Berry Chantilly Cake Recipe

Make the vanilla cake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 

Add the eggs and egg yolk and mix until combined. 

Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined. 

Add one-third of the flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Add one-half of the buttermilk and stir just until combined.

Repeat the steps, ending with the flour mixture. 

Divide the batter evenly between two 8-inch pans and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan and letting them cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the chantilly cream. In a small bowl, add the cold water and sprinkle the powdered gelatin. Let the gelatin bloom for 5 minutes.

While the gelatin blooms, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Add the mascarpone cheese and mix until well combined. Mix until just combined, do not overbeat. Set aside.

Once the gelatin has bloomed, microwave the gelatin in 5-second intervals until the gelatin melts into a liquid. Do not overheat. 

Stir in one tablespoon of heavy cream and set aside. 

In a cold bowl, add 8 ounces of heavy cream. Whip on medium speed until foamy.

Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt. 

Whip until soft peaks form. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gelatin mixture. The gelatin should still be in liquid form. If it has turned back into a solid, stop the mixer, microwave the gelatin for 3-5 second increments until it turns back into a liquid. 

Once the gelatin is completely incorporated, whip until stiff peaks form. 

Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mascarpone mixture. Set aside.

Prepare the berries. Wash and dry all of the berries. Hull the strawberries and slice into thick horizontal slices. Slice the blackberries in half. Keep some of the berries whole for decorating. 

Use a serrated knife to flatten the tops of your cake, if necessary.

Slice each cake horizontally in half to create four thin cakes. 

Place a layer of vanilla cake on a cake board and spread a layer of chantilly cream. Add the slices of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. 

Fill the empty spaces with the chantilly cream and spread smooth. 

Top with a layer of vanilla cake and repeat two times, topping with the fourth vanilla cake, with the crumb side facing down. 

Cover the cake with a thin layer of chantilly cream. frosting. Transfer into the freezer to set the crumb coat, about 10 minutes.

Remove the cake from the freezer and frost the cake smooth with the chantilly cream. Use a star piping tip to decoratively pipe swirls on top of the cake and decorate with the reserved berries. 

Slice and serve. Enjoy!