Matcha Roll Cake
Makes 1 roll
Adapted from Oggi
Tip: When spreading the whipped cream, use your best judgement when considering the amount you need. One time I made the mistake of dumping all the whipped cream on the cake and—because the dimensions of my cake were smaller—it was too much and impossible to roll.
¾ cup cake flour
2 Tbsp & 1 tsp matcha
¾ tsp baking powder
4 eggs, separated
scant ¾ cup sugar
2 Tbsp whole milk
1 ½ cups (350ml) heavy whipping cream
¾ Tbsp sugar
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper, making creases at the edges so it lays flat and any excess hangs over the sides.
Sift the flour, matcha, and baking powder 3 times to ensure it is clump-free and airy.
With a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, but not dry. This is important—if you beat them until dry, it will be difficult to incorporate into the batter, the batter will be too thick, and bake tough. Keep a close eye on it and stop and check it often when you think it’s close.
In another mixer bowl, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Add the sugar and beat again until light. Next, add the milk and beat until combined. Slowly mix in the flour mixture until almost incorporated, then fold in the rest of the way by hand with a rubber spatula. Avoid over mixing.
Patiently and gently fold in ⅓ of the egg whites by hand until incorporated into the batter and no whites remain. Fold in another ⅓. Then fold in the last ⅓. Folding in the whites in stages helps preserve the air pockets, keeping the batter light. Pour the batter onto the parchment-lined pan and smooth out into a rectangle with an offset spatula. The batter will be loose and won’t extend all the way to the edges.
Bake until the edges are slightly brown and the center is dry to the touch (about 15–20 mins). Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle but still warm, loosely roll the cake—with the parchment—from the short side. Let it sit on a rack to cool completely. Cooling it this way will prevent your cake from cracking and breaking when you re-roll with the whipped cream.
When cake has cooled, beat the heavy cream and sugar until stiff, but smooth. Unroll the cake and spread the whipped cream, a little at a time, evenly over the surface. Carefully roll the cake, releasing it from the parchment as you go, making sure the cake stays intact. Once rolled, wrap it back in the parchment and then wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, trim the ends and cut into 1-inch sections.
