Ube cake roll

This will be my last post for 2014.  I do not know WHEN I will be back or IF I will be back.  At this point, I feel I just need time to reassess whether this blog is still something I want to continue in the coming year or if I would want to do something else.

After a year that has been totally overflowing with cakes and more, it is but fitting to finish off with a last recipe. This is my end-of-the-year gift to all of you.

An ube cake roll!  Simple but lovely and tasty as it is.  No frosting needed.  No frills.  

The cake is basically made in the same way as the normal ube chiffon cake, except that it has a little less flour.  This adjustment allows for a more flexible, easier to roll cake.

Something new I learned from making the deco roll cakes is that it is really not necessary to roll the cake straightaway.  Normally, with jelly/swiss roll cakes, you would need to roll the cake in parchment paper or a tea towel dusted with icing sugar while still hot so the cake will cool down in this shape and will be easier to re-roll once filled.  What I found out is that all you need to do is loosely cover the cake with parchment paper while it is cooling down in a wire rack to keep the moisture in but at the same time, letting heat escape. It does work!

I've never really had much success with roll cakes until recently, so I hope you will get to try this cake and be happy with it just like me! :)

Here goes:

For the chiffon cake:

Ingredients:

{A}
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

{B}
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup vegetable/canola oil
1/3 cup milk
50 grams grated purple yam
1/2 teaspoon ube flavouring
1/4 teaspoon violet gel paste or food powder

{C}
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}
3/8 cup sugar

Procedure:

1.  Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.  Line a 10"x15"x1" or 11"x16"x1" jelly roll pan with parchment paper.  Grease parchment paper with a little oil.

My baking pan is actually a 10"x14"x1 1/2" so the resulting cake is a little bit thicker than what is ideal.

2.  In a large bowl, combine {A} well.  Add in {B}.  Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
3.  In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy.  Gradually add in {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed.  Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture.  Pour batter into prepared jelly roll pan then spread evenly to the sides.  Bang pan on the counter a few times to dislodge air bubbles.

4.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

5.  Cover the top of the pan with a new piece of parchment paper then invert onto a wire rack. Unmould the cake then immediately peel off the parchment paper from the bottom.

6.  Cover the cake with another piece of parchment paper.  Leave to cool just until it is no longer warm to the touch, about 15-20 minutes.

While waiting for the cake to cool down, prepare your whipped cream filling.  You can make half the stable whipped cream recipe here or if you want something simpler, you can just use this.

Whipped cream filling:

1 1/4 cups thickened or whipping cream, very cold
2 tablespoons caster sugar

Combine ingredients in a cold mixing bowl.  Beat until stiff.

To assemble cake:

**It is best to assemble the cake as soon as it is no longer warm.  The longer the cake sits, the drier it will become and will most likely crack when rolled.

Carefully flip the cake over.

Spread about 3/4 of the whipped cream filling evenly on the cake, leaving about an inch space at the top.

Starting from the side nearest you and using the parchment paper as a guide, gently roll the cake.

This is what the newly-rolled cake looks like from the side.

Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to allow it to firm up a bit and make it easier to handle.  Chill the remaining whipped cream as well.

Unwrap the parchment paper then trim about an inch off the two ends.  Transfer cake to a serving tray.

Doesn't that look just perfect?

Fill a small piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the remaining whipped cream then pipe out rosettes along the top of the cake roll.  Top each rosette with a macapuno ball, if desired.

Keep the cake covered to retain its soft and moist state. Serve chilled to enjoy it at its best!

A blessed 2015 to all!