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I have an entire series of brie cakes – but this brie cake with radish butter is my favorite. Why serve a plain wheel of cheese on the table, when you can split it open, pack it with an herby radish butter, and frost it to actually give people something to talk about? I love it because it transforms the classic French pairing of crisp radishes, butter, and flaky salt and turns it into a sliceable centerpiece. This works perfectly as a savory birthday cake, a unique appetizer for a tea party, or just because you want to make something special for a dinner party.
Table of Contents
It Starts with the Brie
I used Saint Angel for this recipe because it is one of my absolute favorites. It has a beautiful sweet-cream note with a deeply buttery and slightly nutty undertone, almost like a white truffle. Beyond the taste, the sharp square shape makes it look like a deliberate centerpiece right out of the wrapper. If you cannot track down a Saint Angel, you can swap in a Brillat-Savarin, a Mt. Tam, or any high-quality wheel.
The Perfect Slice: To get a clean horizontal cut without crushing the cheese, you have to manage the temperature and the friction:
- Freeze it first: Toss the cheese in the freezer for exactly 10 minutes. This firms it up just enough so the square holds its shape under pressure.
- Oil your blade: Lightly coat a thin, sharp knife with a neutral oil. This makes it so the sticky cheese does not drag on the metal. You get perfectly clean edges, and the shape stays completely intact.
Tips for Creamy Whipped Brie Frosting
The Rind: You must cut the white rind off the brie for this part. You only want the soft, creamy center so your frosting stays perfectly smooth.
The Temperature: This is such an important step and one people seem to skip. Both the butter and the brie need to be at room temperature before you start. If they are cold, you’ll end up with little lumps. If you’re in a hurry, just cube them up on the counter for about 20 minutes.
Whip It Good: Throw them into the food processor and let it run until the mixture is completely smooth and pale. Once it’s whipped, move about one-third of it into your piping bag and you’re ready to decorate.
Make-Ahead Prep
The Butter: It must be fully at room temperature to process into a smooth emulsion. Do not microwave it to soften. If you need to speed up the process, cut the butter into small cubes and it only takes about 15-20 minutes to get to room temperature.
The Brie (For the Frosting): To cleanly cut the rind off of brie, popping it in the freezer for 10 minutes helps a lot. Use a sharp knife and carefully cut the rind off the top and sides. Let this come to room temperature for about 30 minutes so that it whips properly.
The Radishes: Look for heavy, firm bulbs with perky leaves. Cut the green tops off immediately so they don’t pull moisture from the bulb and leave it spongy. Wash and trim. To keep them fresh, store them in a jar with water fully submerged. When you grate them, squeeze out as much water as you possibly can. Excess liquid will break your butter filling.
The Brie Square (For the Base): Place the large brie square in the freezer for exactly 10 minutes right before you are ready to make the horizontal cut. Oil your knife for a cleaner slice.
Make-Ahead
You can fully assemble and pipe the brie cake up to a day in advance. Hold off on the toppings. Cover the frosted cheese carefully so you do not smudge the piping and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. Add the honeycomb and edible flowers right before serving to keep the petals crisp and prevent the honey from weeping into the butter.
Chef Nadia’s Piping Tips
- The Glass Trick: Drop your piping bag into a tall drinking glass and fold the plastic down over the rim. This locks the bag open, letting you push the whipped brie straight to the bottom without smearing the sides or making a mess.
- Piping Tip: I use a size 48 basketweave, but any textured tip works. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle, apply steady pressure, and move the tip in a wave pattern as you pull forward.
- Pressure Control: Twist the top of the bag tightly down to the filling and lock that twist in the web of your hand between your thumb and pointer finger. Apply all your pressure from the top. Grabbing the middle wrecks your flow and forces the butter out the back.
Storage, Freezing, and Best Practices
Storing Leftovers: Before popping this brie cake in the fridge, pull off the flowers and scrape away the honeycomb. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will hold for another day or two.
Freezing: Do not freeze this. The fat in the triple cream and the whipped frosting will separate when thawed.
How Long Can It Sit Out? This centerpiece shouldn’t be at room temperature for more than two hours. If your kitchen runs warm or you are hosting outside, the food safety guidelines drop that window to one hour.
How to Serve
Cut your brie cake into thin slices and serve on top of a toasted baguette or your favorite cracker. I like to keep extra honeycomb in a small dish next to the brie cake. It lets everyone add a touch more sweetness if they like.
For the menu, a milky dirty martini pairs nicely. Keeping with the French theme, french onion orecchiette and fresh arugula fennel salad is a must. Finish your night with caramelized amaretto peaches.
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Brie Cake Variations
Once you nail the slice, whip, and layer technique, here are a few more brie cake variations to try for your next centerpiece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Any double or triple-creme brie square is great. You can use a round brie if you have to, but a square gives you those sharp, clean edges that look just like a real cake.
Regular red radishes work fine. The most important part is squeezing all the water out after you grate them. If they stay wet, the filling will get runny and the cake layers will slide apart.
It usually means the butter or the brie was too cold. They both need to be at room temperature to mix together smoothly. If it is already lumpy, let the bowl sit in a warm spot for a few minutes and then blend it again.
This recipe really needs real brie and butter to stay firm and hold those pretty piped lines. Vegan versions are usually too soft and might melt on the table.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large saint angel brie square, or brie wheel
- 4 french radishes
- 6 oz triple creme brie, rind removed, room temperature
- 6 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tbsp chives, chopped
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 pinch flaky salt
Toppings
- 6 mini radishes
- edible flowers
- honeycomb
Instructions
- Prep: Place the brie square in the freezer for 10 minutes. Wash, trim and shred the radishes. Squeeze out as much water as you can.1 large saint angel brie square, 4 french radishes
- Process Butter: Add the triple creme brie and unsalted butter to a food processor. Process until smooth. Add one-third of the mixture to a piping bag for frosting.6 oz triple creme brie, 6 oz unsalted butter
- Mix Filling: Add the remaining two-thirds of the brie butter to a bowl and mix in the shredded radishes, chives, lemon zest, and flaky salt.3 tbsp chives, 1 lemon, 1 pinch flaky salt
- Layer Cake: Oil a knife and cut the chilled brie square in half lengthwise. Spread the radish brie butter filling evenly across the center of the bottom half. Top with the second half and clean the sides. Place in the refrigerator to set for 15 more minutes.
- Decorate: Pipe the remaining butter brie up the side and over the top of the brie cake (see video). Decoraate with mini radishes, edible flowers, and honeycomb. Serve with toasted bread or crackers.6 mini radishes, edible flowers, honeycomb
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
