How to Bake Everything

Jelly-Roll Cake

Makes: About 10 servings

Time: About 1¼ hour

A rolled cake always inspires awe. It seems tricky, but the cake is surprisingly malleable while warm. Any variation for Sponge Cake or Genoise will work here. Leave the outside garnished simply with confectioners’ sugar or frost it—and cover any mistakes—with Whipped Cream or the frosting of your choice. Tweak the flavor by switching up the filling (see suggestions below).

Butter for greasing
Flour for dusting
Sponge Cake or Genoise
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
1 cup Fruit Jam
Whipped Cream

1. Make the cake batter. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line the bottom of a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, butter the paper, and dust lightly with flour. Pour the cake batter into the pan, even it out as much as possible, and bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. When the cake is done, dust it with confectioners’ sugar (see illustrations, page 242). Lay a clean kitchen towel over it and a large baking sheet or rack on top of the towel. Pinch the jelly-roll pan and the baking sheet together and invert them. Remove the jelly-roll pan and parchment paper.

3. Gently and slowly roll up both the cake and the towel lengthwise or widthwise as you like to form a log; set the cake aside, seam side down, to cool completely, wrapped in the towel. This will help prevent it from tearing when you reroll it with the filling inside.

4. Unroll the cooled cake, leaving it on the towel, and spread the jam evenly over it, then top with an equal quantity of whipped cream. Reroll the cake. Use the towel to place it seam side down on your serving plate (it’s okay if there are some minor tears). To serve, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar or frost with more whipped cream. Cut slices with a serrated knife. Refrigerate, covered or wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to a few days.

BûCHE DE NOëL Bake Chocolate Sponge Cake (page 219) in a jelly-roll pan and roll it as directed. Fill with Chocolate Mousse or Chocolate Whipped Cream instead of jam and whipped cream. Reroll the cake and cut a 2- to 3-inch piece from one end (see illustrations, page 243). Coat the outside of the log and the separate piece with Chocolate Ganache, then place the separate piece atop the log like a tree stump. To garnish, sift cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar over the whole thing.

CHAMP DE NOëL The easy way to make Bûche de Noël is to skip the log rolling and make the cake a field (champ in French) instead: Bake Chocolate Sponge Cake in a jelly-roll pan but don’t roll it. Cover the cooled cake in an even layer of Chocolate Ganache, then refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the ganache is firm. Spread Chocolate Mousse or Chocolate Whipped Cream over the ganache in an even layer, then top with sifted cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar. Serve straight out of the pan.

5 Other Combinations for Jelly Rolls

Jelly-roll cakes are made of three simple components: sponge cake, jam, and whipped cream. Mix and match to your heart’s content, and feel free to swap other fillings for the jam and other frostings for the whipped cream; these are some tried-and-true combinations. You can use the cream for both the inside and outside of the cake, depending on your preference.

CAKE: Chocolate Sponge Cake

JAM: Chocolate Ganache

CREAM: Coffee Whipped Cream or Not-Too-Sweet Coffee Buttercream

CAKE: Lemon Genoise

JAM: Strawberry Jam

CREAM: Whipped Cream combined with 1 cup Lemon Curd or Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

CAKE: Orange Genoise

JAM: Orange Marmalade

CREAM: Maple Whipped Cream or Grand Marnier Whipped Cream or Maple Buttercream

CAKE: Brown Butter Genoise

JAM: Dulce de Leche

CREAM: Whipped Cream or Caramel Buttercream