This cloud cake is incredibly light, fluffy and soft, like eating a cloud. It needs just 4 ingredients and doesn't contain any flour, dairy, butter or oil.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 inch springform baking pan with oil spray. Line the bottom with a parchment round. You do not need to line the sides but make sure they are well greased.
Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the wire whisk attachment, beat at medium speed until the eggs are foamy. With the machine still running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the sugar (1 tbsp at a time). Increase speed to high and continue to beat until mixture is thick, glossy and stiff peaks form. Transfer the meringue to a clean bowl and set it aside.
Add the egg yolks, vanilla and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to the stand mixer bowl. Whisk at high speed until the mixture is very thick, has more than doubled in volume, about 4 minutes. When you lift the whisk, the mixture should ribbon down and hold its form on top of the mixture for several seconds before sinking in.
Sift the potato starch with a fine mesh strainer into the egg yolk mixture and mix with a spatula until evenly combined. It will be very thick.
Add in 1/3 of the egg whites, gently folding the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture with a spatula until just combined and no egg white streaks are visible. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites too much. Repeat with the next 1/3 and then the final 1/3 of egg whites.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the cake will feel firm (it develops a crispy meringue-like crust on top).
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan completely, about 30-60 minutes. Then gently release it from the pan. Slice cake with a large serrated bread knife. (I find this is a better option for cutting this cake because it is so soft.) If desired, you can add frosting before serving. If adding frosting, I recommend leveling the cake first and taking off the delicate cookie crust/surface. Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
I use Bob's Red Mill's potato starch.* Potato starch is usually found near flour or other starches like cornstarch in the grocery store.
*This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
I have made a version of this cake with low protein cake flour but the texture will be more like a sponge cake and not quite as soft and light. The cake does not work as well with other starches or other flours.
Optional Whipped Cream Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp sugar
splash of vanilla
Add ingredients to a large mixing bowl and beat on highest speed until soft peaks form. If you want to frost the entire cake you will need to double the frosting amount.
Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.