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Picture this: a cake so ethereally light it practically floats off your fork, with a texture that’s impossibly soft and airy. Meet the cloud cake – a revolutionary dessert that’s captured the hearts of home bakers worldwide with its stunning simplicity and breathtaking results.

A cloud cake is fundamentally different from traditional baking. This flourless marvel relies entirely on the magical power of whipped egg whites to achieve its signature weightless texture. Without a single grain of flour or drop of chemical leavening, this delicate creation rises purely through the science of properly beaten eggs, creating an experience that’s both gluten-free by nature and surprisingly satisfying despite its gossamer-light quality.

What makes this recipe truly extraordinary isn’t just its impressive appearance – it’s the remarkable fact that only five simple ingredients stand between you and dessert perfection. Naturally gluten-free, lower in calories than conventional cakes, and elegant enough to grace any dinner table with just a whisper of powdered sugar and fresh berries, cloud cake proves that sometimes the most magical results come from the simplest approaches.

Table of Contents

What’s a cloud cake?
Cloud Cake Ingredients
How to Make Yogurt Cloud Cake
What Happens If You Overbeat Egg Whites?
The Full Recipe Card
Recipe Notes & Tips

What’s a Cloud Cake?

The name tells the story perfectly – cloud cake earns its moniker through an impossibly light, airy texture that seems to defy gravity. Unlike traditional cakes that depend on flour for structure and baking powder for lift, this innovative dessert places all its faith in the transformative power of egg whites.

When properly whipped, egg whites trap countless microscopic air bubbles, creating a stable foam that becomes the cake’s entire foundation. This protein-based scaffolding supports the other ingredients while maintaining that signature cloud-like quality that dissolves on your tongue like morning mist.

The visual result is equally stunning – a golden-topped cake with an interior so pale and delicate it practically glows. Each slice reveals the cake’s ethereal nature, cutting cleanly while maintaining its structure, yet feeling almost weightless when lifted on a fork.

Cloud Cake Ingredients (Just Five)

The beauty of cloud cake lies in its minimalist philosophy. Each ingredient serves a specific purpose in creating this textural masterpiece:

1. 4 large eggs (separated into yolks and whites) The star performers of this recipe. Egg yolks contribute richness and binding power, while the whites provide all the leavening magic. Room temperature eggs whip to greater volumes, though cold eggs separate more cleanly – plan accordingly for best results.

2. 240g Greek yogurt (full-fat) This ingredient adds subtle tanginess that perfectly balances the sweetness while contributing essential moisture. The full-fat requirement isn’t negotiable – lower-fat versions contain excess water that compromises the cake’s delicate structure.

3. 240g sweetened condensed milk Acting as both sweetener and binding agent, condensed milk eliminates the need for separate sugar while adding luxurious richness. This ingredient helps create the tender, moist crumb that makes each bite so satisfying.

4. 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract/lemon juice & zest) Vanilla bean paste provides intense flavor plus those coveted black specks that signal quality. Alternatively, fresh lemon juice and zest transform this into a bright, citrusy celebration that’s particularly refreshing.

5. 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour) for stability While optional, this small addition provides insurance against collapse while maintaining the gluten-free status. Just enough to add structural support without compromising the cloud-like texture.

Optional garnish:

200g sliced strawberries
Powdered sugar for dusting

How to Make Yogurt Cloud Cake

A. Prep & Oven Setup

Begin by preheating your oven to a gentle 160°C (320°F) – this moderate temperature prevents surface cracking while ensuring even cooking throughout. Prepare your 8-inch (20cm) springform pan by greasing lightly and lining completely with parchment paper, both bottom and sides.

The water bath preparation is crucial: wrap the pan’s exterior bottom with aluminum foil to prevent water seepage during baking. This protective barrier ensures your delicate batter stays pristine throughout the gentle cooking process.

B. Yolks & Base Mixing

Egg separation requires patience and precision. Work with one egg at a time, ensuring not even the tiniest speck of yolk contaminates the whites – this would prevent proper whipping later. Place yolks in one bowl, whites in another that’s spotlessly clean and completely grease-free.

Create your base mixture by combining egg yolks with condensed milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla paste. Whisk until completely smooth and uniform. Sift the cornstarch over this mixture to prevent lumps, then stir gently until just incorporated. The result should be silky and streak-free.

C. Whisking & Folding Egg Whites

This stage demands your complete attention. Using an electric mixer, begin whipping the egg whites at medium speed, gradually increasing to high as they begin to foam. Watch the progression carefully: from liquid to foamy, then soft peaks, and finally to stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape when the beaters are lifted.

Stop immediately once stiff peaks form – overbeaten whites become grainy and watery, spelling disaster for your cake’s texture. The folding process requires equal care: add the whipped whites to your yolk mixture in three to four batches, using a large metal spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold from bottom to top, preserving as much air as possible.

D. Baking in Water Bath

Transfer your precious batter to the prepared pan, then nestle it inside a larger roasting tray. Pour the batter carefully to avoid deflating those precious air bubbles. Add hot water to the outer tray until it reaches halfway up the springform pan’s sides, taking care not to splash any water into the batter.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the cake is well-risen and sports a beautiful golden top. Resist all temptation to open the oven door during baking – even brief temperature fluctuations can cause collapse.

Once baking is complete, turn off the oven but leave the cake inside with the door closed. This gradual cooling prevents shock that could cause deflation. After the oven has cooled completely, remove your cake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, though overnight chilling produces superior texture and easier slicing.

E. Serving

Remove your masterpiece from the springform pan carefully, peeling away the parchment paper. Dust lightly with powdered sugar for an elegant finish, then arrange fresh strawberry slices artfully on top. The simple presentation allows the cake’s natural beauty to shine while providing complementary flavors and colors.

What Happens If You Overbeat Egg Whites?

Understanding this critical point can save your cake from disaster. When egg whites are beaten beyond their optimal stiff peak stage, the protein strands that trap air begin breaking down. This structural collapse causes the foam to release moisture and lose its ability to hold air bubbles.

The visual signs are unmistakable: overbeaten whites appear grainy, separated, and may have liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl. Unfortunately, there’s no rescue for this situation – you’ll need to start fresh with new egg whites and a clean bowl.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Success with cloud cake hinges on technique rather than complicated ingredients. The importance of spotlessly clean bowls cannot be overstated – even microscopic traces of grease will prevent proper peak formation. Glass or stainless steel bowls work best, as plastic can harbor invisible residue.

Temperature strategy matters significantly. While cold eggs separate more cleanly, room temperature whites achieve greater volume when whipped. Consider separating eggs while cold, then allowing whites to come to room temperature before beating.

The cornstarch addition provides stability insurance while maintaining the cake’s gluten-free nature. This small amount helps prevent collapse without compromising the ethereal texture that makes cloud cake so special.

Folding technique deserves special attention. Gentle, deliberate movements preserve the air structure you’ve worked to create. Think of it as incorporating clouds into cream – aggressive mixing destroys the magic.

if you like this cake and you are in a good mood try my other cakes like Apple Cinnamon Sheet Cake ,Bourbon Peach Upside Down Cake,also try character cake like Moana Cake and Bluey Cake and Stitch Birthday Cake so delicious

Nutritional & Presentation Notes

Cloud cake offers several advantages beyond its stunning appearance. Being naturally gluten-free makes it accessible to those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. The absence of butter and minimal use of sweetener creates a dessert that’s significantly lower in calories compared to traditional layer cakes.

The protein content from eggs and Greek yogurt adds nutritional value while contributing to the cake’s satisfying quality despite its light texture. This makes cloud cake an excellent choice for those seeking indulgence without excessive guilt.

Presentation-wise, cloud cake embraces minimalist elegance. The cake’s natural beauty needs little enhancement – a simple dusting of powdered sugar and carefully arranged fresh fruit create a dessert worthy of the finest restaurants while remaining achievable in any home kitchen.

This remarkable recipe proves that extraordinary results don’t require complicated techniques or exotic ingredients. Master the fundamentals of egg white handling and gentle folding, and you’ll have a show-stopping dessert that never fails to amaze both in appearance and taste.Retry