Description
This Berry Chantilly Cake is a delightful layered dessert featuring moist cake layers infused with vanilla and almond extracts, topped and filled with a luscious mascarpone and cream cheese Chantilly cream, fresh mixed berries, and a glossy berry jam glaze. Perfect for special occasions, it combines the freshness of berries with rich creamy textures and a light, fluffy cake for an elegant and irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup whole or 2% milk, at room temperature
- Cooking spray
- 2 2/3 cups unbleached cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Berry Filling
- 1 1/4 pounds mixed fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries) about 5 1/2 cups
- 1/4 cup seedless strawberry, mixed berry, or raspberry jam
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1/2 medium lemon)
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 medium lemon)
Chantilly Cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups cold heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare pans and preheat oven: Heat the oven to 350ºF. Coat three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line each bottom with a parchment paper round for easy removal.
- Mix dry ingredients: Sift the cake flour into a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder and kosher salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Cream butter and sugars: Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil on medium-high until light and fluffy, about five minutes, ensuring a well-aerated base.
- Add eggs and extracts: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract on medium-high speed until the mixture is creamy, pale yellow, and fluffy, about two minutes. Scrape down bowl sides for even mixing.
- Incorporate dry ingredients and milk: Beat in half the flour mixture on low speed just until combined, then add the milk and mix gently. Add the rest of the flour mixture, mixing carefully to avoid overworking the batter. A few small lumps are acceptable.
- Bake the cakes: Divide batter evenly among the pans (about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons each), spread evenly, and bake 25-30 minutes until golden, springy to the touch, and a tester comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes: Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Loosen edges with a knife, invert cakes onto racks parchment side down, then flip again to have tops right side up. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Prepare berries: Gently toss mixed berries in a large bowl, halving large raspberries and slicing strawberries for uniformity.
- Make jam glaze: Microwave jam and water until melted (~30 seconds). Whisk in lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth. Reheat if it thickens before use.
- Prepare Chantilly cream base: Beat cream cheese and mascarpone in a mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Sift in powdered sugar and mix until no lumps remain.
- Add heavy cream: On low speed, add cold heavy cream until combined, then increase to medium speed and beat until soft peaks form (2–3 minutes). Scrape bowl thoroughly.
- Flavor Chantilly cream: Beat in vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt on medium-high speed until medium-stiff peaks form, about 30 seconds more.
- Assemble cakes: Remove parchment from cake layers. Brush tops with jam glaze, using all.
- Layer cream and berries: Spread some Chantilly cream on serving plate or stand, place one cake layer jam side up. Dollop ½ cup cream and spread evenly. Arrange 1 cup mixed berries leaving ½-inch border. Top with another ½ cup cream evenly spread.
- Add next layers: Top with second cake layer jam-side up, gently press. Repeat layering with cream, berries, and cream. Finish with final cake layer jam side down.
- Frost cake: Cover top and sides with remaining Chantilly cream, smoothing sides. Optionally, create swirl designs with small offset spatula for decorative effect.
- Decorate and chill: Pile remaining berries on top as desired. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to overnight to set and chill.
- Storage and make-ahead: Cake layers can be baked 1 day ahead, wrapped at room temperature. The assembled cake can also be made a day before and refrigerated uncovered. Leftovers keep refrigerated lightly covered up to 2 days.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for best cake texture and proper emulsification.
- Be careful not to overmix batter when combining flour to prevent dense cake.
- If jam glaze thickens before use, gently reheat to maintain spreadable consistency.
- For easiest layering, chill cake layers before assembling if time allows.
- Leftover cake is best consumed within 2 days for freshness.
- Offset spatula swirl design is optional but adds an elegant finish.
Keywords: Berry Chantilly Cake, layered cake, mascarpone cream, fresh berries, berry jam glaze, party cake, vanilla almond cake