chantilly cream and seasonal berries for a lovely balance of texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- Eggs – Use room temperature eggs for the best volume and a tender crumb.
- Cake flour – Low-protein flour yields a lighter, more delicate sponge.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar for the sponge; powdered sugar for the Chantilly cream.
- Vanilla – Good-quality extract or paste enhances the flavor.
- Butter – A small amount of melted butter added carefully keeps the sponge moist and tender.
- Mascarpone – Adds richness and stability to the Chantilly cream.
- Heavy cream – Cold heavy whipping cream whipped to soft peaks makes the Chantilly light and airy.
- Fresh berries – Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for filling and decoration.
Step by Step Photos
- Bain-marie: Place eggs, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water. Warm the mixture while whisking so the sugar fully dissolves and the eggs feel warm to the touch.
- Beat on high until the mixture triples in volume and reaches the ribbon stage: when drizzled from the whisk it should hold its shape for several seconds.
- Sift cake flour in three additions and fold gently after each addition to preserve the aeration.
- Temper the melted butter by mixing a few spoonfuls of batter into the butter, then fold the warmed butter mixture back into the batter very gently so you don’t deflate it.
- Pour the batter into a parchment-lined pan and bake until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before removing parchment and slicing into layers.
Once cool, slice the sponge into even layers. If you have one, a cake leveler makes this easy and ensures neat, uniform layers for filling.
Spread a thin layer of mascarpone Chantilly cream on each layer, add a generous scattering of washed, dried berries, and repeat. Finish by frosting the outside of the cake and decorating with more berries. Chill briefly to let the layers settle before serving.
Serve the Berry Chantilly cake the same day or within two days for the best texture and flavor. Store in the refrigerator covered to preserve freshness.
Chantilly Cake Tips
- Always start with a sponge cake base. A bain-marie helps achieve a stable, voluminous batter for Genoise; for a no-bain alternative use a straightforward sponge recipe.
- When whisking eggs and sugar, make sure the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches the ribbon stage to ensure a light, even crumb.
- Brush each layer with a simple cake syrup (hot water and sugar) to keep the sponge moist—this is a common professional technique that greatly improves texture.
- When adding melted butter, make sure both butter and batter are still warm so the butter incorporates smoothly. Fold in gently to avoid deflating the batter.
- For stable Chantilly, beat mascarpone with powdered sugar first, then add cream in parts and whip to light peaks. Keep ingredients cold for best results.
- Dry berries thoroughly after washing to prevent watering down the cream. If your cake has three or more layers, consider support dowels for stability.
- Store the finished cake in the fridge for up to two days. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
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Fluffy Chantilly Cake with Berries
Ingredients
Vanilla Genoise Cake
- 1 cup cake flour
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 3/4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cake Syrup
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Mascarpone Chantilly Cream
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar (adjust to taste)
- 12 oz mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Berry Topping and Filling
- 2 1/2 cups mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
Instructions
For the Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom and sides of your cake pan with parchment paper.
- Whip eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt over a bain-marie until warm and the sugar is dissolved. Beat on high until pale and ribbon-like, about 8–10 minutes total, replacing the hot water if it cools.
- Sift the flour in three parts and fold gently after each addition so the batter stays airy.
- Combine a few spoonfuls of batter with the warmed melted butter, then fold this back into the batter carefully to avoid deflating it.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean: about 25 minutes for a 9-inch pan or 18 minutes for two 6-inch pans.
- Remove parchment and cool the cake completely on a wire rack before slicing into layers.
For the Mascarpone Chantilly Cream
- Whip mascarpone and powdered sugar together until smooth and slightly fluffy. Add one-third of the cold heavy cream and mix on low to combine, then add the remaining cream and whip on high until light and billowy. Add vanilla and adjust sweetness to taste.
Assemble
- Make the cake syrup by dissolving sugar in hot water. Brush each cake layer with syrup to keep the sponge moist.
- Using the bottom layer, brush with syrup, spread a thin layer of Chantilly, and add berries. Repeat with remaining layers.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining Chantilly cream and decorate with more berries. Chill briefly to set, slice, and serve.
Notes
Makes one 9-inch cake or two 6-inch cakes. The photo shows a six-inch cake. For the most precise results use a kitchen scale and metric measurements when available.
- Whipping eggs: The egg mixture must be warm and the sugar fully dissolved to reach a proper ribbon stage; a bain-marie helps achieve this.
- Adding butter: If the melted butter is cold it can solidify and deflate the batter. Make sure the butter and batter are both warm before folding and stir very gently.
- Storage: Store the assembled and decorated cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition (approx.)
Calories: 834 kcal · Carbohydrates: 57 g · Protein: 11 g · Fat: 63 g · Saturated Fat: 39 g · Sugar: 43 g.
Nutrition information is an approximation and should be used as a guide.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment or share your variations below!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Chantilly cream and whipped cream? There is no real difference in general usage—Chantilly cream typically refers to sweetened whipped cream, often flavored with vanilla.
What is Chantilly cake made of? Chantilly cake is built from layers of delicate sponge filled and coated with Chantilly cream and fresh berries, creating a light, fruity layer cake.