☁️🍰 Cloud Cake — Light, Fluffy & Dreamy
This Cloud Cake is incredibly soft, airy, and delicate, with a texture somewhere between a chiffon cake and a soufflé. It gets its signature “cloud-like” texture from carefully whipped egg whites.Servings: 8–10
Prep time: 25 minutes
Bake time: 35–45 minutes
Cooling time: 1 hour
Total time: About 2 hours
Ingredients
For the cake
- 6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, divided
- ¾ cup (90 g) cake flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Optional topping
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Fresh berries
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
1. Prepare the oven and pan
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.
Do not heavily grease the sides of the pan. The cake needs something to cling to as it rises.
If you’re using a springform pan, make sure it seals properly.
2. Separate the eggs
Carefully separate the six eggs.
Place the egg whites in a completely clean, dry mixing bowl.
Put the yolks in a separate bowl.
Make sure there is no yolk mixed into the whites. Even a small amount of fat can prevent the whites from whipping properly.
3. Make the egg yolk mixture
Add about ¼ cup (50 g) of the sugar to the egg yolks.
Whisk until the mixture becomes lighter and slightly creamy.
Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and lemon zest if using.
Whisk until smooth.
4. Add the flour
Sift the cake flour, cornstarch, and salt into the yolk mixture.
Gently whisk until you have a smooth batter.
Don’t overmix. Stop as soon as there are no visible pockets of flour.
The batter should be relatively thick and silky.
5. Whip the egg whites
Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites.
Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until the whites become foamy.
Gradually add the remaining sugar, a little at a time.
Increase to medium-high speed and continue beating until the egg whites form medium-stiff peaks.
When you lift the beaters, the peaks should stand up but have a slight curl at the tip.
☁️ This is the most important step
Don’t under-whip the egg whites because the cake won’t have enough structure.
But don’t over-whip them either. Very dry, stiff egg whites are difficult to fold into the batter and can cause the cake to become dense.
6. Fold the egg whites into the batter
Add about one-third of the whipped egg whites to the yolk batter.
Gently fold using a spatula.
Once incorporated, add another third.
Fold again.
Finally, add the remaining egg whites and fold until the batter is evenly mixed.
Use a gentle lifting and turning motion rather than stirring.
You want to preserve as much air as possible.
7. Fill the cake pan
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Gently tap the pan against the counter once or twice to remove any very large air bubbles.
Don’t bang it repeatedly—you don’t want to knock all the air out of the batter.
Smooth the top gently.
8. Bake
Place the cake in the center of the preheated oven.
Bake at 325°F (165°C) for approximately 35–45 minutes.
The cake should:
- Rise nicely above the pan
- Become lightly golden
- Feel springy when gently pressed
- Have a skewer inserted into the center that comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs
Try not to open the oven during the first 30 minutes, because a sudden temperature change can cause the cake to collapse.
9. Cool the cake
Remove the cake from the oven.
Allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Then gently loosen the edges with a thin knife and remove the cake from the pan.
Place it on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.
🍓 Optional Cream Topping
Once completely cool, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft, fluffy peaks form.
Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the top.
Decorate with fresh:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
⭐ Tips for a Perfect Cloud Cake
Use room-temperature eggs
Room-temperature egg whites whip more easily and create better volume.
Keep everything grease-free
The bowl and beaters must be completely clean and dry.
Don’t overmix
Once the flour is incorporated, mix as little as possible.
When folding the egg whites, gentle movements are essential.
Don’t open the oven too early
A sudden drop in temperature can cause the delicate cake structure to collapse.
Cool completely before decorating
The cake is delicate when warm. Allowing it to cool completely makes it easier to handle and gives the crumb time to set.
🍋 Flavor Variations
Lemon Cloud Cake
Add 1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1½ tsp lemon zest to the yolk mixture.
Vanilla Cloud Cake
Use 2 tsp vanilla extract for a stronger vanilla flavor.
Strawberry Cloud Cake
Top with whipped cream and sliced strawberries, then drizzle with strawberry sauce.
Chocolate Cloud Cake
Replace 2 tbsp of the cake flour with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Coconut Cloud Cake
Replace part of the milk with coconut milk and sprinkle toasted coconut over the finished cake.
🍰 Serving
For the softest, most delicate texture, slice the cake with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion.
Serve each slice with whipped cream and fresh berries.
The finished cake should be light, airy, moist, and almost melt-in-your-mouth—that’s what gives it the “cloud cake” name. ☁️🍓
