Cloud cake

Cloud Cakes, also known as cloud cakes, are soft desserts reminiscent of the lightness of clouds. This name can refer to different types of sweets depending on the tradition they come from. For example, it could be a lighter version of a chiffon cake or an angel food cake. Here, I propose a recipe inspired by the American variant.

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 150g granulated sugar
• 100g sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional for an aromatic touch)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160 °C.
2. In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks until they become pale yellow, then add 50g of sugar and continue whipping until the mixture is foamy and light.
3. Add the vanilla extract and grated lemon zest to the yolk mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 100g of sugar while continuing to whip until you get a shiny, firm meringue.
5. Gently fold the sifted flour into the whipped yolks, then add the meringue, mixing from top to bottom so as not to deflate the mixture.
6. Pour the batter into an ungreased chiffon cake pan and bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes. The cake is ready when it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove the cloud cake from the oven and let cool upside down, resting on a bottle or special supports, to prevent the cake from collapsing.
8. Once cooled, remove the cake from the pan with the help of a knife.

Cloud Cakes are soft and light, ideal as a base to be filled or topped with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or icing.

Curiosity

The particular upside-down cooling technique is essential for this type of dessert: the slow dispersion of heat and gravity help the cake to maintain its airy structure and to not collapse.