Indulge in the heavenly delight of Chantilly Cake with fresh berries! This delectable dessert combines layers of moist vanilla cake, luscious Chantilly cream, and a generous topping of vibrant fresh berries.
3cupsseasonal fresh berries plus more for garnish- 1 cup each chopped strawberriesblueberries whole, raspberries whole, and blackberries whole
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare three 8” cake pans by greasing with nonstick cooking spray and lining the bottom with a round piece of parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl and mix together.
In a separate larger mixing bowl, using a heavy-duty whisk, combine the egg, milk, sour cream and vanilla.
Alternating with the dry ingredients, add ½ of the flour mixture and stir a few times, then add ½ of the melted butter and stir a few times. Continue until the flour mix and the melted butter have been completely used. The batter will be very thick, and very smooth when all the ingredients are added.
Divide the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans. You may have to use a small spatula to spread the batter evenly in each pan before baking. The batter creates about 9 cups of mixture, so about 3 cups per cake pan should work.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Since oven brands vary, consider rotating the pans in the oven after the first 10 minutes. Check your cakes after 15-20 minutes cooking, and remove from the oven if they are done.)
Let the cakes sit in their pans for five minutes after coming out of the oven. Release each to a nonstick cooking rack for 10 minutes, then place them in the fridge while you make the frosting.
In a mixer beat together the butter, cream cheese and mascarpone on medium speed until fluffy.
Add the vanilla and almond extracts and incorporate.
Then add the powdered sugar and combine.
In another separate bowl whip with heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
Fold the whipped cream into the sugar and cheese mixture. (If the frosting seems a bit soft after folding in the whipped cream, put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. It will thicken a bit and be frosting you can work with to cover your cake.)
Build the cake by spreading about ½ cup of the frosting spread on the first layer then top with 1 cup of the berries, starting in the center and pressing them into the frosting (so they stick once cut), maybe adding a bit more fruit towards the edges. Add a small amount of frosting on the layered fruit, so the next cake layer has something to stick to.
Repeat with the next layer, then plac the last layer of cake on top.
Mound the remaining frosting on the cake top and spread down the sides. (Helpful tip- start filling in the gaps from the sides; each layer of cake has created spaces when layered on top of each other, so it's easier to fill those in to obtain a smooth surface to finish frosting the cake.)
Garnish the top with remaining berries, starting in the center and gently pressing them into the frosting and adding more to fill out to the sides.
Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve, about 1-2 hours.
Notes
Storage: Keep any leftover cake covered or in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 2 days after frosting. The fresh fruit won’t hold up long.
FAQ’s: Can I use vegetable shortening instead of nonstick cooking spray? Yes, you can, the cakes will release well from a pan sprayed or greased with vegetable shortening.
Do I have to use round parchment paper on the bottom of the cakes? Yes it is recommended to ensure the entire cake releases, and this avoids any dreaded small nuggets getting stuck to the bottom and creating a hole in your cake layer.
Can I use a stand or hand mixer to make the batter? Yes, you can yet it would be recommended to keep it at a very low speed. Honestly the cake will come out more moist if it is mixed ‘by hand’ instead of using an electric mixer.
Does the frosting have to be piped onto the cake? It doesn’t require it, but if you have a creative decorative idea you’d like to consider, go for it!
Do I have to add the listed berries? You can use whatever combination of fruit you’d like, chantilly cakes commonly have at least two-three different berries included.