Cloud Cake is a light, airy sponge cake with a delicate crumb and cloud-soft texture. It's simple, elegant, and perfect when you want something sweet that doesn't feel heavy.
Old-Fashioned Comfort That Feels Like a Dream
This is the kind of cake recipe that makes people pause after the first bite. It's soft, gently sweet, and almost melts away as you eat it. No thick frosting needed. Just a dusting of powdered sugar or a handful of fresh berries turns it into something beautiful.
If you love vintage-style cakes that feel simple but special, this one fits right in. It's perfect for spring gatherings, brunch, baby showers, or a quiet afternoon coffee and cake moment.
FAQs
Store the cake covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
This cake needs something to grab onto as it bakes. If the sides are greased, it won't climb, and you'll lose that tall, fluffy shape.
Cloud Cake is delicate. Cooling it upside down keeps it from sinking while it sets.
Most often it's one of three things: the egg whites were overwhipped, the cake was underbaked, or it wasn't cooled upside down.
Yes. It's best the day it's made, but it will keep covered at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- Cake flour - Gives the cake its soft, tender crumb and light structure.
- Baking powder - Helps the cake rise gently and evenly.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor.
- Large eggs (separated) - The yolks add richness while the whipped whites create that signature airy texture.
- Granulated sugar (divided) - Sweetens the cake and stabilizes the egg whites.
- Canola oil - Keeps the cake moist without weighing it down.
- Milk (room temperature) - Adds moisture and helps create a smooth batter.
- Vanilla extract - Brings warm, classic flavor that pairs beautifully with berries or powdered sugar.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line just the bottom of an 8-inch round pan with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides. This helps the cake climb upward as it bakes.
Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with ½ cup of the sugar until pale and slightly thick. Slowly whisk in the canola oil, then the milk, then the vanilla.
Sift the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture. Stir gently just until smooth and lump-free. Do not overmix.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Beat until soft, glossy peaks form. The peaks should gently bend, not stand stiff.
Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to loosen it. Gently fold in the remaining whites using slow, lifting motions with a wide spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Lightly tap the pan on the counter once to release large air bubbles.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top springs back and a skewer inserted comes out clean. A few moist crumbs are fine.
Immediately invert the pan when removing it from the oven. Let it cool completely upside down, about 1½ to 2 hours. I like to place the rim of the pan over two small jars so air can circulate underneath.
Once fully cooled, run a thin knife around the edges to release the cake. Remove from the pan and peel off the parchment.
Right before serving, dust with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries if desired.
Tips
- Let your eggs come to room temperature before starting. They whip better and create more volume.
- Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean before whipping egg whites. Any grease can prevent proper peaks.
- Stop at soft peaks. They should look glossy and gently droop.
- Fold slowly. Scoop from the bottom and lift. Don't stir.
- Tap the pan lightly once to remove large air pockets without deflating the batter.
- Be patient during cooling. Leaving the cake upside down until completely cool is what keeps it cloud-soft.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
- Add lightly sweetened whipped cream for a brunch spread.
- Pair with coffee for an afternoon treat.
- Or dress it up with lemon curd for something extra special.
More Vintage Recipes
If you love vintage recipes like this one, you’ll also love these old-fashioned favorites:
Recipe
Cloud Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs separated
- ¾ cup sugar divided
- ¼ cup canola oil
- ⅓ cup milk room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Line just the bottom of an 8-inch round pan with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides; this helps the cake climb upward.
- Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside for later.
- In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with ½ cup of sugar until pale and slightly thick. Slowly whisk in the canola oil, then milk, and then vanilla.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture. Stir gently just until smooth and lump-free. The batter should be smooth. (Be sure not to overmix.)
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar. Beat until soft, glossy peaks form. Be sure not to overwhip; the peaks should bend slightly.
- Fold in ⅓ of the egg whites into the batter to loosen it. Gently fold in the remaining whites. Use a wide spatula and go in slow, lifting motions.
- Pour batter into the pan and tap on the counter once lightly. This will help release large air bubbles.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top springs back and a skewer comes out clean. A few moist crumbs are okay.
- Immediately invert the pan when you remove the cake from the oven. Leave the pan inverted until the cake is cooled completely, around 1 ½ -2 hours. This will prevent collapse and keep the cake cloud-soft. I like to use two small jars and place the pan upside down using the rim of the pan. This way it keeps the cake off any surface to cool.
- Once the pan is completely cool, run a thin knife around the edge to release it from the sides of the pan. Remove the cake and peel off the parchment paper.
- Right before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar and/or serve with fresh berries.
Notes
- Let your eggs come to room temperature before starting. They whip better and create more volume.
- Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean before whipping egg whites. Any grease can prevent proper peaks.
- Stop at soft peaks. They should look glossy and gently droop.
- Fold slowly. Scoop from the bottom and lift. Don't stir.
- Tap the pan lightly once to remove large air pockets without deflating the batter.
- Be patient during cooling. Leaving the cake upside down until completely cool is what keeps it cloud-soft.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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