Get creative with this delectable fresh fruit cake made with soft and fluffy layers of Genoise cake, airy and light Chantilly frosting, and topped with fresh fruit of your choice. Take advantage of seasonal berries to make it extra special.
This cake closely resembles an Asian fruit cake, a staple delicacy in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China. Their numerous bakeries create trendy fruit sponge cakes using seasonal fruit, different fruit cake designs, and decorating techniques.
Jump to:
Pretty decorated fruit cakes with whipped, or Chantilly cream often seem a challenging task in baking. But in reality, they are super easy without a special level for cake decorating.
Luscious Chantilly cream and juicy fruits sandwiched between soft vanilla cake layers and topped with even more fresh fruit. Your family and friends will love it.
Fresh fruit cake recipe
- Fruit cream cake highlights the vibrant colors and beautiful flavors of summer fruit.
- It is perfect for any special occasion, such as birthdays, Easter, Mother's Day, summertime gatherings, and Christmas.
- Fresh fruit cake recipe made with simple ingredients and your preferred fresh fruit and berries at any time of the year.
- The cake has a make-ahead option. Just make the cake sponge in advance to save time on the day of serving.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature. Bring them to the kitchen counter about 45-60 minutes before you start.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar. To make Chantilly icing, opt for icing (powdered) sugar. You can use superfine caster or baker's sugar instead. To flavor the sponge cake, add a sachet of vanilla sugar.
- Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour. For the best results, use cake flour.
- Butter is an essential ingredient in making classic Genoise cake. Opt for European-style unsalted batter with 82% fat content.
- Cream: Choose heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content in a grocery store. It must be cold and refrigerated for at least 3 hours or longer.
- Vanilla extract is a flavoring added to the cream. You can replace it with 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
- Fresh fruits are the stars of this lovely fresh fruit cake. Choose fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oranges, kiwis, and other your favorite fruits. However, avoid making this cake with frozen berries due to their extra juices released with thawing.
- Sliced almonds are used for cake decoration. Opt for toasted sliced or flaked almonds. To toast nuts yourself, bring them to the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes. But watch out for the color.
Recipe variations
- Sponge cake: You can play with spongy cakes, from Italian sponge cake, vanilla sponge, or chocolate sponge cake, to Angel food cake and a cake made with a cake mix.
- Flavorings: Experiment with sponge cake flavors switching vanilla extract for coconut or almond extract, rose or orange flower water. Learn more about fruit flavor pairings.
- Fruit: Opt for seasonal fresh red fruits (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries) or a blend of fresh tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, dragon fruit, lychee, etc.). You may continue the list of fruits.
- Cream frosting: Experiment with different cream fillings, from sugar-free whipped cream and creme legere to whipped chocolate ganache and cream cheese frosting.
- Cake fruit topping and decoration: Garnish the top of the cake with abundant fresh fruit, or use a minimalistic approach for a homemade cake. Sprinkle the sides of the cake with chopped pistachios or chocolate shavings for a final touch, or leave them plain.
How to make fresh fruit cake
Making fresh fruit cake involves a few steps, including preparing sponge cake, sugar syrup, French Chantilly frosting, and assembling the cake.
Step 1. To make sponge cake, follow the Genoise sponge cake recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations. Make sure to test the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a cake tester and let the baked cake cool down completely.
Step 2. To make sugar syrup, pour water with sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add vanilla extract out of the heat, mix, and reserve at room temperature.
Step 3. To make Chantilly cream, place the bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment or a large bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Pro tip: Consult the creme Chantilly recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 4. Pour the cold heavy cream into the bowl. Start whisking at low speed until soft peaks form (photo 1).
Step 5. Add powdered sugar, increasing the speed of the mixer to medium and then high speed. You will go through medium to firm peaks (photo 2).
Pro tip: Stop the mixer at the moment of medium-stiff peaks for easy application of the cream. It counts for 1-3 seconds between medium and stiff peaks and over-whisking the cream.
Step 6. To assemble the cake, wash and dry fruits well. Cut strawberries into 4-6 pieces, peel, and slice kiwis into thin slices.
Step 7. Peel oranges and divide them into segments. Then peel the skin off each segment. Peel and slice kiwis. Leave some fruit for the decoration.
Pro tip: Watch a video about how to segment an orange.
Step 8. Adjust a mousse cake mold to a diameter of 8 inches (20 cm) and line it with an acetate strip. Place it on a serving platter or a cake board.
Step 9. Cut the sponge cake into three layers with a sharp knife (serrated preferred) or a cake leveler.
Step 10. Place the bottom sponge layer on a serving platter or a cake board, and with a silicone or a pastry brush, generously soak it with the syrup.
Step 11. Cover the disc of the sponge cake with ¼ Chantilly cream and arrange fruit pieces over the cream (photo 3).
Step 12. Place the second cake disc on top and gently press it with your hands to ensure adherence. Soak it, and fill it with another ¼ of cream and some fruit. Cover with the top layer and press it down slightly to finish the cake.
Step 13. Cover the mold with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Keep the bowl with the cream covered with plastic film in the refrigerator.
Step 14. Once ready to decorate, take the cake and cream from the fridge. Remove the ring and acetate collar. Apply a thin coat of the cream over the entire cake and chill for 10-15 minutes.
Step 15. Cover the cake with the rest of the cream using an offset spatula. Decorate the top of the cake with fresh fruit and sprinkle with icing sugar (photo 4).
Pro tip: If the remaining cream is loose, lightly whisk it with a hand whisk and apply it over the cake.
Expert Tips
- Don't skip soaking the sponge cake; it helps keep it moist.
- Avoid over-whipping the cream. Stop the mixer at the moment of medium-stiff peaks for easy application of the cream. It counts for 1-3 seconds between medium and stiff peaks and over-whisking the cream.
- If desired, make some extra cream and place it into a piping bag fitted with a tip of your choice. Then, pipe some patterns around the edge of the cake.
- Respect the chilling time: let the cake firm up for a couple of hours. However, if necessary, the cake can be served right upon completion of the decoration.
- Ensure to wash and dry the fresh fruit thoroughly before using. Watery fruits tend to bleed into the cream frosting and become mushy quicker.
- Recalculate ingredients for cake pans of different sizes using this simple cake pan size converter.
- Make ahead option: Make Genoise sponge cake 1-2 days in advance and store it covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. Then finish the cake.
Storing and freezing
Due to the dairy nature of the cake's ingredients, don't leave the cake at room temperature longer than 30 minutes.
Store fresh cream fruit cake under a glass dome in the fridge for 2-3 days. Keep the leftover cake in an airtight container.
Can you freeze it? It is not recommended to freeze a cake with fruit and whipped cream, but you can bake the Genoise sponge cake in advance and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
You can make a cake with fruit inside, also decorating it atop. Fresh fruit keeps its shape, avoids any discoloration of the cake, and doesn't release extra juices, which is characteristic of frozen fruits.
To preserve the freshness of fresh fruits and their appealing look, place the fruits, whole or sliced, on a cake before serving. Alternatively, brushing the fruit with a clear glaze and refrigerating the cake one day before can also help to maintain its freshness.
Fresh fruit cake needs to be refrigerated if made with dairy-based creams such as whipped cream, Chantilly cream, buttercream, or cream cheese frosting. Refrigeration preserves the cake and helps it firm up.
Love fresh fruit cakes? Try these next!
Enjoy more fresh fruit cakes on the website, from fruit Charlottes to Chantilly cakes made with various sponge cakes and fruits. Also, browse all the cake recipes.
- Triple Berry Cake
- Strawberry Chantilly Cake
- Uruguayan Cake Chaja
- Jordgubbstårta (Swedish Strawberry Cake)
- Fresh Fruit Cake
- Or browse all the cake recipes
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates.
PrintRecipe card
Easy Fresh Fruit Cake
This fresh fruit cake is made with soft and fluffy layers of Genoise cake, airy and light Chantilly frosting, and topped with fresh fruit of your choice. It is a summertime dream perfect for any special occasion.
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For Genoise cake:
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (120 g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup + 4 ½ tablespoons (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 sachet (9 g) vanilla sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For syrup:
- â…“ cup (100 ml) water
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For Chantilly cream:
- 2 cups (475 g) cold heavy cream, 30% fat
- 4 tablespoons (60 g) powdered sugar
For filling and decoration:
- 1 ½ lb (660 g) fresh fruits (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, oranges, kiwis, grapes)
- 2.5 oz. (70 g) toasted flaked almonds
Instructions
- To make Genoise cake, heat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Butter and flour the bottom and the sides of the 8-inch (20 cm) round pan (or springform pan). Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool.
- In the heat-proof bowl, place eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar and beat with a hand whisk a few times. Bring the bowl over a water bath or bain-marie with hot water and whisk the egg mixture until foamy. Warm it to 104°F (40°C): check with a cooking thermometer. If unavailable, the mixture should be warm to the touch.
- Bring the bowl to the counter and beat the preparation with an electric hand mixer (you can use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment) for 10 minutes until the ribbon stage. Sift half the flour over the bowl and mix with a rubber spatula from the bottom to the top. Add the remaining flour and gently mix. Mix a few spoonfuls of the batter with the warm melted butter, and add to the principal preparation. Gently mix the batter, making sure it does not deflate.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the middle oven rack for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Check the cake for doneness with a toothpick: it should come out clean after inserting it in the center of the cake. Remove it from the oven and rest for 5-10 minutes. Then turn the pan on a cooling rack, allowing the cake to slide off. Let the cake cool completely.
- To make sugar syrup, pour water with sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add vanilla extract out of the heat, mix, and reserve at room temperature.
- To make Chantilly cream, place the bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment or a large bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour the cold heavy cream into the bowl. Start whisking at low speed until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, increasing the speed of the mixer to medium and then high speed. You will go through medium to firm peaks.
- To assemble the cake, wash and dry the fruits well. Cut strawberries into 4-6 pieces, peel, and slice kiwis into thin slices. Peel oranges and divide them into segments. Then peel the skin off each segment. Leave some fruit for the decoration.
- Adjust a mousse cake mold to a diameter of 8 inches (20 cm) and line it with an acetate strip. Place it on a serving platter or a cake board. Cut the sponge cake into three layers with a sharp knife (serrated preferred) or a cake leveler. Place the bottom sponge layer on a serving platter or a cake board, and with a silicone or a pastry brush, generously soak it with the syrup.
- Cover the disc of the sponge cake with ¼ Chantilly cream and arrange fruit pieces over the cream. Place the second cake disc on top and gently press it with your hands to ensure adherence. Soak it, and fill it with another ¼ of cream and some fruit. Cover with the top layer and press it down slightly to finish the cake.
- Cover the mold with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Keep the bowl with the cream covered with plastic film in the refrigerator.
- Once ready to decorate, take the cake and cream from the fridge. Remove the ring and acetate collar. Apply the rest of the cream on top and around the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with fresh fruit and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Notes
- Don't skip soaking the sponge cake; it helps keep it moist.
- Avoid over-whipping the cream. Stop the mixer at the moment of medium-stiff peaks for easy application of the cream. It counts for 1-3 seconds between medium and stiff peaks and over-whisking the cream.
- If desired, make some extra cream and place it into a piping bag fitted with a tip of your choice. Then, pipe some patterns around the edge of the cake.
- Respect the chilling time: let the cake firm up for a couple of hours. However, if necessary, the cake can be served right upon completion of the decoration.
- Ensure to wash and dry the fresh fruit thoroughly before using. Watery fruits tend to bleed into the cream frosting and become mushy quicker.
- Recalculate ingredients for cake pans of different sizes using this simple cake pan size converter.
- Make ahead option: Make Genoise sponge cake 1-2 days in advance and store it covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. Then finish the cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 535
- Sugar: 37.9 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 32.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 16.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 54.2 g
- Fiber: 3.4 g
- Protein: 8.5 g
- Cholesterol: 182 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
Ramona says
This was a very good recipe, and the cake was delicious! I made 2 10 inch rounds, which made for a very large cake. I substituted the vanilla sugar with 2tsp of vanilla extract and made my sugar syrup with a bit of orange juice from the fresh fruit. This was such a light and refreshing cake and very easy to follow. It was a lot of work but very well worth it!
Nimita Quadros says
Hey, this was an amazing recipe, thank you for sharing! I baked this cake (with cake flour) for my birthday as I was tired of store-bought cakes and it came out well! Definitely a keeper and I will add this to my cake recipes collection. A quick question- do you have any tips on how to not deflate the batter when adding the sifted flour in? I feel like I did well when I beat the eggs, but somehow the volume seems to get less when I add the flour. Thanks again!
Irina Totterman says
Hello Nimita, Thanks for making the recipe. It is natural for the cake batter to decrease in volume with the addition of flour since it binds with the egg and sugar mixture. I think you did well! If you worry, try adding a teaspoon of baking powder to the flour. However, the true sponge cake is made without any leavening agent. Next time, try to play with fruit variations. 🙂