Description
This Japanese Cotton Candy Swiss Cake Roll is a light and fluffy dessert featuring a soft sponge cake infused with subtle cotton candy flavor and pastel colors, filled with whipped cream, and garnished with delicate tufts of cotton candy. Perfect for those who enjoy visually stunning and delightfully airy treats.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 100 g granulated sugar (divided)
- 40 ml whole milk
- 40 ml vegetable oil
- 70 g cake flour, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Pink or blue cotton candy flavoring (optional)
- A few drops pink or blue gel food coloring
For the Filling:
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For Garnish:
- Extra cotton candy
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a 9×13-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, ensuring the paper covers the base and sides for easy removal later.
- Separate the Eggs: Carefully separate the egg whites and yolks into two clean bowls, ensuring no yolk contaminates the whites to achieve a proper meringue.
- Make the Yolk Batter: In the bowl with egg yolks, whisk together 50 g of granulated sugar, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and optional cotton candy flavoring until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Gradually fold in sifted cake flour and add gel food coloring, gently combining until the batter is uniform in color without overmixing.
- Whip the Egg Whites: To the separate bowl of egg whites, add cream of tartar and salt. Begin whipping until frothy, then gradually add the remaining 50 g of sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form, creating a stable meringue.
- Combine Batter and Meringue: Fold one-third of the meringue into the yolk batter using a gentle cutting and folding motion to lighten it. Then carefully fold in the remaining meringue until just combined, preserving as much air as possible for a light texture.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove large air bubbles. Bake for 20–22 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool and Roll Warm: Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a clean sheet of parchment paper. Carefully peel off the baking parchment and roll the cake gently with the parchment while still warm to form the shape without cracking. Let it cool completely in the rolled form.
- Prepare the Filling: Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, ensuring a light and fluffy consistency.
- Assemble the Roll: Unroll the completely cooled cake gently, spread the whipped cream filling evenly over the surface, then re-roll tightly without the parchment this time.
- Chill and Garnish: Wrap the cake roll in parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set. Just before serving, garnish the cake roll with tufts of cotton candy for a whimsical and colorful presentation.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to prevent thinning the batter.
- Add cotton candy flavoring sparingly as it can be very concentrated.
- Chill the whipped cream before spreading to help maintain its stability during assembly.
