How To Make The Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Cake At Home

The term ‘food trend’ implies an ebb and flow of popularity. By definition, a trend is something on an upward trajectory. To zoom in a bit more through a culinary lens, food trends evoke a curiosity to experience dishes and foods at the peak of their popularity. Many of us remember cronuts, cake pops, and, of course, the ubiquitous avocado toast.  Yet once the direction of the trajectory changes course, it is not necessarily a curse. A trendy food can shift and be considered a beloved staple, holding a place in culinary history and our hearts. Think about it: will we ever turn our noses up at a food truck?

Such is the case with the beloved berry chantilly cake from Whole Foods. This cake quickly shifted from a trend to a staple, if not a full-on A-list celebrity in the Whole Foods bakery department. The berry chantilly cake has been among the most popular bakery items at Whole Foods for 13 years. It originated in the Arabella Station store in Louisiana and instantly attracted consumers because of its fresh and perfectly balanced sweetness.  This cake is honestly the little black dress of cakes.  It can be served at a casual tea or luncheon, shared at a picnic, or paired with an elegant dinner for a special occasion. 

The versatility of the cake is due to the simplicity of its ingredients: fresh berries, white cake, and an elegant chantilly cream. Chantilly is sweetened whipped cream, but mascarpone and cream cheese are also incorporated into the frosting, providing a richness that complements the subtle sweetness of the chantilly.  The berries placed on the top are a perfect compliment on their own; there is no need to top them with melted jam.  However, if you prefer to do so, by all means, go ahead, but the berries are naturally beautiful the way they are. Is there an argument here that topping berries with jam is a trend that is changing its trajectory? Here’s how to recreate it at home with our copycat Whole Foods berry chantilly cake recipe.

Copycat Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Cake

Difficulty:IntermediatePrep time:3 hours Cook time: 20 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesServings:10 servings

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 â…” cups cake flour
  
• â…” and ¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• ½ tsp baking soda
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  
• ½ cup neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed
  
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
  
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 tsp almond extract
  

Berry simple syrup


• ¼ cup water
  
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 tbsp strawberry jam
  

Chantilly cream frosting


• 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  
• 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
  
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 17-ounce container of mascarpone cheese
  
• 2 pints of heavy whipping cream, chilled 
  

Fruit topping


• 2 pints strawberries
  
• 2 pints blueberries
  
• 2 pints blackberries
  
• 2 pints raspberries
  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare two 12‘’ cake pans by rubbing the interior with a neutral oil and filling the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Sift the cake flour through a sieve into the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This will remove lumps and ensure a better distribution of the dry ingredients. Add the room-temperature butter and mix on medium speed until the mixture looks like sand or coarse crumbs, approximately 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for a few seconds more to incorporate all the ingredients fully.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the room-temperature buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and almond extract together until well combined. Add â…“ of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix slowly at first so the dry ingredients do not fly out of the bowl. Speed up the mixer to medium speed and mix them until the ingredients are fully combined. Repeat twice with the remaining ingredients. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixer and mix the batter on high for 2 minutes. The batter should be light and fluffy.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, tapping each pan on the counter when it is filled to avoid air bubbles. Place the cake pans in the center rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
5. Let the cakes cool in the pans until they can be handled just enough to be removed from the pans and placed on a wire rack to cool fully. If necessary, the fully cooled cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap overnight.
6. While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the berry syrup by adding ¼ granulated sugar, the strawberry jam, and ¼ water to a small pot. Heat on medium to medium-low until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are incorporated.  Take the pot off the heat and set it aside to cool it fully.  This syrup is relatively thin in consistency.
7. Next, make the frosting. Clean and dry the bowl of your mixer and add the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and incorporated. Remove the mixture from the mixer bowl and place it in a separate bowl.
8. Clean and dry the bowl of your mixer. Add the chilled heavy cream and mix slowly at first until it begins to thicken. Stop the mixer and add ½ cup of powdered sugar. On low speed, mix the ingredients until they are incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to mix until the mixture reaches firm peaks. Add the mascarpone mixture to the whipped cream in two batches and slowly mix until incorporated.
9. Wash and dry the fruit. Cut the strawberries in halves and quarters, and leave a few whole with their fronts intact.
10. Place a cake round or a plate on the turntable and cut it in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Carefully place one-half of the cake on a plate. Using a spoon, spread the berry syrup over the cut side of the cake, being careful not to soak it, which will cause it to break.
11. Spread the berries across the surface, making sure to distribute them evenly. Make sure the berries reach the edge of the cake.  If they do not, the cake can crack. Do not use the strawberries with the fronds; these will go on top of the cake for decoration. Spread a thin layer of the chantilly frosting over the berries. 
12. Place the next half of the cake on top of the frosted one, cut side up, and gently press down to distribute the frosting. Repeat the process on the next layer of cake. 
13. Cut the next cake and repeat the process until you place the last half on top.  Place the syrup on the cake, but do not add any berries. 
    
14. Apply a thin layer of frosting all over the cake. This is called the crumb coat, and it prevents crumbs from appearing in the final frosting layer.
15. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  If you are frosting the cake the next day, refrigerate the cake uncovered.  Refrigerate the frosting as well, keeping in mind you will need to whisk it again in the stand mixer before using it again.
16. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and generously spread the frosting over it. Place a cake spatula in hot water for smooth sides and gently press the flat side around the cake, letting the turntable do the work. This can also be done with a bench scraper. Use the cake spatula trick to spread the frosting on the top of the cake evenly.
17. Decorate the top with your remaining berries, including the strawberries with fronds. 

Notes

• A stand or hand mixer will be best for this recipe.
• A turntable is very helpful for this recipe. I didn’t have one, so I used my microwave’s rotating ring and glass plate, which worked well.
• Keep the remaining cake in the refrigerator.
• Smaller cake pans can be used. If you use 8” cake pans, use three instead of two.

Keywords:Birthday Cake, Cake, Dessert, Grocery Shopping

Enjoy this classic cake in a homemade version!

• Birthday Cake
• Cake
• Dessert
• Grocery Shopping