Chocolate Cloud Cake

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson, 2007

Show: Nigella Bites Episode: Rainy Days

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (10)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(10)

Cook Time:
40 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
8 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total:: 1 hr 20 min

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Ingredients

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
6 eggs, 2 whole, 4 separated
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, optional (recommended: Cointreau)
1 orange, zested

Directions

For the cream topping:

2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, optional (recommended: Cointreau)
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for sprinkling

Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of the cake pan with baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, add the butter and let melt in the warm chocolate.

Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the orange-flavored liqueur and the orange zest.

In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until the whites hold their shape but are not too stiff. Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no long wobbly. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.

When you are ready to eat, place the still pan-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the sides of the pan from the cake. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges, it's the crater look we're going for here. Whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and orange-flavored liqueur and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff. Fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Chocolate Cloud Cake
Kerri Provo, UT 12-21-2009
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a chocolate cake that lives up to its name
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Easy and will satisfy any chocoholics craving
recipe Chocolate Cloud Cake
Linea Sault Ste. Marie, MI 01-24-2009
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Fantastic...and easy.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Definitely agree to check at 25 minutes and keep an eye out thereafter. 32 minutes was perfect, baked in plain ecosystem... (low humidity envt).Read more
recipe Chocolate Cloud Cake
Ramona Phoenix, AZ 12-29-2008
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Absolutely Fabulous!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

After reading the reviews, I used dark Belgian chocolate instead of bittersweet, and that turned out to be a perfect... substitute! I also used coconut rum instead of orange liqueur because I'm not wild about the chocolate/orange taste combination. I baked it for 25 minutes, then turned the oven off and left it in for another 5 minutes, and that worked well. Finally, I topped it with Bobby Flay's coconut butter cream frosting. It practically disappeared overnight! I will definitely make this recipe again -- a real keeper!Read more
recipe Chocolate Cloud Cake
Anonymous 09-24-2008
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Very easy!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was indeed a crowd pleaser. Its not too sweet and it makes a beautiful serving. Its also very easy to make. I ended... up using 10.5oz of chocolate instead of 9 and also slightly buttered the sides of the springform pan.Read more
recipe Chocolate Cloud Cake
Lea Bothell, WA 08-07-2008
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Not what I was expecting, but still good
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I used semisweet chocolate because didn't have any bittersweet. Cake still could have been a little bit sweeter. But it was... good as it was when not too sweet, a perfect companion to vanilla ice cream. Not as fluffy or cracked as I had expected either, but maybe that was because of my execution.Read more
recipe Chocolate Cloud Cake
Elizabeth Chicago, IL 03-20-2008
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Delicious & Impressive
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

What a wonderful and rich cake. I added a cocoa almond glaze between the cake and whipped cream that acted as the perfect... accent. It quickly disappeared.Read more