Description
This Chocolate Cake Roll is a light and airy chocolate sponge cake baked in a jelly roll pan, filled with a creamy mascarpone and cream cheese filling. Rolled to perfection and dusted with powdered sugar, it’s a delightful dessert perfect for any occasion, offering a rich chocolate flavor balanced with a smooth, tangy filling.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
For the Filling:
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz (115g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (120g) mascarpone cheese or ricotta cheese (optional for richer filling)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper to ensure the cake will not stick.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set this dry mix aside for later.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine evenly.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg mixture using a spatula or spoon. Do this carefully to keep the batter airy and light, avoiding deflation.
- Spread Batter in Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan, spreading it evenly to cover the entire surface.
- Bake the Cake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating it is fully cooked.
- Roll the Cake: Immediately after baking, dust a clean kitchen towel generously with powdered sugar. Turn the cake out onto the towel, remove the parchment paper carefully, and then roll the cake up with the towel while it is still hot. This rolling step prevents the cake from cracking as it cools. Let it cool completely while rolled.
- Prepare the Filling: In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and mascarpone (or ricotta) until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined.
- Assemble the Roll: Unroll the cooled cake carefully, spread the filling evenly over the surface, then re-roll the cake without the towel to form a smooth cake roll.
- Serve: Dust with extra powdered sugar if desired and slice to serve. Enjoy your delicious homemade chocolate cake roll!
Notes
- Rolling the cake while it’s still warm with the powdered sugar-dusted towel prevents cracking.
- You can substitute mascarpone cheese with ricotta for a lighter filling.
- Ensure eggs are at room temperature before beating for better volume in the batter.
- Do not overbake to keep the cake tender and pliable.
- For added flavor, consider adding a teaspoon of instant coffee powder to the dry ingredients.
