Drum roll, please. Welcome the heavenly chocolate cake roll. Unlike most recipes for a Yule Log, Yodel, Ho-Ho, or other roulade cakes, this one does not crack or sever easily. Rather, this lighter-than-air chocolate angel food cake, rolled up while still warm in a tea towel and let cool in a spiral, unrolls without a hackle or crackle, easily embraces a whipped cream filling, and re-rolls effortlessly and quickly, making it the baker’s dream child.
One’s patience escapes being tested twice: not only is it the most intact rolled cake recipe you’ll find, it also has only a brief baking stint in the oven- only 8 minutes in the magical heating chamber and out emerges a heavenly-light, chocolaty cake. The espresso whipped cream, sweetened with a whisper of finely grated orange zest, is the perfect partner to intensify the chocolate without anchoring the cake down. A feather-light dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder makes the cake assembly easier and adds a celebratory flourish on top.
Many roll cakes are brick-like, laden with unnecessary sugar and fat. Here, the batter is fat-free with a billowy cloud of whipped egg whites folded into a sifted mixture of unsweetened black cocoa powder, whole wheat pastry flour, and sugar, producing a beautifully light batter. Pause to admire the dramatic marbling.
You could almost call this cake healthy, right? It’s loaded with protein from the egg whites, whole grains from the whole wheat pastry flour, and heart-healthy antioxidants from the unsweetened cocoa. Slip some berries in the whipped cream, and you’ve got your fruit serving, moving the cake easily and unapologetically into the breakfast category. Not to say that we haven’t done that…
You could make this cake gluten-free and even airier by omitting the flour completely, and you’ve got a Chocolate Meringue Roulade. You couldn’t go wrong trying berries with the Strawberry Meringue Roulade from Food and Wine or from Epicurious.
We used only black cocoa powder, a super-dark Dutch-processed cocoa with an intense, dark color. The rich cocoa makes the darkest chocolate, Oreo color cake you’ve ever seen. Mix with other cocoas, such as natural cocoa powder, or just use the Special Dark, a blend of natural and Dutch-process cocoas, for a less bitter chocolate flavor. Learn more about the different cocoas available in King Arthur Flour’s post about making the best choice of cocoa for every recipe.
This recipe proves that cakes have so much potential beyond dessert. Layer the tender cake with whipped cream before rolling and chilling to create an impressive breakfast, snack, or anytime treat. Light and airy, with flecks of espresso and orange zest, this easy chocolate angel food cake roulade is the ideal ending whether to a summer meal or fortifying winter feast
Chocolate Roll Cake with Espresso Whipped Cream
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| Cook: | Yield: makes one 14-inch roulade | Total: |
Chocolate-flavored desserts are a favorite with most. Here is a true winner- a lighter-than-air chocolate cake with espresso whipped cream- to satisfy the most discriminating chocolate-lover. Cocoa keeps this heavenly cake from tasting too sweet, and espresso powder and fresh orange zest or Grand Marnier impart pops of flavor to the cream filling. This easy roulade is the ideal ending to a summer meal or hearty winter feast. Adapted from Genevieve Ko's Chocolate Raspberry Roulade in her fantastic Better Baking cookbook
You'll Need...
- 1/4 cup (34 g) whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup (36 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (24 g) unsweetened Dutch (or Black) cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 3/4 cup (156 g) sugar
- 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Espresso Cream Filling
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar (use more if you prefer a sweet filling)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 to 2 tablespoons liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, if desired
Directions
- Make the cake. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 10-by-15-1-inch sheet baking or jellyroll pan. Line the bottom with parchment, and spray the parchment.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Gradually whisk in the remaining ½ cup (104 g) sugar. Raise the speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff and glossy (not dry) peaks form. Whisk in the vanilla until incorporated. Sift half of the flour mixture over the egg white mixture, and gently stir in just until incorporated. Careful to not deflate the batter. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until cake feels dry (but very soft) to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It will still seem a little underbaked.
- Sift one tablespoon of cocoa over the top of the cake. Run a knife around the edges of the cake. Place a sheet of parchment paper larger than the cake and a wire rack on top of the cake. Invert the pan and rack together and lift off the pan. Gently peel back the parchment. Carefully and loosely roll up the cake in the clean parchment. Let cool completely, encased in its parchment, on the rack.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Beat cream with powdered sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla (or Grand Mariner) with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in orange zest, if desired.
- Gently unroll the chocolate cake. Spread the whipped cream over the cake. Top now with berries, chocolate chips, even cocoa nuts, if desired. Gently use parchment paper again to reroll cake into a nice spiral. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the filling.
- This cake slices the most easily when cold. Serve in thick slices. If you're serving it for the holidays or a special occasion (Monday night?), you can garnish it with raspberries, fresh mint leaves, shaved white or dark chocolate, even a drizzle of melted chocolate.