berry chantilly protein pound cake (no protein powder)

Hand holding the berry pound cake on a plate.

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berry chantilly protein pound cake (no protein powder)

All the berry chantilly flavor of the bakery version, with 473 calories instead of 1,017. Cottage cheese in both the cake and the cream. 10g of protein and no protein powder.

Prep Time45

Cook Time26

Total Time3 15

Servings: slices

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Mika Kinney

Ingredients

dry

2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cornstarch
2-¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

blended base

1 cup cottage cheese
4 egg yolks
⅓ cup milk
⅓ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon butter melted
2 tablespoon avocado oil
1-½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract

meringue

4 egg whites room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar

macerated berries

4 cups mixed frozen berries thawed
3 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon chia seeds
¼ teaspoon almond extract

chantilly cream

8 oz whipped cream cheese
½ cup cottage cheese
1 cup heavy cream cold
1-¼ cups powdered sugar
1-½ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

to finish

1-½ cups fresh berries
⅓ cup slivered almonds toasted

Instructions

Toss the 4 cups mixed frozen berries with 3 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. They'll release a ton of juice on their own, no cooking needed.
Pull the 4 egg whites out 30 minutes ahead. Room temperature whites whip to noticeably more volume than cold ones.
Heat the oven to 335°. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment, bottom and sides.
Sift the 2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup cornstarch, 2-¼ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt together.
Blend the 1 cup cottage cheese, 4 egg yolks, ⅓ cup milk, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, 1-½ tsp vanilla extract and ¼ tsp almond extract until completely smooth. No curds, no specks. Whisk in the 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp avocado oil.
Fold the dry into the wet just until combined. Don't beat it, leave some flour streaks.
Whip the egg whites with ½ tsp cream of tartar to soft peaks, then stream in ½ cup sugar and whip to firm, glossy peaks. Stop before stiff.
Stir a third of the meringue into the base to loosen it. Fold in the rest in two additions, gently, until no white streaks remain.
Bake 22 to 26 minutes, until the center springs back. Cool completely in the pan, about an hour on a rack.
Set a sieve over a bowl and drain. You want about ½ cup of juice. Stir ¼ tsp almond extract into the juice and set it aside for the soak.
Slice off the domed top of the cake. Brush the reserved juice over the top and let it absorb 15 minutes. But only do this if you're ready to serve the cake in the next hour.
Stir the 2 tbsp chia seeds into the drained fruit and let sit 20 minutes to thicken.
Spread the chia berries over the cake in an even layer.
Beat the 8 oz whipped cream cheese, ½ cup cottage cheese and 1-¼ cups powdered sugar until completely smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the 1 cup heavy cream with 1-½ tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to firm peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions.
Spread over the berries.
Top with 1-½ cups fresh berries and ⅓ cup slivered almonds just before serving.

Video

Notes

Blend the cottage cheese with the yolks, not on its own. Any grain left in it shows up in the crumb.

Firm peaks, not stiff. Overwhipped whites break into chunks when you fold and you lose the lift entirely.

Almonds go on at serving. They soften within an hour on the cream.

Storage. Best within 24 hours, keeps 3 days refrigerated. The cream softens a little by day two but won't weep, since the chia is holding the berry juice.

Nutrition