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A beloved café favorite, London Fog latte, is interpreted into a super soft and fluffy Earl Grey tea cake roll. Easily substitute with your favorite tea flavor.

I wanted to add this Earl Grey Swiss roll into my fluffy cake roll collection for those readers who've asked me how to add flavor from tea leaves into a cake. The method I'm using in this recipe can be modified with other tea flavors like Oolong or Pu-erh, just 2 of the flavors which are trending these days at the Asian-based drink shops. For this particular cake, I was inspired by a popular drink served in the cafes here in North America called the London Fog tea latte. It's a cozy drink composed of steeped Earl Grey tea with vanilla syrup topped with milk foam. I've tried to mirror this flavor composition with an Earl Grey tea chiffon cake base and vanilla whipped cream filling. I think it's a great flavor choice for afternoon tea, neutral-gender themes and Father's Day right around the corner. I hope you enjoy it.

XOXO,
Mimi

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Super fluffy chiffon cake base in the Japanese style
• Earl Grey flavor works with neutral-gender themes
• Tea-infusion method allows for modifications with other tea flavors.
• Flexible cake roll recipe prevents cracking
• Perfect for tea time, Father's Day, baby showers, birthday parties & more

Ingredients & Substitutions

Wet Mix for Earl Grey Chiffon Cake

• Whole fat milk - can be substituted with 2% milk
• Earl Grey tea bag* - see substitutions in paragraph below
• Neutral oil - neutral tasting oils like canola, grapeseed and avocado are all good choices. Do not use strong flavored oils like peanut or sunflower.
• Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture and break up the grains in the dry ingredients.
• Egg yolks
• Vanilla extract - adds extra depth of flavor. Vanilla is an integral part of the London Fog Latte, the flavor which this cake is based on, try to use a pure vanilla extract.

Dry Mix for Earl Grey Chiffon Cake

• Cake flour - a low protein flour which will help make this cake softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cake will be a little tougher than if using cake flour.
• Baking powder - helps leaven the cake in case there is any weaknesses in the meringue. This can be omitted if you're careful with whipping the meringue to stiff peaks.
• Sea salt - provides a nice contrast to the sweet taste in the cake and brings out the flavors. Use half the amount if using table salt.

Meringue for Earl Grey Chiffon Cake

• Egg whites in the meringue - use large eggs. Egg whites whip better at room temperature so keep it out on the counter for about half hour before whipping.
• Granulated sugar in the meringue - adds stability to the meringue and tenderizes the cake.
• Cream of tartar in the meringue - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
• (Optional) Gel color - gel colors are a potent form of food coloring that doesn't add excess moisture when added to baked goods. I used it here to color the cake for this photoshoot. It can be omitted if you prefer a natural look. The cake will look beige brown with speckled with tea bits (see batter in process photos below).

Stabilized Vanilla Cream

• Powdered gelatin in the cream - use the unflavored kind. I prefer this brand.
• Granulated sugar
• Whipping cream in the cream (m.f. 33%) - has milk fat content of 30-35%. Cream must be chilled for it to whip properly. It can be substituted with heavy cream. Do not use half & half.

What Kind of Earl Grey Tea To Use?

Earl Grey tea bags are the most convenient type to use in this recipe. For this recipe, I found the TAZO brand to be quite flavorful. If using loose leaves, the dried up leaves must be ground up (ex. with Nutribullet) before use. Earl Grey tea can be substituted with other flavors of teas.

Tips for A Perfect Cake Roll

• A strong and healthy meringue (whipped egg whites with sugar) is needed to act as one of the leavening agents in this cake. Egg whites should be whipped in a clean and dry non-plastic bowl since plastic tends to trap oil. Egg whites don't whip well in the presence of oil and water. To further remove oils, use a paper towel and wipe down the mixing bowl with lemon or vinegar before you start.
• Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks when the eggs are cold. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. An egg separator can come in handy.
• Bring the egg whites to a stiff peak. This is characterized by egg whites that have a beak that points upwards (instead of slumped over) when the whisk is pulled out.
• Once the liquid is introduced to the flour, do not over mix. This will produce more gluten, making the cake less tender.
• After pouring the batter into the cake tray, rap it a few times on the counter to get rid of large air pockets, this will make the design show on a smoother surface.
• Use a gentle folding movement with a spatula to incorporate the meringue into the wet flour mixture. Do not stir, this will prevent the air in the meringue from deflating.
• Add more cream along the short edge of the cake which is to be rolled first. This will prevent the cake from cracking due to large gaps in between the folds. These angled spatulas will come in handy for even frosting any time of cake. Instead of putting your hands directly onto the cake, use the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself as you roll.
• Fold gently and do not worry too much about rolling the cake very tightly. As long as the cream is spread out evenly (with a bit more along the short edge as per above), the amount of cream in this recipe will allow the sheet cake to hold up without cracking due to large gaps.
• Chill the bowl, beaters and whipped cream for optimal whipping volume. They should all be be very cold. Whipping in a stainless steel bowl placed on top of a bed of ice will help keep things nice and cool on a hot day.
• Gelatin is added to the whipped cream to help stabilize it. Many recipes do not include this step but I prefer it when using whipped cream in a cake roll. It prevents the cream from deflating so the roll stays rounder and looks nicer. You can leave this step out if you plan on serving the cake immediately. If you need further guidance on stabilizing the cream, please read my post on How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Gelatin.
• If you find rolling the cake and stabilizing the whipped cream is too time-consuming, try this easy Japanese Peach Cake in a Cup, it has the same great chiffon base but doesn't require rolling or whipped cream stabilization and can be baked in a pan of any size.

Step By Step - Earl Grey Cake Base

In a small sauce pan, bring milk to a light simmer. Take off heat as soon as bubbles emerge on the side of the pan. Add teabag and cover to steep. Once cooled, measure out 50 ml of milk ( if needed, add fresh milk to compensate for any loss). Open tea bag and take out 1 teaspoon (2 teaspoon for a stronger flavor) of ground tea to add into batter. Set milk and tea aside.

Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper or silicone mat. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add wet mix. Stir with a balloon whisk to combine, do not over mix. Set this milk-flour mixture aside. 

Make the meringue. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have decreased, add sugar a little bit at a time.

Increase speed to med-high. If using gel colors, add it now. Whip until stiff peaks.* This is now the meringue.

Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the milk-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 

Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake for 14-16 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center. Let cool 5 min. in the pan before removing. Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper/mat. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack while making the fresh cream.

Step By Step - Stabilized Vanilla Cream

Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help cream whip better. Place water in heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

Immediately start beating the cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed and then increase to medium.

Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be warm but still runny. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl. Add vanilla extract.

Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

How to Decorate Cake Roll

Earl Grey flavored desserts at the bakery are usually colored grey, purple, beige or light blue but you can definitely use your creativity as there isn't a "natural" color that it is associated with. I colored mine with dark grey gel colors for concept purposes. If left uncolored, the cake will look beige brown with a speckled appearance.

Some decorating ideas include topping the cake with: fresh fruits, meringues, candies, chocolates, lemon slices, dried lavender and edible flowers. I also tried rolling in fresh strawberries which made for a refreshing pairing.

How to Create Different Flavored Cake Rolls

As mentioned above, Earl Grey tea can be substituted with different flavored teas. In addition, you can mix and match different fillings with this cake base. For example, you can try substituting it with a chocolate filling from this chocolate cake roll recipe or with a coffee filling from this coffee cake roll recipe. If you're interested in adapting the cake base for other flavors, here are some other recipes from my fluffy cake roll collection: matcha cake roll, carrot cake roll, pumpkin cake roll , gingerbread cake roll and cotton candy cake roll.

How to Store Chiffon Cake Roll

Earl Grey tea cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days. Because it contains whipped cream, it does not freeze/defrost well. Making the cake fresh will yield the best results. If advance preparation is required, I recommend refrigerating/freezing only the cake portion as a sheet and defrost overnight in the fridge. Once defrosted, make the whipped cream and then assemble.

Recipe

Yield: 8 slices

Earl Grey Tea Chiffon Cake Roll

Print

A beloved café favorite, London Fog latte, is interpreted into a super soft and fluffy Earl Grey tea cake roll. Easily substitute with your favorite tea flavor.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 14 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 14 minutes

Ingredients

Wet Mix for Earl Grey Chiffon Cake

• 65 ml whole fat milk
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag (around 3 grams)
• 40 ml neutral oil*
• 25 grams granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Mix for Earl Grey Chiffon Cake

• 45 grams cake flour*
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Meringue for Earl Grey Chiffon Cake

• 4 egg whites
• 50 grams granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar*
• Optional: gel color

Stabilized Vanilla Cream

• 1 + ¼ teaspoons powdered gelatin, unflavored
• 5 teaspoons water
• 1 ¼ cup whipping cream (33% M.F.)
• 1 tablespoon +¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Earl Grey Chiffon Cake Base

1. In a small sauce pan, bring milk to a light simmer. Take off heat as soon as bubbles emerge on the side of the pan. Add teabag and cover to steep. Once cooled, measure out 50 ml of milk ( if needed, add fresh milk to compensate for any loss).
2. Open tea bag and take out 1 teaspoon (2 teaspoon for a stronger flavor) of ground tea to add into batter. Set milk and tea aside.
3. Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper or silicone mat.
4. Preheat oven to 325 F.
5. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
6. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add wet mix.
7. Stir with a balloon whisk to combine, do not over mix. Set this milk-flour mixture aside. 
8. Make the meringue. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
9. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have decreased, add sugar a little bit at a time.
10. Increase speed to med-high. If using gel colors, add it now. Whip until stiff peaks.* This is now the meringue.
11. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the milk-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 
12. Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
13. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
14. Bake for 14-16 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
15. Let cool 5 min. in the pan before removing.
16. Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper/mat. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack while making the fresh cream.

Stabilized Fresh Cream Instructions

1. Refrigerate mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes. This will help cream whip better.
2. Place water in heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
3. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
4. Immediately start beating the cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the chilled bowl. Whip on low speed and then increase to medium.
5. Check on the gelatin. It should no longer be warm but still runny.
6. Once the beaters leave tracks in the cream, pour the gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl.
7. Add vanilla extract. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip.
8. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

Assembly

1. Spread an even layer of cream on the cake.
2. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself.
3. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.
4. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation.* Earl Grey tea cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Notes

• Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.
• Neutral oil choices include: avocado, canola, grapeseed, vegetable
• Cake flour is a type of low-protein flour that yields soft fluffy cakes. It's preferable but can be substituted with AP flour.
• Cream of tartar helps stabilize the meringue, it can left out or substituted with double the amount in lemon juice or vinegar.
• Stiff peaks in characterized by the egg whites having pointed peaks that point upwards without drooping when the whisk is pulled out.
• If adding extra whipped cream and fruit on top of cake, multiply the quantities for the stabilized cream by 1.5X. Wash and pat dry fruits before using.
• Refer to post body on how to make cake roll in advance.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Tazo Earl Grey Black Tea, 20-Count Tea Bags (Pack of 6)
• 
  Knox Original Unflavored Gelatine Dessert Mix (32 Packets)
• 
  Wilton Industries Perfect Results Mega Cooling Rack, Black
• 
  Rectangle Baking Pan
• 
  Vollrath 47934 4-Quart Economy Mixing Bowl, Stainless Steel
• 
  McCormick Gourmet All Natural Cream Of Tartar, 2.62 oz
• 
  PaperChef Culinary Parchment Multipurpose Non-Stick Paper, 205 sq ft
• 
  RYBACK Stainless Steel Egg White Yolk Filter Separator Cooking Tool Dishwasher Safe Chef Kitchen Gadget
• 
  Kitchenaid Handheld Mixer

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 262Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 112mgSodium 171mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 0gSugar 11gProtein 5g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Soft and fluffy, subtly sweet Japanese style cotton candy cake roll. Easy to use chiffon cake recipe that doesn't crack easily while rolling.

This cotton candy cake roll recipe came about from some experimentations I did with my lastest recipe: fancy pattern cake roll. That recipe uses a yolk-less cake base that is snowy white and neutral tasting which makes it perfect for taking on color and extracts. I decided to experiment with it by making this pretty soft pink cake log flavored with cotton candy extract. Like the fluffy chiffon cake base, the flavor is formulated in the Japanese-style, just subtly sweet with a distinct but not overpowering cotton candy flavor. It's a wonderful and convenient year-round flavor achieved with a little bit of shelf-stable extract. I think pink color and cotton candy flavor is perfect for Valentine's Day, baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties and anytime you're stumped on what rainbow colored desserts should taste like. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Xoxo,
Mimi

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Super fluffy chiffon cake base in the Japanese style
• Subtle semi-sweet cotton candy flavor
• Cotton Candy flavor suits many color themes
• Flexible cake roll recipe prevents cracking
• White cake base using no yolks - perfect for adding colors
• Perfect for Valentine's Day, baby showers, birthday parties & more

How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions

Dry Ingredients

• Cake flour - a low protein flour which will help make this cake softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cake will be a little tougher than if using cake flour.
• Sea salt - provides a nice contrast to the sweet taste in the cake and brings out the flavors. Use half the amount if using table salt.

Wet Ingredients

• Whole fat milk
• Vegetable oil - neutral tasting oils like canola, grapeseed and avocado are all good choices.
• Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture and break up the grains when the dry ingredients are added.
• Cotton candy extract - adds flavor to the cake, this can be substituted with other flavors of extract.

Meringue

• Egg whites - from large eggs. Egg whites whip better at room temperature so keep it out on the counter for about half hour before whipping.
• Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
• Granulated sugar - adds stability to the meringue and tenderizes the cake.
• Gel color - gel colors are a potent form of food coloring that doesn't add excess moisture when added to baked goods.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

• Heavy cream - is a cream with a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. Whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35%. Heavy cream yields a more stable whipped cream but whipping cream will work just as well in this recipe since gelatin is being added.
• Unflavored gelatin powder - when added to the cream, it creates a super stable whipped cream that will prevent the cake from sagging.
• Granulated sugar
• Cotton candy extract - adds flavor to the cream, this can be substituted with other flavors of extract.

Where to Buy a Good Cotton Candy Extract?

Just like my cotton candy meringue kisses, I used a cotton candy extract that was specially concocted by Jenna Rae Cakes to have that unique spun sugar taste. It's the same flavoring that is used in the cotton candy products sold in their popular bakery chain in Canada. I like that it's not too overpowering or artificial tasting.

Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

• A strong and healthy meringue (whipped egg whites with sugar) is needed to act as one of the leavening agents in this cake. Egg whites should be whipped in a clean and dry non-plastic bowl since plastic tends to trap oil. Egg whites don't whip well in the presence of oil and water. To further remove oils, use a paper towel and wipe down the mixing bowl with lemon or vinegar before you start.
• Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks when the eggs are cold. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. An egg separator can come in handy.
• Bring the egg whites to a stiff peak. This is characterized by egg whites that have a beak that points upwards (instead of slumped over) when the whisk is pulled out.
• Once the liquid is introduced to the flour, do not over mix. This will produce more gluten, making the cake less tender.
• After pouring the batter into the cake tray, rap it a few times on the counter to get rid of large air pockets, this will make the design show on a smoother surface.
• Use a gentle folding movement with a spatula to incorporate the meringue into the wet flour mixture. Do not stir, this will prevent the air in the meringue from deflating.
• Add more cream along the short edge of the cake which is to be rolled first. This will prevent the cake from cracking due to large gaps in between the folds. These angled spatulas will come in handy for even frosting any time of cake. Instead of putting your hands directly onto the cake, use the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself as you roll.
• Fold gently and do not worry too much about rolling the cake very tightly. As long as the cream is spread out evenly (with a bit more along the short edge as per above), the amount of cream in this recipe will allow the sheet cake to hold up without cracking due to large gaps.
• Chill the bowl, beaters and whipped cream for optimal whipping volume. They should all be be very cold. Whipping in a stainless steel bowl placed on top of a bed of ice will help keep things nice and cool on a hot day.
• Gelatin is added to the whipped cream to help stabilize it. Many recipes do not include this step but I prefer it when using whipped cream in a cake roll. It prevents the cream from deflating so the roll stays rounder and looks nicer. You can leave this step out if you plan on serving the cake immediately. If you need further guidance on stabilizing the cream, please read my post on How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Gelatin.
• If you find rolling the cake and stabilizing the whipped cream is too time-consuming, try this easy Japanese Peach Cake in a Cup, it has the same great chiffon base but doesn't require rolling or whipped cream stabilization and can be baked in a pan of any size.

Step By Step - Cake Roll

Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with toaster-sized silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar). In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.

Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this flour mixture aside.

In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.

Increase speed to med-high, whip until soft peaks and add then add gel color. Continue whipping until stiff peaks (Note 6). This is now called the meringue.

Gently fold the meringue into the wet flour mixture in three additions.

Pour the batter into a cake pan. Spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake for 10-12 min. until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.

Let cool in pan for 5 min. Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack while making the cotton candy whipped cream.

Step By Step - Cotton Candy Whipped Cream

Place beaters, bowl and cream in fridge to chill. It's important for these tools and ingredients to be completely chilled before whipping. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.

Immediately start whipping the cream and sugar on medium speed.

Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl while continuing to whip. Add extract.

Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff. Do not over whip. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

Step By Step - Assembly

Spread the cream onto the cake with a bit of extra on the side that is to be rolled first. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to set before cutting. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Cotton candy cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

To prevent the cake roll from sagging, stabilization of the cream filling is key. After that, employing an extra rolling technique with plastic wrap will further guide the cake towards a round shape. After assembling the cake with the cream, wrap the assembled cake in plastic wrap. Once it's secured inside the first piece of plastic, place it on a new piece of plastic and start wrapping it again while gently rolling it away from you, making sure you are creating a log shape at the same time. Just use gentle pressure, we don't want to squish the fluffy cake base! Allow the assembled cake to firm up in the fridge for several hours before serving. Doing the above steps will give you a beautiful round cake log at home.

Ideas for Decorating Cotton Candy Cake Roll

The wonderful thing about cotton candy flavor is it's adaptability for a variety of themes and colors. Most cotton candy flavored baked goods usually come in a combination of pink and baby blue but I think any pastel color would be nice as well. To create a combo color effect, you can split the finished batter in half and color it accordingly, then alternate between colors when you pour it into the pan. For a dramatic effect, you can decorate it with real cotton candy. I've seen them sold in tubs at gourmet candy stores, wholesale clubs or in handy little packets online. Take note that cotton candy shrinks after being exposed to air so add it to the cake only before serving. It's also best not to let it touch any elements with high moisture like whipped cream.

FAQ

Why Does My Cake Roll Crack?

The main culprits of cakes that crack are: problems with the recipe, overhandling or incorrect rolling techniques. First, not all cake recipes are meant for rolling into a cake roll. I've tested all my cake roll recipes countless times and I can confirm the cake base is indeed flexible enough for rolling into a cake log.

Second, overhandling can cause the cake to crack. Therefore, I've eliminated the extra step of rolling up the cake while warm for "muscle memory". This cake recipe is flexible enough that we can just leave the cake to cool on a rack to release moisture while we make the cream. Once the cream is completed, we can begin to roll the cake immediately.

Lastly, using the correct rolling technique will prevent the cake from cracking. Add a little bit more cream on the short edge that is to be rolled first. This will give the log more cushion in the center so it won't crack due to large gaps. Use gentle pressure and don't worry about rolling the cake too tight, you can shape the log into a round log later with the tip in the section above. Make sure to bake the cake in the correct sized pan, below.

Can I Bake This Cake in a Different Sized Pan?

The cake pan used in this recipe has been tested to provide the optimal amount of cake to cream ratio. The height of the cake is just high enough that it's light and fluffy but not so much that it needs to be folded into itself many times. If you don't have the proper pan size, you can use aluminum foil to make one or roll it up to create a dam inside your larger-sized cake pan. This post will show you how to bake this chiffon cake in any sized cake pan.

Why Doesn't the Skin on the Cake Roll Come Off Neatly?

It should be noted that not all cake roll recipes intend for the "skin" to come off, the ingredients play a part in whether or not the parchment paper peels off clean after baking. This particular recipe is formulated for use as a pattern cake roll so it should peel off neatly if you use the correct temperature and tools. Keep the temperature low and consistent. We're using 325F here to start but you may need to adjust it if you find that the skin is sticking. You can either lower the temperature or pull out the cake a bit earlier.

Next, using the right tools help the skin to peel off more readily. Line the cake pan with parchment paper or better yet, a silicone baking mat. You might have to find a heavy duty paper brand and do not use wax paper.

Other Cake Rolls You Will Love

Get creative and match this cotton candy cake roll with other flavored fillings. These recipes below will provide you with inspiration on how to flavor the cream while keeping it strong and sturdy for use in a cake roll.

• Strawberry Cake Roll with Fresh Cream
• Matcha Green Tea Cake Roll with Adzuki Bean Cream
• Chocolate Cake Roll with Real Chocolate Whipped Cream
• Coffee Cake Roll with Kahlúa Cream
• Earl Grey Tea Cake Roll
• Carrot Spice Cake Roll with Marscapone Cream
• Gingerbread Spice Cake Roll
• Pumpkin Spice Cake Roll
• Peach Cake in a Cup and How to Cake Roll Cake in Different Sized Pans

Recipe

Yield: 8 slices

Japanese Cotton Candy Cake Roll

Print

Soft and fluffy, subtly sweet Japanese style cotton candy cake roll. Easy to use chiffon cake recipe that doesn't crack easily while rolling.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Mix for Cake Base

• 70 grams cake flour, cake flour (Note 2)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Mix for Cake Base

• 90 ml whole fat milk
• 20 ml vegetable oil (Note 3)
• 30 grams granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cotton candy extract

Meringue

• 6 egg whites, room temperature
• 55 grams granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (Note 4)
• Gel color in desired colors

Stabilized Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream (36% M.F.) (Note 5), chilled
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar to taste
• 1 teaspoon cotton candy extract
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
• 4 teaspoon water

Instructions

Cotton Candy Cake Roll

1. Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with toaster-sized silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
3. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar).
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
5. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.
6. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this flour mixture aside.
7. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
8. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.
9. Increase speed to med-high, whip until soft peaks and add then add gel color. Continue whipping until stiff peaks (Note 6). This is now called the meringue.
10. Gently fold the meringue into the wet flour mixture in three additions.
11. Pour the batter into a cake pan.
12. Spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
13. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
14. Bake for 10-12 min. until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
15. Let cool in pan for 5 min.
16. Place cooling rack over cake pan.
17. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper.
18. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack while making the cotton candy whipped cream.

Stabilized Cotton Candy Whipped Cream

1. Place beaters, bowl and cream in fridge to chill. It's important for these tools and ingredients to be completely chilled before whipping.
2. Place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
3. Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
4. Immediately start whipping the cream and sugar on medium speed.
5. Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl while continuing to whip.
6. Add extract.
7. Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff (Note 6). Do not over whip.
8. Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

Assembly

1. Spread the cream onto the cake with a bit of extra on the side that is to be rolled first (Note 7).
2. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself.
3. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.
4. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Cotton candy cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Notes

1. Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.

2. Cake flour is preferable for a soft fluffy texture. It can be substituted with All-Purpose Flour.

3. Neutral oil choices: canola, grapeseed, avocado

4. Cream of tartar is an acid that helps to stabilize the egg whites, it can be replaced with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.

5. Heavy cream is cream with milk fat content of 35%+ (also labelled as 35% M.F.) It can be substituted with whipping cream which has milk fat of 30%+. Heavy cream is preferred for it's stability.

6. Soft Peaks: When the whisk is pulled out of the mixture and the peaks fold back/melt into itself. Stiff Peaks: When the whisk is pulled out and the peaks hold their shape and points upwards.

7. Depending on the volume your cream attains once whipped, not all of the cream may be needed. A layer about ½" is recommended, with a bit more on the edge that will be rolled first.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Knox Original Unflavored Gelatine Dessert Mix (32 Packets)
• 
  Gel Food Coloring AmeriColor Junior Kit, 8 Colors.75 Ounce Bottles
• 
  Toaster Oven Size Silpat Non-stick Silicone Baking Mat

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 278Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 35mgSodium 129mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 0gSugar 13gProtein 6g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

The fluffiest gingerbread cheesecake Swiss roll made with a flexible Japanese-style chiffon cake base that's easy to roll up. Perfect festive dessert for the cheesecake lover.

This gingerbread cheesecake roll was inspired by the flavours and ingredients from my latest cake roll recipe: Pumpkin cake roll with cream cheese filling. One thing different that I wanted to achieve in this recipe is the stabilization of the cheesecake filling. It just gives this Swiss roll a more distinctive cheesecake flavour and a sturdier filling to keep the Swiss roll nice and round. Many readers have commented on how fluffy they found the chiffon base of my other cake rolls, I think you'll really enjoy the Asian-style take on this traditional Christmas dessert. If you make this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment below or on Instagram and Facebook. I love to hear your feedback. Happy Holidays!

XOXO,
Mimi

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Festive flavored Swiss roll that's a good foundation for holiday themed desserts
• Great base for Christmas Bûche de Noël/cake log.
• Flexible cake base prevents cracking
• Japanese-style fluffy cake base - the fluffiest gingerbread cake around!
• Stabilized cheesecake filling is strong and sturdy for presentation on dessert tables

What Makes This Cake Roll So Fluffy?

Like most of the cakes in my cake roll collection, this gingerbread cake roll uses a chiffon cake base. Chiffon cakes are a type of sponge cake that relies on egg whites as the leavening agent and uses oil as the fat, making it very soft and fluffy, even straight out of the fridge (because it doesn't harden like it would with butter).

How This Recipe Differs From My Previous Ones

As mentioned above, this cake roll uses a chiffon cake base that contains both egg yolks and egg whites giving it a richer flavor. In this way it's similar to these cake rolls: strawberry cake roll, chocolate cake roll, carrot cake roll, coffee cake roll, pumpkin cake roll and matcha cake roll. It's dissimilar to the yolk-less fancy pattern cake roll which uses only egg whites for a leaner tasting cake that is easier to color accurately and draw beautiful prints with.

Do I Need to Stabilize the Cheesecake Filling?

The cheesecake filling in this cake is similar to the one from pumpkin cream cheese cake roll. That one is easier to prepare and contains only 4 ingredients but will be less sturdy. This one, on the other hand, is stabilized and tastes more like cheesecake. For use in a cake roll, I like stabilizing the cheesecake filling with gelatin because it's more aesthetically pleasing - the roll stays rounder, and the filling won't start pushing out from the ends. It's not necessary to stabilize it if you're not too picky about the way it looks.

Recipe alternatives: You can also try filling this gingerbread roll with this Mascarpone Whipped Cream filling, it's similar in taste but it has less tang.

Gingerbread Spice Substitutes

The shells for these gingerbread spice macarons are infused with classic gingerbread spices of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. The first 3 spices are commonly found in most home spice racks because they are often used in a variety of recipes. If you don't have them yet, it's worth investing in. However, if you would rather not buy a few bottles of spices that you might not use again, you can substitute all the spices in the recipe with an equal amount of a manufacturer's Gingerbread spice blend like the one I've linked below. Lastly, if you have all three spices except for cloves, you can also substitute it with allspice or cinnamon.

How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions

Dry Mix for Cake Batter

• Cake flour - a low protein flour which will help make this cake softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cake will be a little tougher than if using cake flour.
• Baking powder -  it acts as a leavening agent in case there is any weaknesses in the meringue. It can be skipped if you don't have any and you're careful with the meringue preparation.
• Ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg - all the spices together can be substituted with gingerbread spice.
• Sea salt - used to highlight the flavors in the cake. Use half the amount if using table salt.

Wet Mix for Cake Batter

• Milk
• Neutral vegetable oil - neutral tasting canola, grapeseed, avocado oils are all good choices.
• Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture and to break up the grains in the dry mix.
• Egg yolks - from large sized eggs.
• Vanilla extract - rounds out the flavors. Since vanilla is not the main flavor, feel free to use an artificial kind to save costs as pure vanilla can be quite pricey.

Meringue for Cake Batter

• Egg whites - from large eggs. Room temperature ones will whip to volume better. Soak cold eggs in warm water to bring to room temperature quickly.
• Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar. You can skip it if you're careful with the whipping.
• Granulated sugar

Stabilized Cheesecake Filling

• Gelatin powder - use only the unflavored kind. I prefer Knox gelatin.
• Cream cheese - use the full-fat brick type as cream cheese in a tub is too soft for use in this cake. It must be COLD.
• Sour cream - gives this cheesecake filling its traditional tartness
• Heavy cream - is a cream with a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. Whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35%. Even with just a small percentage change, heavy cream yields a more stable whipped cream and is preferable in this recipe. Whipping cream can be used but the frosting will have slightly less structure. Cream must be chilled*
• Granulated sugar - adds sweetness. Use only 20 grams if you prefer a more tart cheesecake taste.
• Vanilla extract - use either pure or artificial.
• Lemon juice - is a concentrated way to add tang to traditional cheesecake without compromising its structure.

Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

• A strong and healthy meringue (whipped egg whites with sugar) is needed to act as one of the leavening agents in this cake. Egg whites should be whipped in a clean and dry non-plastic bowl since plastic tends to trap oil. Egg whites don't whip well in the presence of oil and water. To further remove oils, use a paper towel and wipe down the mixing bowl with lemon or vinegar before you start.
• Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks when the eggs are cold. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. An egg separator can come in handy.
• Bring the egg whites to a stiff peak. This is characterized by egg whites that have a beak that points upwards (instead of slumped over) when the whisk is pulled out.
• Once the liquid is introduced to the flour, do not over mix. This will produce more gluten, making the cake less tender.
• Use a gentle folding movement with a spatula to incorporate the meringue into the wet flour mixture. Do not stir, this will prevent the air in the meringue from deflating.
• After pouring the batter into the cake tray, rap it a few times on the counter to get rid of large air pockets, this will make the design show on a smoother surface.
• Chill the bowl, beaters and whipped cream for optimal whipping volume. They should all be be very cold. Whipping in a stainless steel bowl placed on top of a bed of ice will help keep things nice and cool on a hot day.
• Gelatin is added to the whipped cream to help stabilize it. Many recipes do not include this step but I prefer it when using whipped cream in a cake roll. It prevents the cream from deflating so the roll stays rounder and looks nicer. You can leave this step out if you plan on serving the cake immediately. If you need further guidance on stabilizing the cream, please read my post on How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Gelatin.
• Add more cream along the short edge of the cake which is to be rolled first. This will prevent the cake from cracking due to large gaps in between the folds. These angled spatulas will come in handy for even frosting any time of cake. Instead of putting your hands directly onto the cake, use the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself as you roll.
• Fold gently and do not worry too much about rolling the cake very tightly. As long as the cream is spread out evenly (with a bit more along the short edge as per above), the amount of cream in this recipe will allow the sheet cake to hold up without cracking due to large gaps.
• If you find rolling the cake and stabilizing the whipped cream is too time-consuming, try this easy Japanese Peach Cake in a Cup, it has the same great chiffon base but doesn't require rolling or whipped cream stabilization and can be baked in a pan of any size.

Tips for Making the Cheesecake Filling

• Cold ingredients & tools - all the ingredients and tools need to be chilled completely before whipping.
• For best results, place mixing bowl (preferably stainless steel) over a bed of ice while whipping.
• Heavy cream - using cream with a higher milk fat content of 35%+ will yield more stable results.
• Counter mixer - whipping on a high speed with the balloon whisk will allow the cream to whip up to volume quickly before it starts warming up. If using a handheld mixer, use the highest speed possible and place bowl over a bowl of ice.

Step By Step - Gingerbread Cake Base

Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper/silicone mat. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.

Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this gingerbread-flour mixture aside. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.

Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks (when the whisk is pulled out the tips of the egg whites will point upwards without drooping on itself.) This is now called the meringue.

Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the gingerbread-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately.

Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center. Let cool in pan for 5 min.

Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper/mat. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it cool while making the cheesecake filling.

Step By Step - Stabilized Cheesecake Filling

Chill mixing bowl and beaters into refrigerator. Add cool water to heat-proof cup, sprinkle gelatin powder on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes until granules have swelled. Bring a pot of water to boil. Place cup in boiling water, remove when the gelatin becomes liquid.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the cold cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla on medium-low speed until it all comes together.

Add the chilled cream into the mixing bowl and whip on high until the beater starts leaving trails in the cream. Check on the gelatin, it should no longer be hot but still liquid. Pour the liquid gelatin into the bowl while whipping, aim for the area in between the bowl and whisk. Whip until stiff peaks.

Use cream immediately to assemble cake roll.

How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

To prevent the cake roll from sagging, stabilization of the cream filling is key. After assembling the cake with the cream, wrap the assembled cake roll in plastic wrap. Once it's secured inside the first piece of plastic, place it on a new piece of plastic and start wrapping it again while gently rolling it away from you, making sure you are creating a log shape at the same time. Just use gentle pressure, we don't want to squish the fluffy cake base! Allow the assembled cake to firm up in the fridge for several hours before serving. Doing the above steps will give you a beautiful round cake log at home.

Can I Bake This Cake in a Different Sized Pan?

The cake pan used in this recipe has been tested to provide the optimal amount of cake to cream ratio. The height of the cake is just high enough that it's light and fluffy but not so much that it needs to be folded into itself many times. If you don't have the proper pan size, you can use aluminum foil to make one or roll it up to create a dam inside your larger-sized cake pan. This post will show you how to bake this chiffon cake in any sized cake pan.

Gingerbread Cake Roll Decorating Ideas

There are many ways to decorate gingerbread cake roll to make it extra festive for the holiday season. You can add Christmas macarons, mini gingerbread cookies, Christmas chocolates, peppermint meringues or mushroom meringues etc. The trick is to not add too many heavy decorations or buttercream or it will weigh the fluffy cake down. For a really Christmas-y vibe, you can also turn this cake roll into a classic Yule Log or Bûche de Noël with this recipe.

To get the same look as my cake, pipe the frosting with a large open star piping tip (I used Wilton 1M). For the decorations, I used gingerbread man macarons held up by skewers. Please note that the cream used in this cake does contain more moisture than buttercream so it will eventually eat away at the macarons. To combat this, only add the macarons right before serving or use a buttercream if you have it handy. Here's a recipe for Swiss buttercream that I use to fill my macarons with great success.

Recipe

Yield: 8 slices

Fluffiest Gingerbread Cheesecake Swiss Roll

Print

The fluffiest gingerbread cheesecake Swiss roll made with a flexible Japanese-style chiffon cake base that's easy to roll up. Perfect festive dessert for the cheesecake lover.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 12 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Mix for Cake Batter

• 45 grams cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients for Cake Batter

• 50 ml milk
• 40 ml neutral vegetable oil*
• 25 grams granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Meringue for Cake Batter

• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar*
• 50 grams granulated sugar

Stabilized Cheesecake Filling

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
• 4 teaspoon water
• 130 grams cream cheese, cold*
• 45 grams sour cream
• 35 grams granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 250 ml heavy cream, chilled*
• Optional: lemon juice, to taste

Instructions

Fluffiest Gingerbread Cheesecake Swiss Roll

1. Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper/silicone mat.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
3. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
5. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.
6. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this gingerbread-flour mixture aside.
7. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
8. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.
9. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks (when the whisk is pulled out the tips of the egg whites will point upwards without drooping on itself.) This is now called the meringue.
10. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the gingerbread-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 
11. Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
12. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
13. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
14. Let cool in pan for 5 min.
15. Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper/mat.
16. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it cool while making the cheesecake filling.

Stabilized Cheesecake Filling

1. Chill mixing bowl and beaters into refrigerator.
2. Add cool water to heat-proof cup, sprinkle gelatin powder on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes until granules have swelled.
3. Bring a pot of water to boil.
4. Place cup in boiling water, remove when the gelatin becomes liquid.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whip the cold cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla on medium-low speed until it all comes together.
6. Add the chilled cream into the mixing bowl and whip on high until the beater starts leaving trails in the cream.
7. Check on the gelatin, it should no longer be hot but still liquid.
8. Pour the liquid gelatin into the bowl while whipping, aim for the area in between the bowl and whisk. Whip until stiff peaks.
9. Optional: add a few drops of lemon juice to taste for a tangier cheesecake flavor.
10. Use cream immediately to assemble cake roll.

Assembly

1. Lay plastic wrap on the counter, flip cake onto it.
2. Spread the cream onto the cake with a bit of extra on the side that is to be rolled first.
3. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the plastic wrap to help push the cake onto itself.
4. For a rounder cake, wrap one more time with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to set before cutting (see post for details).
5. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Gingerbread cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Notes

• Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.
• Cake flour is preferable for a soft fluffy texture. It can be substituted with All-Purpose Flour.
• Neutral oil choices: canola, grapeseed, avocado
• Cream of tartar is an acid that helps to stabilize the egg whites, it can be replaced with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
• Heavy cream is cream with milk fat content of 35%+ (also labelled as 35% M.F.) It can be substituted with whipping cream which has milk fat of 30%+. Heavy cream is preferred for it's stability.
• Cream and cream cheese must be COLD otherwise the mixture will be soupy.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Amazon Brand - Happy Belly Cream of Tartar, 5 Ounces
• 
  Toaster Oven Size Silpat Non-stick Silicone Baking Mat
• 
  1M Open Star Piping Tip(2pk)
• 
  McCormick Ground Ginger, 1.5 oz
• 
  McCormick Gingerbread Spice (Pack of 2)
• 
  McCormick Ground Cinnamon, 7.12 oz
• 
  McCormick Ground Ginger, 1.5 oz
• 
  Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese, For A Keto And Low Carb Lifestyle, 8 Oz Bricks, 8 Oz (Pack of 2)
• 
  Knox Original Unflavored Gelatin (32 ct Packets)
• 
  PME Anodized Aluminum Oblong Cake Pan, 8 x 12 x 3-Inch Deep
• 
  Cuisinart CTG-00-3MS Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 297Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 117mgSodium 173mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 0gSugar 18gProtein 5g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe? Share your results with me 🙂

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Super fluffy Asian-style pumpkin spice cake roll filled with a delicious 4-ingredient cream cheese frosting. So delicious for celebrating Thanksgiving and Halloween!

This pumpkin spice cake roll recipe has been a year in the making. To add a Fall flavor to my fluffy cake roll collection, I started testing this recipe out as soon as pumpkin puree was available at the local stores last autumn but was ultimately unable to finish it because I was prescribed to be on bedrest for the rest of my pregnancy. This fall season, my now 6-month old twins are finally sleeping through the night, giving me some extra energy to finish it once and for all. This recipe took a year so I had the opportunity to try several different techniques and fillings.

I'm really happy with the results and think you will enjoy the Asian-style take on this traditional North American Thanksgiving dessert. The cake body itself is super fluffy and semi-sweet while the filling is a nice balance between tangy and sweet. Let me know what you think!

XOXO,
Mimi

Why You'll Love this Recipe

• Easy to follow for beginners
• Flexible cake base prevents cracking
• Asian-style fluffy cake base and semi-sweet taste
• Simple 4-ingredient cream cheese filling is easy to prepare

What is an Asian-Style Pumpkin Swiss Roll?

Growing up in a Chinese family and living life abroad as an exchange student in Japan, I can say I haven't experienced eating Asian-style cakes or desserts featuring pumpkins. Personally, I don't believe it's a very common ingredient in Asian desserts like it is here in North America. Therefore, I wanted to create this recipe and share my own take on what I think an Asian-inspired pumpkin cake roll would taste like. Like most Asian desserts, it's semi-sweet with a light and airy texture. The cake base is a chiffon cake, a type of sponge cake. For it's fat, oil is used instead of butter which makes the cake very fluffy, even when it comes out straight from the fridge. An added bonus of it being a chiffon cake is it's flexibility for rolling into a Swiss roll - no more cracks in the cake! I made this recipe this year for two Thanksgiving gatherings with both friends and family and it was a big hit!

What Kind of Pumpkin Filling Should I Use?

Use pumpkin puree in this recipe, it is made from a pumpkin that has been cooked and processed to a smooth consistency. It is usually sold in canned form at the grocery store. The ingredient label will say, "100% pure pumpkin". There's a lot of discussion that the pumpkin puree found in canned pumpkins isn't really pumpkins but different types of squash. This is because of the looser restrictions allowed on labelling this product, read this Epicurious article on What's Really In Canned Pumpkin. I used a simple canned pumpkin and found the pumpkin taste to be just fine with me. I would not recommend using homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe due to the excess moisture that might be left in the puree, it can make the cake too wet. Do not use "pumpkin pie filling" since it contains other ingredients that will alter the taste and texture of this cake roll.

How Sturdy is this Cream Cheese Frosting?

This 4-ingredient cream cheese frosting is one of the easiest fillings to prepare in my cake roll series. It doesn't use gelatin to stabilize the cream and relies on the cream cheese and powdered sugar for structure. As such, it's not the strongest filling but I wanted to provide this option for those who wanted an easier method. The cake roll will sag a little bit but it won't be at an unacceptable level (most other pumpkin cake roll recipes use a similar recipe. I just happen to be a bit picky with the aesthetics sometimes - quite unnecessary really.) Some tips you can follow to make the sturdiest cream cheese frosting: use COLD cream cheese, CHILLED cream and preferably HEAVY cream instead of whipping cream. If you want it to be more sturdy with a similar flavor, try the stabilized cheesecake filling in this Gingerbread Cake Roll recipe (it's more tangy) or Carrot Cake Roll recipe (it's less tangy).

How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions

Dry Mix for Cake Batter

• Cake flour - a low protein flour which will help make this cake softer than if using AP flour. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Grocery stores usually sell a combination of cake and pastry flour at 7-9% protein. It can be substituted with all-purpose flour but the cake will be a little tougher than if using cake flour.
• Baking powder -  it acts as a leavening agent in case there is any weaknesses in the meringue. It can be skipped if you don't have any and you're careful with the meringue preparation.
• Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger - all the spices together can be substituted with pumpkin pie spice.
• Sea salt - used to highlight the flavors in the cake. Use half the amount if using table salt.

Wet Mix for Cake Batter

• Pumpkin puree - use a canned one as homemade ones can contain too much moisture for use in this recipe. The label should say "100% pure pumpkin", do not use pumpkin pie filling.
• Neutral vegetable oil - neutral tasting canola, grapeseed, avocado oils are all good choices.
• Granulated sugar - this first set of sugar is added into the wet ingredients to help add moisture and to break up the grains in the dry mix.
• Egg yolks - from large sized eggs.

Meringue for Cake Batter

• Egg whites - from large eggs. Room temperature ones will whip to volume better. Soak cold eggs in warm water to bring to room temperature quickly.
• Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the meringue. It can be substituted with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar. You can skip it if you're careful with the whipping.
• Granulated sugar

4-ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream cheese - use the full-fat brick type as cream cheese in a tub is too soft for use in this cake. It must be COLD.
• Powdered sugar - aka icing sugar. For best results, sift before using to prevent sugar lumps in the frosting.
• Heavy cream - is a cream with a minimum milk fat content of 36% and above. Whipping cream has milk fat content of 30-35%. Even with just a small percentage change, heavy cream yields a more stable whipped cream and is preferable in this recipe. Whipping cream can be used but the frosting will have slightly less structure. Cream must be chilled*
• Vanilla extract - use either pure or artificial.

Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

• A strong and healthy meringue (whipped egg whites with sugar) is needed to act as one of the leavening agents in this cake. Egg whites should be whipped in a clean and dry non-plastic bowl since plastic tends to trap oil. Egg whites don't whip well in the presence of oil and water. To further remove oils, use a paper towel and wipe down the mixing bowl with lemon or vinegar before you start.
• Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks when the eggs are cold. Make sure no yolks are present in the egg whites. An egg separator can come in handy.
• Bring the egg whites to a stiff peak. This is characterized by egg whites that have a beak that points upwards (instead of slumped over) when the whisk is pulled out.
• Once the liquid is introduced to the flour, do not over mix. This will produce more gluten, making the cake less tender.
• Use a gentle folding movement with a spatula to incorporate the meringue into the wet flour mixture. Do not stir, this will prevent the air in the meringue from deflating.
• After pouring the batter into the cake tray, rap it a few times on the counter to get rid of large air pockets, this will make the design show on a smoother surface.
• Chill the bowl, beaters and whipped cream for optimal whipping volume. They should all be be very cold. Whipping in a stainless steel bowl placed on top of a bed of ice will help keep things nice and cool on a hot day.
• Gelatin is added to the whipped cream to help stabilize it. Many recipes do not include this step but I prefer it when using whipped cream in a cake roll. It prevents the cream from deflating so the roll stays rounder and looks nicer. You can leave this step out if you plan on serving the cake immediately. If you need further guidance on stabilizing the cream, please read my post on How to Stabilize Whipped Cream with Gelatin.
• Add more cream along the short edge of the cake which is to be rolled first. This will prevent the cake from cracking due to large gaps in between the folds. These angled spatulas will come in handy for even frosting any time of cake. Instead of putting your hands directly onto the cake, use the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself as you roll.
• Fold gently and do not worry too much about rolling the cake very tightly. As long as the cream is spread out evenly (with a bit more along the short edge as per above), the amount of cream in this recipe will allow the sheet cake to hold up without cracking due to large gaps.
• If you find rolling the cake and stabilizing the whipped cream is too time-consuming, try this easy Japanese Peach Cake in a Cup, it has the same great chiffon base but doesn't require rolling or whipped cream stabilization and can be baked in a pan of any size.

Step By Step - Pumpkin Cake Roll

Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper or silicone mat. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.

Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this pumpkin-flour mixture aside. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.

Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks (when the whisk is pulled out the tips of the egg whites will point upwards without drooping on itself.) This is now called the meringue.

Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the pumpkin-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 

Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center. Let cool in pan for 5 min. Place cooling rack over cake pan.

Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper/mat. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack for 5 min. Flip the cake over and remove rack, let it cool while making the cream cheese frosting.

In case you were wondering... my toddler loves to help me bake and she has become quite a boss in the kitchen. She literally would not let me appear in these process shots so here she is in her hand modelling debut 🙂

How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

To prevent the cake roll from sagging, stabilization of the cream filling is key. As discussed above, this cream cheese filling is not the sturdiest filling in my cake roll collection so employing an extra rolling technique with plastic wrap will further guide the cake towards a round shape. After assembling the cake with the cream, wrap the assembled cake roll in plastic wrap. Once it's secured inside the first piece of plastic, place it on a new piece of plastic and start wrapping it again while gently rolling it away from you, making sure you are creating a log shape at the same time. Just use gentle pressure, we don't want to squish the fluffy cake base! Allow the assembled cake to firm up in the fridge for several hours before serving. Doing the above steps will give you a beautiful round cake log at home. Alternative Tip: I also like the taste of Mascarpone Whipped Cream filling for use in this pumpkin roll, it's similar in taste to cream cheese with less tang and made sturdier with stabilization.

Can I Bake This Cake in a Different Sized Pan?

The cake pan used in this recipe has been tested to provide the optimal amount of cake to cream ratio. The height of the cake is just high enough that it's light and fluffy but not so much that it needs to be folded into itself many times. If you don't have the proper pan size, you can use aluminum foil to make one or roll it up to create a dam inside your larger-sized cake pan. This post will show you how to bake this chiffon cake in any sized cake pan.

How I Decorated This Cake

This pumpkin cake roll tastes very delicious on its own so you don't really need to add extra frosting or decorations but it can really make your cake look extra attractive for a special occasion. For the frosting, you'll need to multiply the ingredients for the cream cheese frosting by 1.5X. To get the same look as my cake, pipe the frosting with a large French star piping tip (I used Atecco 867). For the pumpkins, the easiest way is to sculpt them out of pre-made fondant or marzipan colored with gel colors.

Recipe

Yield: 8 slices

Asian-style pumpkin spice cake roll with cream cheese filling.

Print

Super fluffy Asian-style pumpkin spice cake roll filled with a delicious 4-ingredient cream cheese frosting. So delicious for celebrating Thanksgiving and Halloween!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 12 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Mix for Cake Batter

• 45 grams cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients for Cake Batter

• 70 grams pumpkin puree*
• 30 ml neutral vegetable oil*
• 25 grams granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks

Meringue for Cake Batter

• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar*
• 50 grams granulated sugar

4-ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting

• 95 grams cream cheese, cold*
• 55 grams powdered sugar, sifted
• 250 ml heavy cream, chilled*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Asian-style Pumpkin Spice Cake Roll

1. Line a 8 X 12" rectangular cake pan with parchment paper/silicone mat.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F.
3. In a small bowl, combine all the "wet" ingredients together with a whisk and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
5. Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the "wet" ingredients.
6. Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set this pumpkin-flour mixture aside.
7. In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
8. Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.
9. Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks (when the whisk is pulled out the tips of the egg whites will point upwards without drooping on itself.) This is now called the meringue.
10. Gently fold ⅓ of the meringue into the pumpkin-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately. 
11. Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
12. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
13. Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
14. Let cool in pan for 5 min.
15. Place cooling rack over cake pan. Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper/mat.
16. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it cool while making the cream cheese frosting.

4-ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Whip the cold cream cheese until fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar and stir on lowest setting until it's just blended enough to keep the powder dust down.
3. Add vanilla and increase speed to medium.
4. Pour in chilled heavy cream and increase speed to high. Whip until stiff. Do not over whip.
5. Use immediately to assemble cake roll.

Assembly

1. Lay plastic wrap on the counter, flip cake onto it.
2. Spread the cream onto the cake with a bit of extra on the side that is to be rolled first.
3. Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the plastic wrap to help push the cake onto itself.
4. For a rounder cake, wrap one more time with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to set before cutting (see post for details).
5. Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Pumpkin cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Notes

• To decorate cake with more cream like in the photo, multiply the ingredients for cream cheese frosting by 1.5X.
• Some ingredients are repeated, use them in the same order as outlined in instructions.
• Use canned "100% pure pumpkin", not pumpkin pie filling.
• Cake flour is preferable for a soft fluffy texture. It can be substituted with All-Purpose Flour.
• Neutral oil choices: canola, grapeseed, avocado
• Cream of tartar is an acid that helps to stabilize the egg whites, it can be replaced with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
• Heavy cream is cream with milk fat content of 35%+ (also labelled as 35% M.F.) It can be substituted with whipping cream which has milk fat of 30%+. Heavy cream is preferred for it's stability, especially in this recipe.
• Cream and cream cheese must be COLD otherwise the frosting will be soupy.
• Stiff peaks are characterized by egg whites that have a pointed peak when the whisk is pulled out. It points upwards and doesn't droop on itself.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Wilton Decorator Preferred White, 5 lb. Fondant, Pack of 1
• 
  PME Anodized Aluminum Oblong Cake Pan, 8 x 12 x 3-Inch Deep
• 
  Cuisinart CTG-00-3MS Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 297Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 117mgSodium 173mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 0gSugar 18gProtein 5g

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although indulgewithmimi.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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