Is it just me, or does it seem like every time summer rolls around we all make that “no more desserts, I’m gonna rock that two piece” promise to ourselves? Rhetorical question. OBVIOUSLY.
Who am I kidding though… it’s like the second I commit to this whole no desserts thing, I mean really commit, I hear that sound of the ice cream truck pulling up to the pool parking lot while I’m just sitting there in the lounge chair thinking “okay, okay, you win – diet starts tomorrow!”
A whole summer without dessert is just laughable. I think the summer is a great time to experiment with those desserts that are maybe not-so-decadent and leave you feeling less guilty for indulging a little. After all, we all work hard and deserve a little reward, am I right?
After seeing savory “cloud bread” recipes all over Pinterest, I decided to give it a sweet spin and came up with this Coconut Berry Layered Cloud Cake. It is SO light, just the right amount of creaminess and just the right amount of sweetness, with only a small amount of added sugar. Seriously. I’m obsessed.
Depending on part of the season it is, you can totally swap out the blackberries for blueberries, strawberries, or whatever feels right! Let me know if you plan to add this one to the menu during your “dessert-less” summer!
Ingredients
- Cake Layers:
- 3 large eggs, separated into whites + yolks
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Whipped Coconut Cream:
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Berry Filling:
- 1 pint blackberries, halved
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Directions
To bake the cloud cake:
-
- Preheat oven to 300°.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- Using a standing mixer, mix egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until light peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, yogurt and pinch of salt, then gently fold the yolk mixture into the whipped egg whites.
- With a spoon or spatula, scoop the mixture out onto the lined, greased baking sheet into round disks –I like to use a pen to trace a small bowl to give myself some outlines to follow when scooping out the batter and forming the small cake rounds.
- Bake cloud cake for about 25 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.
- Loosen from baking sheet and very carefully move the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prep the berry filling:
- Combine blackberries and sugar and refrigerate until cakes are ready to assemble.
Make the whipped coconut cream:
- Remove the can of coconut milk from the fridge and be careful not to shake [which would cause the cream and the coconut water to mix]. Scoop the cream from the can into a mixing bowl.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and use your mixer to whip together the ingredients on high, until cream becomes light and fluffy and resembles a whipped cream.
Assembling the layer cake:
You can certainly get creative with how you assemble your layered cakes. It’s up to you how many layers you want each cake to have and what you want it to look like! Here’s how I layered my cakes: cake, whipped coconut cream, a few blackberries, cake, whipped coconut cream, blackberries… you get the gist!
You can even get fancy and garnish with some fresh mint or a dusting of powdered sugar. Best if served immediately.