Berry Chantilly Cake

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This Berry Chantilly cake is a light and elegant layer cake made with an ultra-moist oil-based sponge, fresh berry coulis, and a soft mascarpone Chantilly cream.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Waiting Time1

Total Time2 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 708kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

Vanilla sponge cake

5 Eggs at room temperature
200 g Granulated sugar
3 teaspoon Vanilla extract
45 g Whole milk at room temperature
70 g Vegetable oil
160 g Cake flour sifted, all-purpose flour works too
¼ teaspoon Salt

Berry coulis

60 g Pureed mix of fresh berries measure after pureeing
40 g Granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Lemon juice fresh

Fresh berry filling

260 g Mix of fresh berries strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, chopped into identical pieces

Chantilly frosting

690 g Heavy Cream 36% fat, use it cold
230 g Mascrpone high fat, use it cold
120 g Powdered sugar sifted
2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
130 g Mix of fresh berries for decoration: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Vanilla sponge cake

This recipe makes one tall 8-inch sponge cake, which is then sliced horizontally into two layers. Alternatively, you can divide the batter evenly between two prepared 8-inch pans and bake as two separate sponges. If doing this, reduce the baking time significantly (start checking around 20 minutes, depending on your oven), as thinner layers bake faster.
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 340°F (no fan). Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Line a 20 cm / 8-inch cake pan with parchment on the bottom and sides, and prepare a soaked cake strip.
In a mixing bowl, whip eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed for at least 5 minutes until very pale, thick, and fluffy, reaching the ribbon stage. Reduce speed and continue whipping for 1–2 more minutes to refine the air bubbles.
Sift in the flour, then gently fold it into the egg mixture with a spatula, taking care not to deflate the batter.
Add milk and oil at room temperature, then fold using a cut-and-fold motion just until fully incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 170°C / 340°F (no fan) for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not open the oven for the first 30 minutes. Once baked, invert the sponge onto a wire rack, cool completely.

Berry coulis

Place strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds and skins, pressing well with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible.
Transfer the strained purée to a saucepan and add sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon; this will take about 15 minutes, but focus on texture, not time.
Remove it from the heat and cool completely. The coulis will thicken further as it chills.

Chantilly frosting

Whip the cold heavy cream, cold mascarpone, sifted powdered sugar with an electric hand mixer for about 1 minute, then add vanilla extract. Continue whipping for 2–3 minutes until fluffy and pipeable, stopping at early hard peaks. Do not overwhip. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.

Assemble the cake

Once the sponge is completely cooled, use a long serrated knife (or a cake leveler) to cut the sponge horizontally into two even layers.
Place the bottom sponge layer on a cake board or serving plate. Spread the berry coulis over the surface. Leave a small border around the edge to prevent filling from spilling out when stacked.
Pipe a generous but even layer of Chantilly cream over the coulis using a piping bag. This helps maintain structure and keeps the filling level. Add a layer of fresh berries (a mix of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries works well), gently pressing them into the cream so they stay stable.
Pipe another layer of Chantilly cream over the fruit, smoothing it lightly with an offset spatula if needed. Carefully place the second sponge layer on top, making sure it is centered and level. Gently press down to secure the structure without squeezing out the filling.
Chill the assembled cake for about 30 minutes to allow the layers to set. Apply a thin crumb coat of Chantilly cream over the entire cake to trap any loose crumbs and stabilize the structure. Chill again for 30 minutes, then finish with a final smooth layer of Chantilly cream.

Decoration

Pipe the remaining Chantilly cream around the top edge of the cake, then, using the back of a teaspoon, gently press it to create a decorative textured pattern.
Arrange a mix of fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries) in the center of the cake. Lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

Storage

The assembled cake should be stored in the refrigerator, lightly covered or in an airtight container, and consumed within 2–3 days for best texture and freshness, given the Chantilly cream and fresh fruit.
Do not freeze the entire cake, as the Chantilly frosting cannot be frozen. The sponge layers, however, freeze very well: wrap them tightly in plastic wrap (and ideally a second layer of foil or an airtight bag) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the sponges overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, while still wrapped to prevent drying, then assemble them fresh with coulis, Chantilly, and fruit.

Notes

Ingredient notes:

Measure your ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy.
All cake ingredients must be at room temperature to properly emulsify.
You can use all-purpose flour in place of cake flour. However, the lower the protein content, the softer and moister the sponge cake will turn out.
Baking powder is purposely omitted from the recipe; the sponge cake's texture will rely on the air you whip into the batter.
The heavy cream and mascarpone need to be high in fat and very cold. The low-fat versions won't whip properly because they contain more water.
The cake must be made with fresh berries. Frozen contains way too much water.

Technique notes:

Be sure to whip the eggs and sugar following the two steps mentioned above, as the air incorporated will help the cake rise without collapsing.
Here is how to do the cut and fold method:Cut: Use a spatula to "cut" down through the center of the batter. Fold: Gently scoop the mixture from the bottom, lift it up, and fold it over the top. Rotate: Turn the bowl slightly after each fold to ensure even mixing. Repeat: Continue the cutting and folding motion until the ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix.
Use a cake stripe for baking; with the help of a cake stripe, the side of the cake pan stays cooler for a longer period, and the whole cake rises at the same rate. This results in a level cake with a flat top, which is ideal for stacking layers or decorating.
You can make your own cooling cake strip so easily! Fold a piece of kitchen paper into thirds and then dip it into water to dampen it. Wrap the wet kitchen paper in aluminum foil, and then wrap it around your cake pan.
Ovens can vary, so use an oven thermometer to always bake at the right temperature. Each oven is different, so you might need to adjust the baking time slightly. In my oven, this cake takes 40 minutes. Use the toothpick test to ensure your cake is fully baked.
The sponge cake texture will further set as it cools. Do not attempt to cut while it is hot.
Chantilly cream is very easy to overwhip. When whipping, stop as soon as the mixture has reached a fluffy consistency (this will take 2-3 minutes) and form early stiff peaks. It won't get stiffer after this point. In fact, if you overbeat it, it will only get runnier and then break.
Assemble the cake only once the sponge has cooled to room temperature, as a warm cake would melt the cream.

Nutrition