This chantilly cake recipe is three layers of moist, vanilla cake with plump, juicy strawberries and ultra-rich cream cheese buttercream in between. Then the whole thing is covered in the same buttercream. I grew up calling it Italian cream cake!
This post has been updated from the original 2011 version. New images to come...
Ingredients
- Eggs - I used large. Make sure they are at room temperature.
- Sugar
- Butter
- Salt - I use kosher salt. If you use regular salt cut back on the measurement by about ¼.
- Vanilla - the real thing
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Strawberries
- Cream Cheese - not the diet type, whipped, or low fat. Use full fat, old fashioned cream cheese.
- Confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
I don't know why but I associate strawberry desserts with Mother's Day. Maybe it is the white-pink-red theme that just looks feminine?
Maybe it is the fact that the berries come into season about the same time as Mother's Day hits?
I don't know. It is one of those things that I think about in the middle of the night when I can't sleep.
This chantilly cake recipe is... FABULOUS. Perfect for Mother's Day or any other celebration, including the fact that you got through the day without harming your teenager.
If you don't have a teenager that might sound appalling but if you do - well you certainly understand. I have 3 teens right now and a 12 and a half year old, so I know what I am talking about. The fact that I can put two words together in a clearly written sentence is nothing short of miraculous.
Chantilly cake recipe OR Italian cream?
When I was growing up this recipe was always called Italian cream cake. It was lovingly pulled out from a pocket in the back of her Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, smoothed out carefully, and followed down the the last detail.
When I became an adult I ordered an Italian Cream Cake in a restaurant and image my surprise to find coconut!
After many arguments with many people I finally came to the conclusion that this must be a Chantilly Cake.
Call it what you want - just make it!
Tips
Read through these easy tips for chantilly cake success before you get started!
- Set everything out about an hour ahead of time to bring it to room temperature. It will make the cake lighter and fluffier - don't skip this step.
- Separate the eggs when cold but then let them warm to room temperature.
- Another little trick I have is to rinse the clean mixer bowl and whips with vinegar before whipping egg whites. The acidity left in the bowl and on the whip helps the whites beat up much higher - and if there was any fat clinging to the whip it will be rinsed off by the acids.
- Don't start adding the sugar into the egg whites until they have come to soft peaks. You risk deflating them if you do.
- Perfectly beaten egg whites will cling to the beater and the bowl. You can literally turn it upside down over someone's head without the egg whites splattering all over them. I really did this to one of my kids but the image didn't come out.
- Once you've added the egg yolks you'll beat until the batter is the consistency of whipped cream
- Bake at 325 F for 40 minutes or until done. Baking at this low temperature ensures that your cakes are moist. Let them stand for 5 minutes before turning out of the pan.
- Let the cake cool completely before filling and frosting with the cream cheese and berries.
- Chill it overnight if possible. During that time the berries get a little juicy and the filling soaks it up a little.
- Let it warm up to room temperature before serving and the flavor is just incredible.
How to fold in egg whites
It isn't difficult to fold egg whites into a batter but you have to be gentle. Put about a third of the egg whites on the batter and then gently pull the batter over the egg white.
Continue to do this until the first third is mixed in.
Now, do the same thing with the rest of the egg whites. This will help keep them from deflating and it will keep your cake lighter and higher. Just remember to be gentle!
Be sure to reward any helpers that you may have had....
Assembly
You will need to slice the berries so that they lie flat on the filling.
Spread the bottom layer with frosting. Lay the berries on evenly and then add the next layer. Repeat.
Once you have the Italian cream cake layers put together poke a few straws or wooden skewers down through the layers to stabilize the cake while you frost it.
You will be taking these out before you serve the cake but it is a real help when you want to keep your cake from sliding around.
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And don't miss this amazing bourbon cake.
Y'all - updating this post was HARD! The images are from 2011 and that sweet little girl is now a 16 year old.
Still sweet. Mostly.
Time flies by. Don't waste one more minute of your life without having had a good bite or two of this dessert!
Chantilly Cake with Strawberries (Italian Cream Cake)
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Ingredients
Cake
- 6 Eggs, separated, room temp
- 2 cups Sugar, divided
- 1 cup Butter
- ½ teaspoon Salt, kosher salt was used, if you use regular salt cut the amount by ¼
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 2 cups All purpose flour
Filling
- 2 quarts Strawberries, washed, stemmed, and sliced
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup Butter, softened
- 16 ounces Cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 ½ pounds Powdered sugar, you may need a little more
- A little buttermilk to thin if needed
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Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Grease and flour 3 9-inch round cake pans.
- Separate eggs.
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Add ½ cup sugar gradually, beating until egg whites form stiff peaks.
- Set egg whites aside.
- Cream butter, remaining sugar (1 ½ cup), vanilla, and salt together.
- Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each.
- Beat until the mixture resembles whipped cream.
- Stir baking soda into buttermilk.
- Stir flour and baking powder together.
- Add to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Fold in the egg whites carefully. Fold in ⅓ of the whites to lighten the batter then fold in the rest.
- Spoon the batter into the baking pans evenly.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool in pans for 5-10 minutes.
- Turn out and cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese and the butter together.
- Add the vanilla.
- Add the powdered sugar until you have a creamy consistency.
- Add a tablespoon of buttermilk if necessary to thin it down.
Assembly
- Place one cooled layer on a cake plate.
- Spread with cream cheese frosting.
- Place a layer of sliced strawberries on the cream cheese and top with another cake layer.
- Repeat.
- Stabilize layers with straws or wood skewers and frost with remaining cream cheese frosting.
- Place halved berries around the edge of cake and chill for three hours.
- Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- It isn't difficult to fold egg whites into a batter but you have to be gentle.
- Put about a third of the egg whites on the batter and then gently pull the batter over the egg white.
- Continue to do this until the first third is mixed in.
- Now, do the same thing with the rest of the egg whites. This will help keep them from deflating and it will keep your cake lighter and higher.
Cindy Lopez
I would like to make this for a large event 100. Can you tell me if I can make it into a few sheet cakes in layer it? Or a 9 x 13 panswould like to make this for a large event 100. Can you tell me if I can make it into a sheet cakes pans and layer it Or a 9 x 13 pans
Marye
I haven't made it that way so I am not sure. I imagine you could make it in sheet cake pans - just watch the time.