The Soft Cake with Chantilly Cream and Strawberries is the very essence of spring pastry and the symbol of family celebrations.
There is something magical about desserts that taste like home, the ones whose aroma immediately brings to mind grandmother’s kitchen on a Sunday morning.
It is a harmonious meeting between the fluffy cloud of the Pan di Spagna (sponge cake) and the velvety richness of the crème diplomatique (our Italian-style chantilly), all elevated by the decisive and fragrant character of a rum syrup.
Every bite offers a perfect balance between the sweetness of the cream, the softness of the base moistened just right, and the fresh, tart note of fresh strawberries.
This is the ideal choice to celebrate a party or a special occasion, where the elegance of the strawberries arranged in a rosette captures attention, but it is also perfect to end a family lunch or dinner in style.
A dessert born to be shared, it can turn a simple after-meal into an unforgettable moment, filling the air with the scent of home and good things.
I wanted to show you what it looked like inside… but I didn’t have time to take the photo before it was already gone! Disappeared in an instant.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 8 Servings
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
Soft Cake with Chantilly Cream and Strawberries
- 5 eggs (at room temperature — essential for proper whipping!)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5/8 cup all-purpose flour (00)
- 2.6 oz cornstarch (or potato starch)
- to taste vanilla flavorings (Grated lemon zest or vanilla extract)
- 1 pinch salt
- 5 fl oz water
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp rum (or limoncello, etc.)
- 2 cups milk
- 2 eggs (whole eggs for a light, velvety texture)
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (Maizena or flour)
- 1 cup heavy cream (already sweetened)
- 14 oz strawberries
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools
- Cake pan 9.5 in
- Stand mixer
- Kitchen scale
Steps
Soft Cake with Chantilly Cream and Strawberries
The Custard (First step): Heat the milk with the vanilla or lemon zest.
Separately, mix the whole eggs with the sugar and the starch. Pour the hot milk over the mixture, return to the heat and stir until it thickens.
Cover immediately with plastic wrap directly on the surface and let cool completely (first at room temperature, then in the fridge).
While the custard cools, whip the 5 whole eggs with the sugar and salt for 15 minutes.
Gently fold in the sifted flour and starch (75 g + 75 g) by hand.
Bake in a conventional oven at 356°F for 25-30 minutes.
Let cool thoroughly before slicing.
While the Pan di Spagna cools, prepare the syrup.
Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and let it cool to lukewarm.
Add the rum only when the syrup is cold to preserve all its aroma.
Take the now-cold pastry cream and whisk it briefly to make it smooth.
Whip the cream until firm and gently fold it in with a spatula, using upward motions.
Once cold, trim the outer edges carefully of the Pan di Spagna with a serrated knife to remove the dark crust and even out the shape.
Then split the base into three equal layers.
Brush the first layer with the rum syrup, spread the cream and add the strawberries cut into pieces. Repeat for the second layer.
Repeat for the second layer.
Close with the last layer.
Dust generously with powdered sugar and decorate with strawberries arranged in a rosette as in the photo. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours.
After arranging the strawberries in a rosette on the surface of the cake, give a light spray of spray glaze.
This invisible veil will not only protect the fruit and make it last longer, but it will give that glossy shine that makes the dessert even more inviting and “bakery-style.”
If you don’t have the spray, you can use a brush dipped in a thin layer of warmed apricot jam, but the spray is much more practical because it won’t risk moving the decoration or damaging the powdered sugar underneath.
Enjoy your meal..
