Whole Foods' Berry Chantilly Cake Is A Wedding Budget All-Star
Cakes are the celebratory finish to many special occasions, but none are perhaps more important — or pricier — than the one served at weddings. According to a study from the experts at The Knot, the average wedding cake cost $510 in 2022, with some couples spending many times that amount.
Current cake trends run the gamut from whimsical ikebana-inspired towers to environmentally sustainable confections with intricate hand-crafted sugar art. Still, the traditional white wedding cake will never go out of style. In fact, engaged couples have taken to TikTok to promote, defend, and proudly share one budget-friendly find that stays with tradition but it so much more affordable.
Instead of ordering a pricy custom cake, many are planning to serve Whole Foods' Berry Chantilly Cake. The vanilla layer cake has an almond and mascarpone Chantilly cream frosting and fresh berries, and it's available ready-made at the grocery chain. "Budget friendly, beautiful and SO Tasty!" says @caffeineandwineplease who touts the bargain price tag. The most popular size happens to be a single layer cake serving eight people for $28, though other sizes are available.
The cake has developed a cult following over the past 13 years and even has its own Instagram hashtag, #berrychantillycake, where fans try to recreate it with copycat chantilly cake recipes. If you're planning a wedding on a budget and want to try this cake, here's what you should know.
It costs under $30 and can be customized
The Berry Chantilly Cake is available year-round at most Whole Foods Market locations. It can be purchased from the bakery section, ready-made, in different iterations — a small layer cake that feeds eight people goes for $28, while a large layer cake that feeds 12 people is $38, and a quarter-sheet cake, which feeds 20 people, retails for $54. Whole Foods also sells it by the slice if you want to taste-test it first.
You can reserve a ready-made cake or place a customized order by calling or stopping in your local Whole Foods Market. Some of the photos online suggest that Whole Foods will even work with you to design the cake to your liking.
Some TikTokers have offered some great advice on how to adapt the cake — @wander.lyss notes that Whole Foods doesn't sell stacked tiered options so she bought multiple cakes and a floating cake stand from Etsy to do the trick. She also had the bakery frost the cakes "clean" so she could decorate them to fit her motif. In another post, @wander.lyss added, "We customized by decorating with fresh flowers and one tier was filled with peach!"
One of the nicest things about serving this cake for your wedding is that you can enjoy it each year on your anniversary, too. After the first year, couples traditionally eat the frozen leftovers, but this way you can relive all the special moments with a freshly-baked Berry Chantilly Cake (or some slices).