The $4 Grocery Cake TikTok Can't Get Enough Of

With fresh berries, whipped cream, and one grandma's secret recipe, this grocery store has Gen Z hooked.

Move over Fudgie the Whale; TikTok has a new favorite grocery store cake. It's all over the internet, and it's not hard to see why. Layers of light, fluffy chiffon cake, sweet whipped cream, and loads of fresh berries—what more could anyone want in a cake?! In case you missed this trend, here's what you need to know.

Why People Love the Whole Foods Chantilly Cake

It's taken over my "For You" page, and likely yours too; The Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Cake, that is. According to Whole Foods, the cake features, "layers of delicate vanilla cake, fluffy Chantilly cream frosting, and fresh berries."

I've seen video after video of people trying the cake, reviewing it, and even discovering a "dupe" from Publix. According to a post on Whole Foods' blog, the cake is so irresistible, "People have been known to stand in line for it through power outages and impending natural disasters (true story)." But what makes it so good?

It all goes back to a grandma's recipe—are we surprised?! In that same post, Whole Foods reveals that the Berry Chantilly Cake made its debut over 13 years ago at the Arabella Station location in New Orleans. One of the bakery team members actually based the cake on her grandmother’s original recipe. "It was an instant hit, and other stores picked up the recipe," the post explains.

One bite and it's not hard to see why it's so popular. The cake is super light and airy—somewhere between sponge cake and angel food cake—but super moist, and perfectly balanced by the rich creamy frosting. Chantilly cream (the cake's namesake) is, simply put, sweetened whipped cream, usually flavored with a little vanilla extract, too.

The fresh berries are the perfect pop of freshness with a little bit of tart sweetness to contrast the rich cream. It's a masterpiece in balance and reminds me of one of my favorite cakes ever, the Triple Berry Cake from Sweet Lady Jane, a popular bakery in Los Angeles, CA.

Ready to try it for yourself? The Berry Chantilly cake will run you $4 for a slice or between $25-30 for a small three-layer cake. They also come in larger sizes to feed more, if you're aiming to feed a crowd. Don't want to splurge? Lucky for you, there are many ways to make it at home.

How to Make a Berry Chantilly Cake at Home

According to a Whole Foods baker on TikTok, the cake is a simple yellow cake, which get soaked in a raspberry simple syrup—which would explain how moist the cake is! Then there are layers of Chantilly frosting made with whipped cream laced with a little mascarpone cheese, a soft Italian cheese similar to cream cheese, and, of course, fresh berries. The mix includes fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and sliced strawberries. The cakes are layered and finished in that same Chantilly frosting.

To recreate it at home, this Naked Vanilla Cake with Mascarpone and Berries is a pretty good one-to-one swap, but if you really want to go for authenticity, break it down into parts. Use a sponge cake recipe like this one, and soak with a simple syrup like this raspberry syrup or a simple strawberry syrup. Whip up some mascarpone frosting, then layer your cake up with mixed berries. Once frosted, add a few whole berries on top for that bakery-style finish.

Whichever way you slice it, this cake is just the thing to get you in the mood for spring! And hint hint, it's perfect for any upcoming birthdays—and especially perfect Easter. Will you be giving it a try?