Choco Cloud Who Recipe

Prepare oven and pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan (or two 6-inch pans) with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.

Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly combined.

Beat eggs and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar vigorously (or use a stand mixer) until pale, slightly thickened and ribbon-like, about 2–3 minutes. This aeration helps create the 'cloud' texture.

Add wet ingredients: Whisk in the milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Combine mixtures: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a rubber spatula in 2–3 additions, folding gently to preserve the air. Stop when mostly combined; a few streaks of flour are okay.

Add hot liquid: Stir in the hot water or hot coffee slowly until batter is smooth and slightly loose. The batter should be lighter than typical dense chocolate cake batter.

Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s), smooth the top, and bake in the center of the oven for 22–28 minutes for an 8-inch pan (or 18–22 minutes for 6-inch pans), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

Cool: Remove cake from oven and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge, invert onto a wire rack, peel off parchment, and let cool completely before frosting (at least 1 hour).

Chill equipment: For best volume, chill the mixing bowl and beaters for 10–15 minutes in the freezer before whipping.

Beat cream cheese: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps, about 1 minute.

Combine dry frosting ingredients: Sift together the powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder to remove lumps and ensure even mixing.

Whip heavy cream: In the chilled bowl, pour the heavy whipping cream and whip on medium-high speed until it starts to thicken and soft peaks form (about 2–3 minutes).

Add sugar & cream cheese: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder to the whipped cream while continuing to whip on medium speed. Add the beaten cream cheese, vanilla extract and salt, and continue whipping until medium-stiff peaks form and the frosting holds light, billowy peaks (about 1–2 more minutes). Do not overbeat or it will become too stiff or butter-like.

Taste and adjust: Taste the frosting and add up to 1–2 tablespoons more powdered sugar if you prefer it sweeter or thicker. If too thick, fold in 1–2 tablespoons of milk to loosen slightly.

Level and stack (if using layers): If you baked two layers, level the tops with a serrated knife. Place the first layer on a serving plate.

Frost the cake: Spoon or pipe a generous amount of whipped chocolate cloud frosting onto the center of the bottom layer and gently spread to the edges. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides using a spatula, keeping the frosting light and cloud-like.

Garnish: Sprinkle chocolate shavings over the top, dust lightly with cocoa powder, and scatter fresh berries around the base or on top for contrast.

Chill briefly and serve: Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to set the frosting for cleaner slices. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing and serving to maximize the fluffy texture.