BEET RED VELVET ROULADE WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE

After tasting a lovely magenta beet cake at Le Club Chasse et Pêche in Montreal, I asked the chef how he achieved that hue. The key turned out to be starting with a génoise cake formula rather than a red velvet one. The less time this cake spends in the oven, the brighter its red color. Even though it has less cocoa powder than standard red velvet cake and no vinegar, it tastes like the classic. A faint tang comes from lemon juice and buttermilk and a welcome bittersweetness from the blend of beets and whole wheat flour. Instead of mixing up a frosting, I simply slather cream cheese in the center. A layer of red fruit preserves deepens the cake’s pink hue and natural sweetness.

TIPS:

•  Freshly roasted beets result in the prettiest, tastiest cake. You can cook a bigger batch and save the rest for savory dishes. If you don’t want to roast your own beets, you can use the vacuum-packed unseasoned roasted and peeled beets sold in the supermarket refrigerated-produce section. Drain well and pat dry, then chop and measure out ¾ cup (125 g).

•  Be sure to use whipped cream cheese for the filling. Regular is too stiff to spread on the delicate cake.

makes one 12-inch roulade

no nuts

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F.

2. Wrap the beet(s) in foil, place on a pan, and roast until a thin-bladed knife slides through easily, about 1 hour for a large beet, 45 minutes for smaller ones. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

3. While the beets are hot, use the foil to rub off their skin, protecting your hands with oven mitts or a kitchen towel. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop; let cool.

4. Coat a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again.

5. Measure out ¾ cup (125 g) beets; reserve any remaining for another use. Transfer to a blender, add the buttermilk, egg yolk, lemon juice, and vanilla, and puree until very smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

6. Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt into a small bowl. Whisk all 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy and white. Gradually whisk in the sugar. Raise the speed to medium-high and whisk until soft, glossy peaks form. When you lift the whisk, a tall peak should form and then the top should slowly slump down a bit. Fold one third of the whites into the beet mixture until incorporated. Sift the dry ingredients over the beet mixture and fold just until all traces of flour disappear. Add the remaining whites and gently fold until no traces of whites remain. Transfer to the prepared pan and very gently smooth the top.

7. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when gently pressed with a fingertip, about 20 minutes.

8. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a thin-bladed knife between the edges of the cake and the pan. 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. Carefully peel off the parchment and discard. Gently and loosely roll up the cake in the parchment, like a sleeping bag. Cool completely, in the parchment, on the rack.

9. Gently unroll the cake. With an offset or other thin spatula, gently spread the cream cheese in an even layer over the top, then spread the jam over it. Starting with a long side, roll up the cake tightly enough to form a nice spiral, but not so tight that the filling squirts out. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the filling. The color of the cake will deepen over time to crimson.

10. Unwrap the cake and dust with confectioners’ sugar, if you’d like. The cake cuts into neat slices the most easily when cold, but let the slices come to room temperature before serving.

MAKE AHEAD

The filled cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.