Introduction
Oh, friends, do you remember those airy, melt-in-your-mouth cakes that just feel like a hug in dessert form? Today, we’re diving into a recipe that brings those nostalgic feelings right into your kitchen: a Japanese-Style Cream Roll Cake. This isn’t your average, fussy cake. This recipe is designed to be wonderfully simple, surprisingly quick, and utterly delicious. It’s the kind of treat that makes any day feel a little more special, perfect for a weekend baking project or even a last-minute gathering.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: You can have this beautiful cake ready to enjoy in under an hour of active time.
- Easy: Seriously, no fancy techniques required here! Anyone can make this.
- Giftable: Wrap it up with a pretty ribbon, and you’ve got a homemade gift that’s sure to impress.
- Crowd-pleasing: From kids to grandparents, everyone adores the light texture and sweet cream.
Ingredients
Gather ’round the counter, because here’s what you’ll need to make this delightful cake:
- 4 large eggs: These are the foundation of our light and airy cake. Make sure they’re at room temperature for the best volume!
- 100g granulated sugar: To sweeten our cake batter perfectly.
- 80g cake flour: Cake flour gives us that super tender crumb we’re after. If you don’t have it, all-purpose works in a pinch, but cake flour is the secret!
- 20g cornstarch: This little addition helps make the cake extra light and delicate.
- 30ml milk: Just a touch of moisture to keep our cake from drying out.
- 30ml vegetable oil: Or any neutral-flavored oil you have on hand. This adds richness and moisture.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: For that comforting, classic flavor.
- 250ml heavy whipping cream: The star of our creamy filling! Make sure it’s nice and cold.
- 30g powdered sugar: For sweetening our whipped cream.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream): To give our luscious cream an extra burst of vanilla goodness.
- Powdered sugar, for dusting: Just a little dusting to make it look extra pretty!
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get our hands a little floury and create some magic! It’s easier than you think.
- Preheat and Prep: First things first, get your oven preheating to 170°C (340°F). Then, grab a 25×35 cm (10×14 inch) baking pan. Line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides. This overhang is your best friend for easily lifting the cake out later.
- Whip it Good: In a big bowl, whisk together your eggs and granulated sugar. Now, beat them on medium-high speed. You’re looking for a mixture that’s pale yellow and thick enough that when you lift the whisk, the batter falls back in ribbons that sit on the surface for a moment. This means you’ve got lovely, airy eggs!
- Dry Mix: In a separate bowl, give your cake flour and cornstarch a little whisk together. This just ensures they’re nicely combined and ready to go.
- Warm Embrace: In a small saucepan, gently warm up your milk and vegetable oil. You just want it warm, not hot or boiling. Think cozy bathwater temperature. Off the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Gentle Fold: Now, it’s time to bring our dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Add the flour and cornstarch mixture gradually. Use a spatula and fold gently. We’re not trying to beat the air out here, just gently combining. Overmixing is the enemy of a light cake!
- Smooth Operator: While still folding, slowly drizzle in your warm milk and oil mixture. Keep folding until the batter is smooth and lovely. It should look like a beautiful, flowing batter.
- Pour and Spread: Pour your batter into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly. You want a nice, even layer so it bakes consistently.
- Bake to Perfection: Pop it in the oven for about 12-15 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the top is a beautiful, light golden brown.
- Prepare the Towel: While your cake is baking, take a clean kitchen towel and lay it flat. Sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar. This is going to be our comfy landing pad and rolling buddy.
- The Big Flip: As soon as your cake is out of the oven, immediately invert it onto your sugar-dusted towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Don’t worry if it looks a little fragile; it’s meant to be.
- Roll it Up: Starting from the shorter end of the cake, carefully but firmly roll it up, towel and all. Let it cool completely in this rolled shape. This helps it set and gives it that lovely roll cake form.
- Whip the Cream: While the cake is cooling, let’s make our filling! In a clean bowl, whip your heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whip until you get nice, stiff peaks. You know, when you lift the beater, the cream stands straight up.
- Unroll and Fill: Once the cake is completely cool (and I mean completely cool, trust me on this!), gently unroll it. Spread your luscious whipped cream all over the cake, leaving a small border around the edges so the cream doesn’t squish out too much when you re-roll.
- The Final Roll: Now, carefully re-roll the cake, but this time, leave the towel behind. You’re rolling the cake itself into its final shape.
- Dust and Serve: Give the top of your beautiful roll cake a nice dusting of powdered sugar. It looks so elegant! Slice and enjoy this little piece of heaven.
Substitutions & Additions
Feeling adventurous? Here are some ways you can make this recipe your own:
- For the cake: If you can’t find cake flour, you can use all-purpose flour. Just remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour for every cup, and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- For the oil: Melted unsalted butter (cooled) can be used instead of vegetable oil for a slightly richer flavor.
- For the cream: A touch of matcha powder whisked into the cream before whipping gives it a beautiful color and a delicate earthy flavor. Or, add a spoonful of your favorite fruit jam to the cream for a fruity twist.
- Add-ins: You can layer fresh berries (like strawberries or raspberries) on top of the whipped cream before re-rolling for a burst of freshness.
Tips for Success
A few little tricks to ensure your Japanese Cream Roll Cake is absolutely perfect:
- Don’t Overmix: This is the biggest rule for a tender cake. Gently fold those ingredients together!
- Room Temperature Eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. They’ll whip up much lighter and create a fluffier cake.
- Cool Completely: Resist the urge to unroll the cake while it’s warm. If you do, it’s likely to crack. Patience is key here!
- Prep Ahead: You can bake the cake layer the day before and store it at room temperature, wrapped in parchment paper. Then, make the cream and assemble the cake the next day.
How to Store It
This cake is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers (which is unlikely!), here’s how to store them:
Wrap the sliced roll cake tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The cake will become a little denser as it sits, but it will still be delicious!
FAQs
Got a few lingering questions? We’ve got you covered!
Q: My cake cracked when I rolled it, what did I do wrong?
A: The most common culprit is unrolling the cake while it’s still warm. Ensure it’s completely cool before unrolling. Sometimes, a slightly thinner batter or a slightly over-baked cake can also contribute to cracking.
Q: Can I use a different size pan?
A: You can, but it will affect the baking time and the thickness of your cake. A larger pan will result in a thinner cake that bakes faster, and a smaller pan will result in a thicker cake that bakes longer. Adjust your baking time accordingly.
Q: My whipped cream isn’t stiff, what’s the issue?
A: Make sure your heavy whipping cream is very cold, and that your bowl and whisk attachments are also chilled. Overwhipping can also make cream grainy, so stop as soon as you reach stiff peaks.
Q: Can I freeze this cake?
A: While not ideal, you can freeze the unfrosted cake layer. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before filling and serving. The cream filling doesn’t freeze and thaw as well.
Japanese Cream Roll Cake
An airy, melt-in-your-mouth Japanese-Style Cream Roll Cake that is simple, quick, and utterly delicious. Perfect for a weekend baking project or a last-minute gathering.
Equipment
- Baking pan 25x35 cm (10x14 inch)
- Parchment paper
- bowl large
- Whisk
- bowl separate
- Saucepan small
- Spatula
- Kitchen towel clean
- bowl clean, for whipping cream
- Mixer electric mixer recommended for whipping cream
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 80 g cake flour
- 20 g cornstarch
- 30 ml milk
- 30 ml vegetable oil or any neutral-flavored oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for cake batter
Cream Filling
- 250 ml heavy whipping cream nice and cold
- 30 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for cream
Garnish
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). Line a 25x35 cm (10x14 inch) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow and thick, forming ribbons when the whisk is lifted.4 large eggs
- In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour and cornstarch.4 large eggs
- Gently warm milk and vegetable oil in a small saucepan (not hot). Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract off the heat.4 large eggs
- Gradually add the flour and cornstarch mixture to the egg mixture, folding gently with a spatula. Overmixing will reduce lightness.4 large eggs
- While folding, slowly drizzle in the warm milk and oil mixture until the batter is smooth.4 large eggs
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.4 large eggs
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown.
- Lay a clean kitchen towel flat and sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar.4 large eggs
- Immediately invert the baked cake onto the sugar-dusted towel and carefully peel off the parchment paper.
- Starting from the shorter end, carefully but firmly roll up the cake with the towel. Let it cool completely in this rolled shape.
- While the cake cools, whip the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.4 large eggs
- Once the cake is completely cool, gently unroll it. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake, leaving a small border.4 large eggs
- Carefully re-roll the cake, leaving the towel behind, to create the final roll cake shape.
- Dust the top of the roll cake with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.4 large eggs
Notes
This cake is best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers, wrap sliced cake tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The cake will become a little denser as it sits.