🍋 Gluten-Free Lemon Berry Chantilly Cake

A soft, citrusy cake layered with whipped mascarpone cream and bursting with fresh Missouri summer berries — all completely gluten-free!

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Ingredients

For the Cake (Gluten-Free):

• 2 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum if not already included – Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 or King Arthur GF are great choices)
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk (or dairy-free milk + 1 tbsp vinegar for DF option)

For the Berry Filling:

• 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the Chantilly Cream (Gluten-Free):

• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese for a tangier twist)
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Bake the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment.
In a bowl, whisk gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk. Mix until just combined — avoid overmixing.
Divide into pans and bake for 22–26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool fully.

2. Prepare Berries:

Toss berries with lemon juice and sugar. Let sit 10–15 minutes.

3. Whip the Chantilly Cream:

Whip cream to soft peaks. In another bowl, blend mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Fold together gently.

4. Assemble the Cake:

Layer cake with Chantilly cream and fresh berries. Finish with a generous layer of cream on top and garnish with whole berries and lemon zest curls.

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Tips:

• Chill layers before frosting to prevent crumbling.
• For dairy-free: Use coconut cream for whipped topping and plant-based cream cheese.