Very Berry Chantilly Cake

The Chantilly Cake originated in New Orleans, and it’s become one of the city’s most popular cakes. Tender yellow cake, fresh berries and a Mousseline Buttercream based frosting make this recipe an essential for birthdays and holidays.

Prep: 40 min
Bake: 30 min
Yield: 1 (3-layer) 8-inch cake
Ingredients
    Cake
  • 3 cups sifted Swans Down® Cake Flour
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
    Berry Compote
  • 1 1/2 cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of one lemon

Frosting

  • 1 batch Mousseline Buttercream
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups fresh berries + more for garnish
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 3 (8-inch) cake pans.
  2. Whisk flour together with baking powder and salt until incorporated; set aside.
  3. Lightly mix egg whites with buttermilk and almond extract; set aside.
  4. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
  5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time to the creamed butter, alternating with 1/2 of the milk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
  6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool completely.
  7. Make Berry Compote: Mix berries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest. Place berry mixture in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Cook until liquid thickens. Remove from heat and cool completely.
  8. Make Frosting: Place the Mousseline Buttercream in a bowl and add cream cheese, mascarpone and butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Mix until smooth. (If the buttercream breaks, place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes and re-whip until smooth.)
  9. Assemble Cake: Pipe a thick ring of frosting around the top edge of the first cake layer to create a dam. Spread 1/2 of the cooled berry compote in the center and top with fresh fruit. Top with the second cake layer and repeat the process. Top with the third cake layer, top side down. Frost with remaining frosting and garnish with fresh berries.
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  • My box of unopened cake flour has an expiration date of 6/10 24. Should I risk using it to make the Chantilly very berry cake?

    • Hi Jacquie,
      We do not recommend using our cake flour once the Best By date stamped on the bottom of the box has passed. Swans Down Cake Flour has a shelf life of 18 months, and the printed Best By date signifies the end of that shelf life.

      There are two reasons for this recommendation. First, flour is a raw product and can turn rancid after time. Second, our tests have shown that the best baking result is not achieved using flour past this 18 month time span.

  • Any chance the cake can be made in a bundt pan? I don't own regular cake pans and I don't really wish to buy any.

    • Hi Michelle, Yes you can use a Bundt pan in place of the 3-8" pans. Please use caution not t0 fill the pan more than 2/3 of the way full. This recipe pay yield more batter than a standard Bundt pan can hold. You may end up with a few cupcakes of batter remaining. Happy Baking!

    • Hi Rebecca, Thanks for catching this. The recipe was missing sugar in the ingredient list. We've made the correction. Cream 1 1/2 cup sugar with the butter. Happy Baking!

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