Raspberry White Chocolate Roll Cake

Written By Jen Anderson

When my friend recently told me, “Cake is my weakness,” I said, “Hold my spatula, I got this!” This was my first venture into making a roll cake, and it ended up being one of the most delicious (albeit slightly stressful) baking adventures yet.

I highly recommend splitting this bake into two days so you give the cake ample time to rest and cool before decorating it on day two.

Ingredients

For sponge cake:

  • 3/4 cup AP flour

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 4 eggs

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 tsp vanilla

For cream cheese frosting and filling:

  • 9 oz. cream cheese (softened, room temp)

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 1 cup whipping cream (refrigerated)

  • Fresh raspberries (about 1 cup)

  • 1/2 jar raspberry jam

For white chocolate ganache:

  • 6 oz white chocolate chips

  • 1/4 cup whipping cream (refrigerated)

  • Pinch of salt

Directions

For sponge cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.

  • Mix dry ingredients for the sponge cake.

  • In another bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until “Orange Julius” frothy consistency (smells like Orange Julius too!).

  • Add the oil and beat again.

  • Fold dry into wet.

  • Pour batter into a baking sheet with parchment paper (I layered mine over a silpat and sprayed with baking spray in between the mat and paper).

  • Bake for 10-12 minutes.

  • Dust the sponge cake with powdered sugar, then turn the sheet over onto a parchment paper or damp kitchen towel.

  • Carefully remove the parchment paper on the bottom of the cake and dust cake with powdered sugar.

  • Gently roll the cake into the paper or towel and set aside to cool completely.

For frosting:

  • Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar with vanilla.

  • Add whipping cream and beat until stiff peaks form.

For ganache:

  • In a double boiler, melt white chocolate and whipping cream until smooth.

  • Remove from heat, add a pinch of salt, and beat for 2 minutes.

  • Cool the ganache.

For assembly:

  • Unroll the cake from the towel/paper and place on an even surface.

  • Spread jam in a thin layer on the unrolled sponge cake.

  • Next, spread the cream cheese frosting in an even layer on top of the jam.

  • Add fresh raspberries, being mindful to not add too many so the roll isn’t too bulky.

  • Carefully roll the sponge cake into a spiral, tucking as you roll to make a tight spiral.

  • Wrap roll in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight.

  • Once the cake has chilled, remove it from the plastic wrap, cut the ends off to reveal the spiral (eat the ends right away because they’re delicious), and begin the decoration.

  • Spread the ganache on the outside of the cake in a thin even layer.

  • If you have leftover frosting, pipe it on top of the ganache.

  • Decorate with fresh raspberries and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Jen Anderson