This Chantilly Cake Recipe with Box Mix includes four layers of white almond sour cream cake, cream cheese & mascarpone mousse, raspberry filling, and loads of fresh berries! It's a fancy spring or summer dessert sure to impress guests!

The first time I made a Chantilly Cake for a client, it was a complete disaster. It tasted good, but it looked like a hot mess.
The frosting wouldn't stay on the side of the cake and basically had to scoop it into a box.
I had tried a few recipes prior to this one and they did not impress me. I was running out of time to bake for my order.
Then my friend Angela sent me her recipe and she convinced me it was a winner so I decided to use her recipe for my client without doing a practice run.
But again... it didn't turn out great for me. Mostly, I was having trouble with the filling and frosting being too soft and not sticking to the cake.
I was truly ashamed when I handed over the ugly cake to my client. Right then and there I decided that was the end of Chantilly Cakes for me.
I knew it tasted good but it looked like a toddler made it. And while my client didn't mind, I knew I didn't want to sell cakes that weren't pretty and delicious.
Then 2021 rolled around and I got a request for a wedding cake that was Chantilly Cake on the inside. Not too long after, I got another request. Then another.
I'm not sure what happened, but Chantilly Cakes were suddenly very popular and I decided I needed to figure out this cake.
Since I knew my friend Angela said her recipe was a winner, I decided to give it another try. And this time... I found success. The only thing that wasn't working for me was frosting for the outside of the cake so I decided to just go with my tried and true cream cheese buttercream.
Perfection! That's what happened next!
I'll admit, this cake takes a lot of steps and preparation. It's not the easiest cake I make, but the results are worth it! It's decadent, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth amazing. Since I sold the first one, my clients have been ordering them weekly!
What's a Chantilly Cake with Box Mix made of?
After reading dozens of recipes and websites, here's a list of what almost all of them include in Chantilly Cakes recipes.
- Vanilla or Almond Cake. It seems the addition of almond flavoring is a southern thing - maybe even a New Orleans thing. Several of the recipes I read that were not "southern" did not include almond.
- Mascarpone and/or Cream Cheese filling. Most have both kinds of cheese, along with powdered sugar, whipped cream, butter, and again, sometimes almond flavoring. I refer to this mixture as a "mousse" because it's insanely silky and smooth.
- Fruit filling or jam. The raspberry filling seems to be the most common but I've also seen strawberry and it varies between syrup, filling, and jams. Any would work! For my cakes, I've been using strawberry filling (made like this raspberry filling, but with strawberries).
- Fresh berries. Almost all recipes include strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Many also included blackberries (which I do most of the time).
- Many recipes used the filling that's inside the cake on the outside as well, but this didn't work well for me. Some used a different frosting for the outside - either vanilla buttercream or cream cheese buttercream. I chose a slight variation of this cream cheese buttercream.
Step-by-step photos of how to stack a Chantilly Cake
Okay - let me show you how to make a Chantilly Cake with a Box Mix. If you have a go-to favorite from-scratch vanilla or almond cake recipe, you could absolutely sub it in here, but I used my usual doctored cake mix recipe - white almond sour cream cake.
I baked it in two 8-inch round pans, then torted it into four layers after it cooled.
Traditionally most Chantilly Cakes only have 3 layers but since I run a small home bakery, I'm not baking multiple cakes a day to use up those extra layers, so I just use all 4 layers and give my clients a really tall cake.
Nobody complains 😉 After it's torted, I begin the filling and stacking process.
First, except for the final layer, I put cut-side-up for all the layers of this cake so the syrup easily absorbs. But before the syrup, I pipe a dam of stiff frosting around the outer edge of the cake.
I forgot a couple of pics of the first layer, so from here on out, you'll see layer two. After the stiff frosting, then I spoon in a layer of strawberry filling or syrup.
Next, I add a layer of the cream cheese and mascarpone mousse filling...
You'll want to use about a third of the filling, maybe a little less. Spread it out evenly.
Next, you're going to add fresh fruit. I cut the strawberries into thick slices and usually halve the raspberries and blackberries. I leave the blueberries whole unless they're huge. For this cake, I didn't have blackberries but I use them about 90% of the time and highly recommend them!
You're going to make three of these layers, then top with the last layer of cake, cut-side down.
When that's all done, it's time to frost the outside. I like to use my cream cheese frosting recipe with a little bit of the mousse filling mixed in. If you try this, just add a little at a time and be very careful to not make it too soft. Or just use the cream cheese frosting, as is.
From here, you can smooth-frost the cake or add texture. Then garnish with fresh berries or sugared berries. I've made several varieties:
Chantilly Sheet Cake
In addition to doing all this, if you want an "easier" option... you can do the whole thing as a sheet cake in a disposable pan. It's not as pretty, but it's much easier to put together, transport, and eat with a spoon. 😉
For the sheet-pan cakes, I poured the batter into a 9x13 disposable pan and baked it. Then I flipped it out, torted it, and added the mousse filling and fresh fruit inside, then added the second layer of cake with frosting and fresh fruit on top. It's just as delicious with a lot less work.
The only downside is not getting three layers of the amazing mousse filling... (you may have leftover mousse that'll need to be eaten with a spoon 🥄... darn).
If you do the traditional round cake as I've done, here are a few different ways I've 'decorated' the cakes...
Decorated Chantilly Cakes made with Box Mix
If you want to do the sugared berries, I have a recipe and tutorial here.
Related Recipes:
Enjoy this amazing, decadent cake, and let me know what you think if you try it!
PrintRecipe
Chantilly Cake Recipe with Box Mix (Video!)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
Description
This Chantilly Cake Recipe with Box Mix includes four layers of white almond sour cream cake, cream cheese & mascarpone mousse, raspberry filling, and loads of fresh berries! It's a fancy spring or summer dessert sure to impress guests!
Ingredients
White Almond Sour Cream Cake Ingredients:
- 1 white cake mix
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 whole eggs (or 4 egg whites)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 ⅓ cup water
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
Mousse Filling Ingredients:
- 8 ounces heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 pound confectioners sugar
- pinch of salt
Fruit Syrup/Filling:
- ¾ cup strawberry or raspberry filling (you can also substitute jams here)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
- 4 ounces Crisco* shortening
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 pounds powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of almond extract
- 3-4 tablespoons of milk (add until you get the consistency for piping and spreading)
Fruit
- Approximately ½ cup of each: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries plus extra for garnish and decorations
- Cut the larger berries in half or into slices for easy assembly.
Instructions
For the cake:
- Mix all cake ingredients just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between two 8-inch prepared pans (I love to use Baker's Joy!)
- Bake at 325° for 35-45 minutes, checking for doneness after 35 minutes.
- Allow the cakes to cool.
- Torte each layer into 2 layers.
For the mousse:
- Whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside. I have a tutorial here.
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter, mascarpone, cream cheese and extracts until light and fluffy.
- Add the salt, then the sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until it's all incorporated and smooth.
- Gently fold in the whipping cream, just until combined.
- Set aside.
- Have the filling and/or jam at room temperature, ready for assembly steps.
For the frosting:
- Cream the butter and Crisco in a mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the vanilla and cream cheese and mix again until very smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar until it’s all combined.
- It will be very stiff!
- Remove 1 cup of the stiff frosting and set it aside for piping the dam.
- Then begin adding milk until you reach the desired consistency for decorating (2-3 tablespoons works well for me!)
Assembling the cake:
- Place the first layer of cake on a cake board or plate with the cut-side up.
- Pipe a dam of stiff frosting around the outer edge using a large round tip.
- Spread a thin layer of strawberry filling onto the cake.
- Top with ⅓ of the mousse.
- Top with ⅓ of the fresh fruit.
- Top with another layer of cake, cut-side up.
- Repeat steps 2-6 two more times.
- Top with the final layer of cake, cut-side down.
- Frost the cake with cream cheese frosting.
- Garnish and/or decorate with extra fruit or sugared berries.
Chill the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best flavor! Keep it refrigerated until approximately one hour before serving, then allow it to come to room temperature.
Serve and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chantilly cake, berry chantilly cake, chantilly berry cake, berry cake, berries, almond cake, almond, chantilly cream, chantilly, mousse, box mix, chantilly cake with box mix,
Christine
Would this cake hold up well to decorating and storing in the frig for 2 days? I’m making a drip cake for a little girls bday, but the customer requested a berry filling with cream so this looks perfect!
Rose
I have never made this cake more than two days in advance, but I know it'll hold up for two days and it MUST be refrigerated.
Lisa F.
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. I made for Mother's Day and it was a hit with the Mom's and a few dad's. Quick question how long do you think the chantilly cream will last in the fridge? Thanks for all cake, coming and life lessons.
Rose
I've kept it for about a week and it was still great!
Lisa F.
Thank you. That's what I was hoping for. And my last sentence was meant to be cake, cooking and life lessons.
Sandra Pittman
Hi
Your cakes are amazing. With the cantily cake can you put fondant on it or the the cake soft for it.
Thanks
Have a wonderful day
Rose
I've never tried to do a fondant covered Chantilly Cake but if it were properly chilled before covering in fondant, I think it would be okay.
Anne H
How much ahead of a Saturday eve wedding do you think the chantilly mousse can be made and refrigerated?
Rose
If you chill it immediately, I think it would keep for at least a week in the fridge. You'll just need to let it warm up before using it so that it's light and spreadable.
Cooki
I noticed you don't crumb the cake first, why is that?
★★★★
Rose Atwater
If I'm working ahead and won't be decorating immediately, I do a crumb coat to seal in the moisture. If I'm going to finish it the first time I work on it, I often skip that step just to save time.
Katie
This cake is SO GOOD! That mousse was amazing...just ate it with a spoon! I made it for a family gathering, and everyone raved about how good it was.
★★★★★
Kathryn Bernard
Rose,
I tried your recipe (my 1st Chantilly Cake) for a friend's birthday. A group of us (about 12) were going to a restaurant for her birthday and I wanted to surprise her. I love to bake and am always making someone a "home-made" birthday cake. When I asked her what kind of cake and she said Chantilly - I replied that my grand-daughter (who is 11) loves Chantilly cake. My friend thought I was a "pro" at them. Needless to say, I was searching on the internet for cake recipes and came across your story of how you had tried on several occasions and was not pleased until you tried your friends recipe. WELL, I tried it - and it was a huge success!! It made the most beautiful, tasteful Chantilly cake I have ever tried. I am now sharing your recipe with EVERYONE. There was a band at the restaurant and we knew the lead singer. We sent him a slice of the cake also. SOOOOOOOO GOOOOD!! Thanks for sharing your story and recipe!!
AQ
Hi !
I want to make this cake for my daughter’s birthday next weekend.My daughter wants a cake that is not too sweet, can I skip the 1 cup sugar in the cake recipe?
Would that change the texture of the cake?
Please let me know.
Thanks in advance.
Rose Atwater
No, you can't skip the sugar in this one, sorry!
Veeni
Thank you for your amazing recipes.
★★★★★
Christy Garrett
This cake looks so good. I’ve made homemade buttercream and cream cheese icing but haven’t mixed the two together. I’ll have to try that buttercream recipe.
Tammy
A gorgeous cake...this would be perfect for Coronation day! Such an elegant treat to grace the table!
Cat Smith
Also, I didn't see a video tutorial. I also wondered about switching from raspberry filling to strawberry. Would I make it the same as the raspberry filling?
Rose Atwater
Yes, this recipe works for both strawberries and raspberries!
Lishia
Hi, I love Chantilly cakes but as a cottage baker I’m afraid to use heavy whipping cream. How do you get around this? Thanks