How to Make a Rolled Cake
The cake roll, a delicious masterpiece that combines the elegance of a swirled design with the lusciousness of cake and filling, is a delightful treat for the eyes and the taste buds. Often known as a Swiss roll or jelly roll, this cake is as much an art form as it is a dessert. And while they look fancy, they can be fairly easy to make.
The cake roll is a sure thing when you’re looking for a dessert that is sure to impress. It looks beautiful as a roll cake on a serving platter. And it looks even better when it’s sliced, and guests are served slices showing off a perfect swirl of cake and filling.
What is a cake roll?
This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may be compensated if you click a link. However, there is no cost to you. Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, please see my Privacy and Disclosure page.
Often, cake rolls are called by different names, such as a jelly roll or a Swiss roll, but essentially, they’re all the same thing: a roulade cake. A roulade cake is a large, flat sponge cake turned out onto a clean dish towel while fresh out of the oven, then rolled up in the dish towel to form a spiral and left to cool.
Once cooled, the cake is carefully unrolled, the dish towel removed, and filled with whipped cream, fresh jelly, buttercream or cream cheese frosting or other fillings. Then the cake is re-rolled into the spiral. The cake will naturally want to roll itself back up because of how it was cooled.
“Cake rolls are actually pretty easy to make as desserts go, and they look super festive with all the different fillings you can use,” says Jere’ Cassidy of One Hot Oven. “Once you get over the idea of flipping a big sheet pan and rolling it up, you’ll see that making cake rolls is a breeze.”
Tips for making the best rolled cake
Making a cake roll can be intimidating, but using a good recipe and these tips will get you the best results. So, for starters, follow the recipe carefully. You want to make sure you measure ingredients correctly and use the right size pan. Each recipe may call for a different size sheet pan, so double-check your recipe before you start baking.
While the cake is baking, prepare a clean dish towel. Lay it flat on a clean surface and dust it with powdered sugar.
Next, don’t over bake the cake. An overbaked or dry cake will crack and break when you roll it up in the dishtowel. Keep an eye on your cooking time to avoid overbaking.
“The worst thing about making a cake roll is the fear of the rolling,” advises Mandy Applegate of Splash of Taste. “Once you get over that and try rolling it, you’ll see how easy it is. The key is the warmth of the cake. Don’t let it get too cold, or it’ll crack.”
How to roll a cake
When the cake is just done, remove it from the oven. Quickly turn it over onto the prepared dish towel with the cake’s short side parallel to the towel’s short end. Remove the parchment paper, if using, and then roll up the cake.
To roll the cake, begin on the short end of the cake and towel. Roll the end of the towel, and when you get to the cake, just keep on rolling.
When the cake is completely wrapped in the towel, set it seam side down on a cooling rack until completely cool.
Filling your rolled cake
When the cake is cool, prepare the filling as needed and desired.
To fill the cake, gently unroll the dishtowel and the cake. The cake will want to roll up once the towel is removed. Don’t try to force it down to flatten it. Just let it be. Grab a pastry bag to make it easier to fill the cake since you won’t be working on a flat surface.
As you’re adding the filling, be careful not to overfill the cake. Keep the filling about ½-inch thick. As you reach the edges of the cake, leave about a one-inch unfilled border.
Re-rolling the cake
Now it’s time to roll the cake up again. You’ll re-roll the cake around the filling. The filling will proportion itself through the cake roll as you roll it up. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve or frost.
If your recipe calls for frosting on the outside of the cake, wait to do that once the cake has completely cooled down. The you can frost with your frosting spatula. This tool will help the frosting go on smoothly. If your recipe calls for any sort of texture on the outer frosting, you can use a pastry bag filled with frosting to do that part.
Place the frosted cake back in the refrigerator and chill until ready to serve. Then, you’ll slice vertically and place on your serving platter.
“Cake rolls are seriously intimidating,” says Jessica Haggard, Easy Homemade Life, “but look so beautiful.” And are oh so worth the effort. You are sure to impress the guests to whom you serve this cake. I just know it.
When to serve a cake roll
A cake roll is the perfect dessert to serve when you need an easy dessert that looks fancy. You can make it for a summery dessert full of fresh fruit or seasonal berries. The short cooking time makes them perfect for summertime.
If you want to make something fresh and bright in the depths of winter, try using fresh lemon zest in your filling to bring in the flavor of citrus. You can add fresh zest to almost any cake roll filling recipe you want, even this banana roll cake.
Or make a beautiful centerpiece for your Christmas table by making a buche de Noel or a Yule log cake. While these big centerpiece cakes look like a lot of work, there are many ways to simplify the process. And they’re always a huge hit with everyone who sees them.
Portions of this article first appeared on Food Drink Life.