Berries and Cream Sheet Cake
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This berries and cream sheet cake is the perfect dessert for summer. It’s a moist vanilla cake, topped with a whipped cream topping and a generous amount of fresh berries. It’s simple, not too sweet, and perfect for showcasing fresh summer berries.
This vanilla sheet cake with whipped cream cheese frosting and fresh berries is inspired by a classic Chantilly cake, but so much simpler to make. A traditional Chantilly cake has layers of delicate vanilla cake with whipped cream frosting and fresh berries between the cake layers. It’s beautiful, but takes some effort.
This simple berries and cream sheet cake starts with a moist, vanilla sheet cake. It’s tender with an extra soft crumb thanks to using both milk and sour cream for moisture. The recipe uses both butter (for the perfect flavor) and a touch of oil to keep the cake moist for longer.
Once baked and cooled, it’s topped with cream cheese whipped cream topping – often called a whipped cream cheese frosting. The cream cheese helps to thicken and stabilize the whipped cream. It’s lightly sweetened and has a slight tanginess due to the cream cheese. You could use mascarpone instead of cream cheese as well.
I like to top this cake with a generous amount of blueberries, sliced strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Alternatively, you could create a design with the berries – perfect for July 4th or Canada Day.
Baking Tips
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients. For the cake butter, the eggs, milk, and sour cream must be at room temperature before getting started. This is key to ensure that you get a consistent cake crumb without overmixing the batter.
- Measure the Flour Carefully. Whisk first, then spoon into dry measuring cups and level off the top. Do not simply scoop the flour into your measuring cup from the bag or container. Flour gets packed down when it’s in the bag – so if you simply scoop, the flour will be very dense and therefore you’ll end up with too much. For the most accurate results – use a kitchen scale.
- Do not Over Mix. Overmixing leads to a tough cake crumb. When adding in the dry ingredients, stop mixing when you no longer see lumps.
- Use Cold Whipping Cream. For the frosting, the whipping cream should be cold. Cold cream is key for getting a thick frosting.
- Dry the Berries. After washing the berries, be sure that they are fully dry before adding them on top of the whipped cream. This is especially necessary for the raspberries – stand them tall on a paper towel or clean dish cloth so that they aren’t filled with water. If you place raspberries filled with water on top of the whipped cream topping – it can separate.
Make Ahead Tips
Cake is always best if fresh. You can make the cake the day before you plan to serve, cool fully then cover the pan and store at room temperature overnight. Make the cream topping and frost the cake, then store at room temperature for up to 4 hours (assuming your kitchen isn’t warm and the cake isn’t in the sun – otherwise, store in the fridge). Add the berries right before you plan to serve.
If you’d like to make the topping more than 4 hours before serving, then store the cake covered in the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for about 30-60 minutes before adding the berries and serving so that the cake isn’t cold.
More Summer Berry Favorites
- Strawberries and Cream Cake
- Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox CakeBlueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake
- Blueberry Cake – so simple and delicious served with ice cream or whipped cream
Berries and Cream Sheet Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan*
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2½ cup all-purpose flour (312 grams)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (168 grams), melted and cooled
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (80 ml), or canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup whole milk (240 ml), room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream (80 ml)
Cream Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese (226 grams), full fat, brick style
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup whipping cream (300 grams), cold, from the fridge – 33-35% MF
- 4 cups assorted berries, washed and dried
Instructions
Vanilla Sheet Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) metal cake pan, then lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk for about 20 seconds and set asdie.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until they're frothy, have lightened in color and increased in volume – about 2 minutes.
- Unsure the melted butter is cooled first, then whisk the melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and almond extract egg mixture.
- Whisk the milk into the egg mixture. Then using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg and butter mixture. Lastly, with a wire whisk, whisk in the sour cream. If there are a few lumps, that's OK.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is set and the cake is starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. The top should be firm and slightly springy to the touch and an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist cake crumbs.
- Cool the cake completely in the pan.
Cream Topping
- Using the whisk attachment of your stand mixer (hand held works too – it will just take a bit longer), in a large bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl a few times.
- Beat the cold whipping cream/heavy cream into the cream cheese mixture, gently pouring it into the bowl slowly. Keep beating until medium peaks form.
- Spread the topping onto the cooled cake. Then decorate with assorted berries. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage: Cake is best if served immediately. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make Ahead Tips: Make the cake 1 day before you plan to serve. Cool fully, then cover the pan and store at room temperature overnight. Make the cream topping the day you plan to serve. Top the cake and store at room temperature for up to 4 hours. If you need to make the topping more than 4 hours in advance, cover the cake and store in the fridge. Take the cake out of the fridge about 30-60 minutes before serving so that it can come to room temperature, then add the berries right before serving. Do not leave the cake to sit in the sun, as it will cause the whipped cream topping to melt.
- Nutrition: Details are an estimate only based on 1 slice with cream topping and berries, assuming that all the cream topping is used and the cake is sliced into 15 uniform slices.
