Chantilly cake is unlike any cake you’ve ever tried—unless you’re from New Orleans, where this cake is a staple!
If we were asked to name our favorite showstopping cake, Chantilly cake would rank high on our list. A Chantilly cake recipe features fresh summer berries and an airy vanilla cake, which are delicious in themselves. But the frosting is what makes this cake really stand out. It’s a cloud-like combo of sweetened mascarpone, cream cheese and whipped cream—not like any frosting you’ve had before.
Ingredients for Chantilly Cake
Butter: We use 3/4 cup softened butter in this Chantilly cake recipe for rich-tasting cake layers. Soften the butter so it creams beautifully with the sugar.
Sugar: The cake layers are sweetened with 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar. Do not swap in brown sugar or you’ll discolor the batter and impart a caramel-molasses flavor. Brown sugar is nice in fall and winter desserts but doesn’t work in a berry Chantilly cake recipe.
Eggs: For the best cake batter possible, bake with room-temperature eggs. To bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl and cover them with warm (not hot!) water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Vanilla: Vanilla-forward desserts deserve the best vanilla extract.
Cake flour: This type of flour makes for lighter, fluffier, more tender and delicate cake layers. You can sub in all-purpose flour, but remember your cake layers will be denser.
Baking powder: We fluff up the cake layers with a bit of baking powder.
Milk: While 2% milk is recommended, you can use heavy cream, whole milk or buttermilk in its place.
Frosting: Chantilly cream frosting is somehow both light and airy like a cloud but still indulgently creamy thanks to the richness of the cream cheese and mascarpone.
Filling: Each layer of this berry Chantilly cake is topped with seedless strawberry jam, Chantilly cream frosting and fresh berries. Make sure you wash the berries properly so they’re not soggy.
Directions
Step 1: Make the batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two greased 9-inch round baking pans with parchment, then grease the parchment.
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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition. Pour into prepared pans, dividing the batter evenly.
Step 2: Bake the cakes
Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from their pans and onto wire racks. Peel off the parchment and let the cakes cool completely to room temperature.
Step 3: Make the frosting
In a small bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the mascarpone and cream cheese until blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. In another bowl, use clean beaters to beat the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Add the whipped cream mixture to the mascarpone mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
Step 4: Assemble the layers
A round cake layer on a white marble cake stand, with a spread of strawberry jam on top.
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Cut the cakes in half, horizontally, and spread one-third of the berry jam mixture onto a cut side.
Editor’s Tip: To make your freshly baked cake layers easier to cut in half, freeze them for at least an hour after they’ve cooled.
A round cake layer on a white marble cake stand, with a spread of frosting on top.
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Top with about 1 cup frosting.
A round cake layer on a white marble cake stand, with a spread of frosting, strawberries and blueberries on top.
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