There are cakes, and then there’s Chantilly cake, a towering layer cake stuffed with fresh berries and blanketed in whipped cream frosting. The impressive dessert marries the delicious simplicity of a classic yellow cake with the berries and cream combo that makes shortcakes shine. What’s even sweeter? The all-American dessert has a charming origin story that started in a grocery store bakery. Make it as a spring dessert to enjoy all season long, or as a Mother’s Day dessert to make the day extra special. Here’s everything you need to know:
What is Chantilly cake?
The cake was originally made by Chaya Conrad, who was working as a bakery manager at Whole Foods in New Orleans. She based the dessert off a cake her grandmother once made, and the dessert took off! Conrad now owns Bywater Bakery, but the cake is still sold at Whole Foods locations all over the country. It’s especially popular in the South and is also a TikTok fan favorite. There is also another Chantilly cake that’s popular in Hawaii, but it’s a chocolate cake with a frosting that’s similar to German chocolate frosting without the coconut.
The Chantilly cream:
The cake’s name comes from Chantilly cream, a French term for sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla or liqueur. To make the frosting for this cake, you fold sweet, fluffy Chantilly cream with a rich, tangy mixture of whipped mascarpone and cream cheese. The Chantilly cream makes the frosting light and fluffy; the cream cheese mixture helps stabilize the frosting and adds tangy cream cheese frosting vibes.
How to make Chantilly cake:
The frosting is the perfect pairing for the tender cake that gets a little extra oomph from a combination of vanilla and almond extracts. The cakes are split into four layers, which makes sure that every bite has the perfect ratio of cake, frosting, and berries. We use raspberry jam, blueberries, and raspberries in this cake, but you can use an assortment of fresh berries.
Storage & make ahead:
One of the best things about this cake (other than eating it) is that it can and should be made ahead. Assemble the cake at least four hours before you plan to serve it or make it the day before and chill it overnight. This resting time gives the flavors time to meld and helps the cake settle, which will make it more delicious and also much easier to slice.
If you have any cake leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3 days.
Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
