Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my roll cake crack? ›

Why did my swiss roll sponge cake crack? If your sponge cracks when you try to roll it, it could be two things: it was over-baked and dried out on the surface, and/or it was too cold when you tried to roll it.

Starting with a short side of the cake, roll up the towel and the warm cake together into a spiral. Yes, the towel will be inside your baked cake roll. This step helps to form the cake roll shape later without any cracking. Roll to the end of the towel.

It's important that the cake is warm so it can set in the right shape. If it's too cold, it won't roll properly. Once rolled, leave it to cool completely. When you're ready to fill, unroll the cake very carefully, slowly flattening it again.

While the cake bakes, prepare a lightly damp rag to roll the cake in as soon as it comes out of the oven. You can also sprinkle the rag with granulated sugar if you wish to help prevent it from sticking. If you don't want to use a rag, simply use parchment paper to roll it up.

Frequently Asked Swiss Roll Cake Questions

The cake can become rubbery if the batter has been over-mixed.

Pre-rolling is absolutely essential in my experience. Don't overbake the cake and use a thin tea towel to roll. UK recipes are the best for roll cakes in terms of instructions.

ROLLING A SWISS ROLL

Always roll it up straight from the oven while it's still pliable.

And finally, the most frustrating pastry problem of all – the soggy bottom. This normally happens when the oven is not hot enough or the pastry is not baked for long enough. However, it can also be because too much water was added to the dough.

For my Swiss Rolls I either use a 9″ x 13″ cookie sheet or a standard 13″ x 18″ cookie sheet. If you are using the smaller cookie sheet I recommend using the half batch of batter (the one that starts with 6 egg yolks) like we use in this blog here.

The biggest trick to preventing your cake roll from cracking is to roll the cake up in the parchment paper as soon as it comes out of the oven. The hot cake will be soft and pliable and should roll up without cracking.

What's the difference between a Yule log and a Swiss roll? ›

Is this the same as a swiss roll? The main difference between the two cakes is the way the cakes are decorated. The Yule log cake, or buche de noel, is made to look like the logs burned on Christmas eve, whereas the exterior of a swiss roll is decorated much more simply, such as with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Cracks upon rolling:

Simply slice your cake into small squares and pipe buttercream or whatever filling you had planned on top of one square then sit another piece of cake on top and pipe some more buttercream – lots of buttercream. Happy days.

Cake batter

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom of a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan then line with parchment paper.

Immediately roll the cake when it is hot out of the oven.

The longer you wait, the more likely it will crack. I know this seems nearly impossible, but lining the jelly roll pan with parchment paper is key and having good oven mitts to help you negotiate the hot pan is extremely helpful.

The main reason the cake pops crack after they've been coated is a matter of temperature. If the cake is too cold and the icing is too warm when it is coated, the shell will crack from the difference in temperature.

The batter contains too much raising agent. Too much baking powder will cause a cake to rise too quickly and too much, making it crack or spill over the sides of the tin.

Most likely is that the pastry is stretched too much as it is rolled. Don't try to roll pastry dough straight from the fridge as it will be very solid. Let it soften at room temperature for about 20 minutes before rolling and roll on a lightly floured surface or between pieces of baking parchment (parchment paper).