This Berry Chantilly Cake is soft, crumbly, raspberry in color and perfect for a party. Honestly, she does the most, but in the most charming and tender way possible.
I’ve decided that birthdays should be mulled over, at least in terms of the cake. A few months after turning 45 and seeing as I was also about six weeks postpartum, I wanted to respectfully revamp my birthday cake for the year, from this simple batch of Rice Krispie Treats (all I could muster at the time) to this Honey Raspberry Chantilly Cake. Not that we need an official excuse for a softer vanilla cake topped with honeyed milk, raspberry jam, fresh berries and clouds of mascarpone cream cheese frosting. But YES… this is true. Three layers of the most spring-like cake and an unreasonable amount of fresh raspberries.
Here are the ingredients you need to make this Raspberry Chantilly Cake:
• Fat butter to give the cake layers their rich flavor
• Neutral oil – I usually use avocado oil. The butter keeps the cake layers moist and soft, even after the finished cake has cooled.
• Granulated sugarof course.
• A large egg for structure, richness and enough lift to hold all that frosting and fruit.
• Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract for that baking heat and flavor.
• All-purpose flourstructure for learning layers.
• baking powder gives the cake its lift and keeps the layers light rather than dense.
• Salt balances the sweetness and brightens the vanilla and butter flavors.
• Whole milk adds moisture and richness and produces a silky smooth dough.•
• Honey lends a floral sweetness to the milk syrup that is brushed over the baked cake layers and keeps every bite of the cake wonderfully moist.
• Raspberry jam spread thinly over baked cake layers for that concentrated raspberry flavor.
• cream cheese brings the chantilly to the chantilly cake and balances the sweetness of the cake and the berries.
• Mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone makes the frosting especially silky, creamy and luxurious.
• Powdered sugar sweetens and thickens the frosting without leaving it grainy.
• Almond extract – The tiniest sprinkle adds a subtle wedding cake flavor that pairs perfectly with raspberries.
• Heavy cream makes the frosting light, airy and soft enough to make a crumbly cake.
Let’s make the layers of this cake. The batter for this Honey Raspberry Chantilly cake is silky, almost mousse-like. The plush texture comes from a combination of butter, oil, eggs and whole milk. Divide it evenly between the prepared pans and gently smooth the tops with an offset spatula. No aggressive punching or micromanaging here; a light hand and just enough mixing gives us such a fine, delicate crumb.
The cakes bake up golden, tender and with a delightfully flat top, which is a small reward for mixing the batter thoroughly. When the layers are completely cool, brush each one generously with honeyed milk, then spread with a glossy layer of raspberry jam. The infusion works its way into the crumb, while the preserves add concentrated berry flavor, keeping the finished cake ultra-moist and ensuring there’s absolutely no dull bite. (With all the raspberries we’re going to put on this cake, it’s impossible to be boring.)
The frosting is where this cake wears its Chantilly. The cream cheese and mascarpone give it a slightly tangy and rich richness, while the heavy whipped cream keeps the whole thing light, fluffy and cloud-like. A little sprinkling of almond extract makes the raspberries taste more raspberry (a technical term for baking), and the finished frosting is firm enough between three layers of cake, while still being soft and airy when fluffed on a fork.
Now for the best part. frost the cake in soft, crumbly layers and place a fresh raspberry between each layer of cream. Strawberries, blueberries or blackberries would all be nice here, but I have a real soft spot for raspberries on their own. Their tart little pop is perfect against the sweet honey cake and rich Chantilly frosting. Gently press them into each layer, pile more on top and let the whole cake look a little wild and generous. V:
A slice of this Honey Raspberry Chantilly Cake is soft, dreamy, sweet, and cookie-y enough to keep you coming back for another forkful. Tender cake, honey milk drizzle, raspberry jam, fresh berries and cloud frosting all fit into one very cute little situation on a plate. It’s delicate without being messy, it’s a really great celebration cake and will definitely make a great birthday cake for me.
Leave any recipe questions in the comments below and be sure to rate and review the cake recipe if you make it! Happy baking, friends! xo:
Description:
This Honey Raspberry Chantilly Cake is a soft, dreamy holiday cake made with three delicate layers of vanilla cake, topped with honey lactic acid, raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and clouds of mascarpone cream cheese frosting. It’s sweet without being crunchy and has just enough tartness from the berries to make every bite interesting.
Prepare the cake.
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and lightly grease the parchment as well. This seems like a painstaking step, but it’s worth it every time.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the oil and sugar and beat on medium speed until light, fluffy and noticeably pale, about 3 minutes.
- While this is happening, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating on medium-low speed after each addition (about 1 minute per egg). Scrape into bowl if needed. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Resist the urge to overmix. We’re after a tender crumb.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until the tops spring back slightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Completely means completely. Warm cake and cream cheese are not friends.
Soak the honey in milk.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk and honey until smooth. Place the mixture in the microwave for 10 seconds if you are having trouble dissolving the honey in the milk. Set aside while the cakes cool.
Prepare Frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat again on medium speed until completely smooth. Add mascarpone and beat until silky, about 1 minute.
- Add powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extract. Mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated, then increase to medium speed and beat until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bowl well. Add the heavy cream, mixing on low speed and increasing to medium-high speed until peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Collect the cake.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cookie sheet. Brush or drizzle liberally with one-third of the honey milk.
- Spread about ¼ cup of the raspberry preserves over the cake layer, leaving a small border around the edges. Fill with about ½ cup of ice and spread into an even layer. Scatter a large handful of fresh raspberries over the ice, gently pressing them into place.
- Add the second layer of cake and repeat: frosting, preserves, frosting and raspberries. We put the final layer of the cake on top. Give him the last drenching of honey milk. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Don’t worry about perfection.
- Pile the fresh raspberries generously over the top of the cake, allowing some to fall naturally to the edges. Throw in edible flowers, mint leaves, lemon balm, or whatever pretty bits from the garden are calling your name.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before cutting. This gives the frosting a chance to settle and results in cleaner pieces. Serve cold or slightly chilled.