Rolled Cakes

Many recipes for rolled cakes require a 10 x 15 inch jellyroll pan. Unless you make a lot of rolled cakes or have a need for a smaller pan, many American kitchens do not have a jellyroll pan.

I haven’t owned a jellyroll pan in over 30 years and rarely make rolled cakes. When it can to make this recipe, I modified the ingredient quantities to fit a standard 12 x 18 inch half-sheet pan. The results were a moist, springy cake about 25% larger than a standard rolled cake. As a result this recipe makes 14 to 18 servings versus 12 to 15.

Special equipment

• Parchment paper
• Clean, cotton kitchen or other towel at least 14″ x 20″ inches to roll up cake.

To make rolled cakes, you also need a large, cotton or other towel without any designs that can be transferred to the cake.

Older recipes line the baking pan with wax paper that browns and releases a waxy residue during baking. I highly recommend investing in a roll or sheets of parchment paper for all your baking needs.

Rolled cakes require more time and effort than round or rectangular layer cakes, but they are worth the effort when you want to serve a unique dessert. It is hard to find rolled bakes at your local bakery and store bakery cakes can contain as many preservatives and additives as commercially produced snack cakes.

Snack cakes are convenient and taste good. Some are bargain priced. The reason they are bargain priced is due to using low quality ingredients and preservatives to extend shelf life.

Although, this rolled cake recipe is made with 2 cups of heavy whipping cream, an equivalent serving has about 1 gram more saturated fat while providing 20% less calories and 50% less sodium. Cholesterol is significantly higher since this cake is made with cream versus corn syrup and oil. Like the snack cake, this recipe has more sugar than flour, but still has 35% less sugar.

Since this rolled cake has no preservatives it must be refrigerated or frozen.

Cook’s Tips

• When making the cream filling and frosting, adjust the amount of sugar to taste.
• Over mixing the cream will turn it into sweet, flavored butter. Mix filling and frosting until stiff peaks form.
• The chocolate decoration is added to prevent plastic wrap from sticking to the frosting while the cake is refrigerated.
• If chocolate is runny after melting, allow it to cool 10 to 15 minutes after placing it in the decorating bag.
• A sandwich or freezer bag can be used if you do not have a decorating bag. Use scissors to cut a small hole in one corner of the bag.

Ingredients

• Cake
• 1 1/4 cup (130 g) sifted cake flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon (6.125 ml) baking powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons (6.125 ml) vanilla, almond, or lemon extract
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to dust cloth
• Filling
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla or other extract
• Chocolate Frosting
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cocoa powder
• 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 - 60 ml) powdered sugar
• Glaze
• 1/4 cup (45 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method of Preparation