A simple vanilla roll cake with red and green dots and spirals of creamy buttercream is the perfect dessert for Christmas parties.
This spiral cake has always caught my attention. Although it carries different names depending from country to country, I find roll cakes prettier than a layer cake. Plus, not to mention they are so much easier to make. My love for roll cake grew with every roulade (that’s how we call it in Romania) my mom made, mostly around the holidays.
Last year I made a gingerbread roll cake and few weeks ago I made a pumpkin roll cake. I wanted to make a new one for this Christmasbut I wasn’t sure what flavor to pick until I found the red & green batter bits. I knew right then I wanted a simple vanilla cake filled with creamy buttercream with lots and lots of Christmas sprinkles.
If you’ve never made a roll cake, it’s time to change that. You should not be afraid, just follow few simple steps and in no time you’ll have the most beautiful swirl cake.The secret to roll cakes is beating the egg yolks until light yellow and thickened. That should take around 3 minutes on high-speed or around 5 on medium speed.
The secret to the creamy buttercream is to whip the butter first before adding the powder sugar to it and whip on medium speed for 2 minutes once all the sugar is incorporated. Doing so, you’ll have a light buttercream way better than the store-bought ones.
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Christmas vanilla roll cake recipe
Roxana
Yields one roll cake
A simple vanilla roll cake with red and green dots and spirals of creamy buttercream is the perfect dessert for Christmas parties.
15 minPrep Time
7 minCook Time
3 hrTotal Time
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Ingredients
Vanilla Roll Cake
- 2 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (30 grams) sifted cake flour
- 3 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch
- 1/4 cup red & green Wilton batter bits or edible confetti
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbsp red & green sprinkles
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-3 teaspoons heavy cream
Decorations
- 4 oz white chocolate
- red & green sprinkles
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450F.
- Line a 17X12 jelly/sheet pan with parchment paper . Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl add the 2 eggs, 3 egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar. With the paddle attachment on, beat on medium to high speed around 5 minutes until pale in color and thickened. Add the vanilla extract and beat few more seconds.
- Sift the flour and the cornstarch over the egg yolks mixture and with a spatula gently fold it in.
- Fold in the batter bits as well.
- In a separate grease-free bowl, add the 2 egg whites and 1 tablespoon of sugar. With a whisk, whip until firm peaks form.
- With the spatula, fold the whipped egg whites into the egg yolks mixture.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, spread it evenly and bake for 6-7 minutes until golden brown and, when touched, it springs back.
- As soon as you remove the cake from the oven sprinkle with powder sugar and then invert the cake onto a clean dish towel. Remove the parchment paper, sprinkle with more powder sugar, and roll up the cake with the towel. Place on a wire rack to cool
Vanilla buttercream
- In a clean bowl add the butter. With the whisk attached on to the the mixer whip the butter for 2-3 minutes on medium to high speed.
- Lower the speed and slowly add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.
- When all the sugar is incorporated increase the speed and whip for 2 more minutes.
- Add few drops of heavy cream until it reaches the consistency you desire.
- With a spatula fold in the sprinkles.
- Gently unroll the cake and spread the buttercream evenly all over it.
- Roll it again and place in the fridge for a couple of hours.
- To decorate, melt the white chocolate in double boiler or microwave and pour it over the cake. Add Add more sprinkles (optional)
- Let the chocolate settle for few minutes and slice the cake.
Notes
If you can't find the batter bits, you can use Christmas edible confetti instead. They will not bleed while baking the cake.
7.6.8
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Roxana
FAQs
The Christmas Cake originally was called the Twelfth Cake and would have more traditionally been served at parties on the Twelfth Night ending the 12 days of Christmas on the 5th of January. And these cakes started as enriched fruit cakes, something more akin to an Italian Panettone.
What icing is best for Christmas cake? ›
Fruited Christmas Cakes are traditionally covered with marzipan followed by a layer of white icing. You may wish to Feed and Store your Christmas Cake before adding the icing layers. Traditionally the white layer would be royal icing although you could use vegan royal icing or shop bought fondant icing.
How long before Christmas can I ice my cake? ›
There's no hard and fast rule about when to ice your cake, but it's best to do it between 24 hours and a week ahead of the big day.
What is the trick to making a Swiss roll? ›
Points to remember
Score a line along the bottom of the sponge, approximately 2.5cm away from the edge. Don't cut all the way through. Using the line scored, roll the sponge up tightly and leave to cool completely. When the sponge is cool, unroll it gently.
What's the difference between a fruitcake and a Christmas cake? ›
Occasion: Christmas cakes are specifically made for the Christmas holiday and are often decorated elaborately with festive designs, icing, and marzipan. Fruit cakes, on the other hand, can be enjoyed throughout the year and are not necessarily associated with any particular holiday.
What is a Little Debbie Christmas tree cake? ›
A tree-shaped yellow cake with creme filling. Decorated with white frosting, green sprinkles, and a red frosting stripe. single serve and family pack. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas Tree Cake! The wrapping paper is rustling, Christmas lights are twinkling, and Little Debbie® Christmas Tree Cakes® are ready to serve!
What kind of frosting do most bakeries use? ›
Most commercial bakeries are using a buttercream made with shortening rather than butter, because it is more stable, especially if it gets warm.
What frosting do professionals use for cakes? ›
Swiss meringue buttercream is probably the most standard buttercream for pastry professionals. It is incredibly smooth, making it an extremely popular choice for icing cakes. Compared to American buttercream, it has a much stronger butter flavor, but is considerably less sweet.
How do you keep Christmas cake moist? ›
If you are making the cake more than 3 months in advance then you will need to "feed" it occasionally to help it to stay moist. Feeding involves brushing the surface of the cake with a couple of tablespoons of alcohol (brandy, whisky or bourbon are the most popular choices).
Can you overfeed a Christmas cake? ›
It's possible to overfeed your cake, which will make it stodgy and wet. Our advice is to feed it once after it's initially baked, then no more than four times during the maturation period. Try a teaspoonful of whichever alcohol you've chosen before you begin feeding your cake to test its strength.
Apply the Royal Icing
Decorate as you wish with silver or gold sugar balls, Christmas ornaments, or other festive decorations. Let the cake dry, uncovered until the icing sets hard, at least overnight or up to three days before serving. If not serving immediately, store in an airtight container.
Why does my Swiss roll taste rubbery? ›
This happens when you are not gentle enough when folding the dry ingredients into the wet. A genoise sponge requires very gentle and slow folding. You need to preserve as much air in the batter as possible, otherwise it can become rubbery.
Why is my Swiss roll not fluffy? ›
Adding too much flour is the most common mistake for roll cakes and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off.
Why does my Swiss roll crack when I roll it? ›
Why did my swiss roll fall apart?
- The cake was under-baked: The cake will be very moist and difficult to handle. With the whipped cream it may have too much moisture and will fall apart easily.
- The cake was over-baked: If over-baked the cake will be a lot drier and more prone to cracks.
It was around this time that the custom of cooking and eating a special porridge on Christmas Eve started. This porridge is supposed to have consisted of oats, dried fruits, spices, honey, and even meat (not always, though), and would over the centuries be transformed into what we know as the plum cake today.
What is the epiphany cake called? ›
A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany.
What is the name of the Italian Christmas cake What is it made of? ›
Panettone
Starting off with Italy's most well known Christmas treat, Panettone is a cross between a cake and sweet bread and is filled with almonds and dried fruit. Originally invented in Milan in the 15th century and served at feasts due to its hard-to-procure ingredients.
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