Berry Chantilly Cake

Just like your Whole Foods Mama made it.

Since my job is to be chronically online, I couldn’t ignore the internet’s obsession with one particular cake—the Whole Food’s Berry Chantilly Cake.

Now, this isn’t a revolutionary concept. Soft cake, fresh fruit, and fluffy cream? It’s a foolproof combo, that can now be conveniently found in beige Whole Foods packaging.

So I made one. And somehow, a video of me transporting it in a cambro container became one of my most-viewed videos.

By popular demand, here’s how I made this famous Chantilly Cake.

I did a side by side comparison to make sure that this homemade version was comparable to the original. It is in fact, superior.

Recipe adapted from NYT cooking.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3 ¾ cups (390 g) cake flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup (246 ml) whole milk

• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar

• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 6 large egg whites (180 g) OR 3 extra-large whole eggs

For the Chantilly

• 6 oz (170g) cream cheese, chilled

• 1 cup (100g) powdered sugar

• 6 oz (170g) mascarpone cheese, chilled

• 1 ½ cups (360ml) heavy whipping cream, chilled

For the Milk Soak

• 1 cup (235 ml) whole milk

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

For the Assembly

• Strawberries – 6 oz (170g), rinsed, dried, and hulled (slice if large)

• Blackberries – 3 oz (85g), rinsed and dried

• Raspberries – 3 oz (85g), rinsed and dried

• Blueberries – 3 oz (85g), rinsed and dried

• Milk Soak – 1 recipe

• Chantilly Cream – 1 recipe

• Cake – 1 recipe

Instructions

For the Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).

5. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the egg whites (or whole eggs) one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

6. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture in two additions. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined—do not overmix.

7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Chantilly

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together on medium speed until smooth and fluffy (about 1–2 minutes).

2. Add the mascarpone cheese and mix on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent the mascarpone from curdling.

3. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

4. Gently fold or slowly mix the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until fully incorporated and smooth.

For the Milk Soak

1. While the cake is baking, whisk together the whole milk and almond extract in a small bowl. Set aside.

For the Final Assembly

1. Rinse all berries under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Remove the stems from the strawberries and slice them if they are large. Set aside on a clean towel to ensure they are completely dry before assembling.

2. If your cake recipe makes multiple layers, level each one by trimming off any domed tops for even stacking. Set aside the layers on a wire rack.

3. Place the first cake layer on your serving platter or cake board. Using a pastry brush or spoon, evenly drizzle the milk soak over the surface of the cake to ensure moisture.

4. Using an offset spatula, spread a generous layer of Chantilly cream over the soaked cake layer.

5. Arrange a mix of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries evenly over the Chantilly layer.

6. Place the second cake layer on top, gently pressing it down. Repeat the milk soak, Chantilly cream, and berry arrangement process.

7. Apply a thin crumb coat of Chantilly cream around the entire cake to lock in crumbs. Refrigerate for 15–30 minutes to set. Once set, apply a final, smooth layer of Chantilly cream all over the cake.

8. Arrange the remaining berries on top of the cake

9. Slice and enjoy, or poorly place into a cambro and bring it to a friend at work!

PS Herbert, I have yet to get my cambro container back :(