Matcha Roll Cake

About This Recipe

The Japanese roll cake has evolved into a sophisticated confection that bears little resemblance to the dense, jam-filled Swiss rolls of Western tradition. The sponge is extraordinarily light — almost soufflé-like — achieved through a separated egg technique and the incorporation of a small amount of oil to keep the crumb tender. Matcha gives the sponge a deep jade colour and a complex, slightly bitter flavour that pairs perfectly with the cloud-like, barely sweetened whipped cream filling. The roll is refrigerated before slicing to reveal an elegant spiral of green and white.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 4large eggs(separated, at room temperature)
• 80 gcaster sugar(divided into two 40 g portions)
• 60 gplain flour
• 15 gceremonial-grade matcha powder(sifted)
• 2 tablespoonswhole milk
• 2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
• 300 mldouble cream(cold)
• 3 tablespoonsicing sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the sponge base

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a 30 x 40 cm Swiss roll tin with parchment. Whisk egg yolks with 40 g of the caster sugar until pale and thick. Stir in the milk and oil. Sift in the flour and matcha and fold gently until smooth.

2. 2

   Whip the egg whites

   In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the remaining 40 g of sugar gradually and continue whisking to firm, glossy peaks.

3. 3

   Combine and bake

   Fold one-third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to loosen it. Carefully fold in the remaining whites in two additions, working gently to preserve the volume. Spread evenly in the prepared tin. Bake for 12–14 minutes until the sponge springs back when lightly pressed.

4. 4

   Roll while warm

   Immediately turn the hot sponge onto a clean sheet of parchment dusted with icing sugar. Peel off the lining paper. Roll the sponge up tightly from the short end, using the parchment to help. Leave to cool completely in the rolled shape — this trains the sponge to roll without cracking.

   Rolling while hot is the key to a crack-free roll cake. Do not let the sponge cool flat.

5. 5

   Fill and re-roll

   Whip the cream with the icing sugar to firm peaks. Unroll the cooled sponge carefully. Spread the whipped cream evenly, leaving a 2 cm border at the far edge. Re-roll the sponge tightly using the parchment to guide it.

6. 6

   Chill and serve

   Wrap the roll in parchment and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set. Trim the ends cleanly, dust with a little extra matcha powder and slice into portions.

Variations

• •

  Hojicha roll cake: substitute hojicha (roasted green tea) powder for the matcha for a toasty, less bitter flavour.

• •

  Strawberry cream roll: omit the matcha and fill with strawberry jam and whipped cream for a classic version.

• •

  Double matcha: add 1 teaspoon of matcha to the whipped cream filling as well as the sponge.

Storage

Wrap the roll tightly in parchment and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Dust with matcha just before serving as the powder absorbs moisture and dulls in colour.

Frequently Asked Questions