Take your cake roll to the next level with this cute ghost-decorated Halloween cake roll. Made from light chocolate sponge cake and vanilla whipped cream it's spooky and delicious!
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Why should you make this Halloween cake roll?
One of the easiest ways to spice up your boring cake rolls is with a design. This technique is one that originated in Japan. The cake rolls are also known as deco rolls, as the cake rolls are decorated with patterns and baked.
Rather than decorating the cake after it's been baked, this technique pipes it directly onto the cake with batter. The resulting cake is stunning and you'll get all your friends and family asking you how you did it!
I drew up a cute ghost pattern, but you can use whatever design you like. Think eyeballs, skulls, bones... the possibilities are endless.
How to pipe the pattern
I've drawn up the pattern to download here!
All you need to do is print out the pattern and place it underneath a sheet of baking paper in your cake tin before piping out the pattern on top.
Here are some tips to make sure your pattern turns out the best it can:
- Prepare and color all your batter at once so it's ready to go
- Lightly grease the baking paper with vegetable oil to prevent the baking paper from sticking to your design
- Pipe an outline of your ghosts with black, then fill it in with white to give the ghosts a sharp outline
- Lightly tap your cake tin on your work surface once you've finished piping to release any air bubbles that may have formed in the design
Ingredients
Ghost Pattern Batter
- Cake flour: I prefer using cake flour as it results in a softer cake. This is especially for the patterned batter as the consistency of the cake is a little firmer than the rest of the sponge cake.
- Unsalted butter: Make sure you use butter that is softened, otherwise the batter will be too firm to pipe
- Icing sugar: Aka confectioners' sugar, this gives the batter sweetness without any graininess
- Egg whites: The egg whites give the batter fluidity and lightness
Roll Cake Batter
- Granulated sugar: Aka white sugar, gives the cake sweetness. I wouldn't recommend reducing this much as it can affect the texture of the cake.
- Cake flour: Cake flour gives the cake a softer texture, but all-purpose flour works too!
- Milk: Make sure you use whole milk! This gives the cake moisture and a tender texture.
- Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil gives the cake elasticity, so it's able to be rolled later.
- Egg yolks: Give the cake flavor and fat
- Egg whites: Egg whites are the leavening agent in this recipe, the whipped air helping the cake rise. make sure you use large eggs!
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- Thickened cream: Aka heavy cream is whipped with sugar for a light whipped cream filling. You can use whipped cream too.
- Granulated sugar: The sugar here sweetens the cream. Feel free to increase or decrease it according to your preferences.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a delicious vanilla flavor to your whipped cream!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this last?
This cake will last up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure you keep it chilled as the filling is made of whipped cream.
If you leave it out at room temperature for too long the whipped cream will start to melt.
Why is my sponge cake dense?
The sponge cake can turn out dense if the egg whites haven't been whipped properly. Make sure you whip your egg whites to stiff peaks.
The egg whites are the mechanism behind the cake rising so it's important that they are whipped to a stable stiff peak. If not the cake won't rise, and it'll be dense and gummy instead.
Why did my cake crack?
The cake will crack when rolled if it's too dry. This usually happens if the cake has been overbaked.
The most foolproof way to prevent the cake from cracking is to roll it in a tea towel when it's still warm. This keeps in the moisture and allows it to set in its rolled shape.
Once it has cooled completely just remove it from the towel and fill it with cream. it'll be in the perfect shape already!
Let's Get Cooking
If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.
Follow me on facebook, pinterest, youtube and tiktok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!
Print📖 Recipe
Halloween Cake Roll
Take your cake roll to the next level with this cute ghost-decorated Halloween cake roll. Made from light chocolate sponge cake and vanilla whipped cream it's spooky and delicious!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 roll cake 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Ghost Pattern Batter
- 30g Cake flour (⅓ cup)
- 30g Butter, softened (2 tbsp)
- 30g Icing sugar (2 tablespoon 1 tsp)
- 30g Egg whites (approx 1 egg white)
Roll Cake Batter
- 25 g White sugar (I) (2tbsp)
- 15g Cocoa powder (2 tbsp)
- 75g Cake flour (¾ cup)
- 50 g Milk (3tbsp 1tsp)
- 50 g Vegetable oil (¼ cup)
- 4 Egg yolks
- 4 Egg whites
- 60 g White sugar (II) (¼ cup 2 tsp)
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 150g Thickened cream (⅔ cup)
- 25g White sugar (2 tbsp)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Ghost Pattern Batter
- Prepare a sheet of parchment paper large enough to fit in a 25 x 30 cm pan jelly roll pan
- Combine the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until smooth
- Remove a heaping spoonful and place it in a small bowl, stir in a few drops of pink food coloring
- Split the remaining batter in half and color half black, leaving the other half plain
- Transfer the batters into piping bags and pipe the batter onto a sheet of baking paper in your desired pattern (you can place a template of the design you'd like beneath the baking paper and trace it)
- Transfer the design to a baking sheet and place the design in the freezer to set for 1 hour
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F and place the frozen design in the bottom of your cake tin
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan until steaming
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl whisk the egg yolks, oil, and sugar (I) together
- Slowly add the hot milk to the egg yolk mixture and whisk
- Sift the cocoa powder and cake flour into the milk/yolk mix and whisk until combined
- In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs and sugar (II) until stiff peaks
- Fold the meringue mixture into the yolk mixture ⅓rd at a time until just combined
- Pour into the lined cake tin and bake for 25 minutes
- Remove from the oven and invert onto a sheet of baking paper
- Remove the baking paper and replace with a clean kitchen towel
- Flip the cake so the towel is on the bottom and the baking paper is on top
- Roll the cake from one short end to the other, place seam side down, and allow to cool completely
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- In a medium-sized bowl whip the thickened/heavy cream with sugar to soft peaks
- Add the vanilla extract and continue whipping until stiff peaks
Assembly
- Unroll the cake, then remove the baking paper and kitchen towel
- Spread a thin layer of cream over the inside of the cake, then roll the cake following the curl
- Wrap the rolled cake in cling wrap and let rest in the fridge for minimum of 2 hours
- Remove, slice, and serve!
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Alice
Hi, Thank you so much for this recipe and tutorial! Would it be possible to make this vanilla flavored by taking out the cocoa powder and adding in vanilla extract?
Catherine Zhang
Yes you can, just replace the cocoa powder with cornstarch