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Matcha Roll Cake

Matcha roll cake slice showing a tight cream spiral inside a green sponge
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A soft, bouncy matcha sponge rolled around barely sweet whipped cream, with a tight green and white spiral in every slice. The warm roll is what stops it cracking.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Matcha sponge

  • 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
  • 90 g granulated sugar, divided
  • 60 g cake flour
  • 8 g culinary grade matcha powder
  • 30 ml whole milk
  • 30 ml neutral oil
  • Pinch of fine salt

Whipped cream filling

  • 250 ml heavy cream, well chilled
  • 25 g powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 50 g mascarpone, optional but recommended

To finish

  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 175 C (350 F). Line a 33 by 23 cm jelly roll pan with parchment, leaving a small overhang on the long sides.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks with 30 g of the sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Whisk in the milk and oil.
  3. Sift the cake flour, matcha and salt directly into the yolk mixture. Whisk just until smooth.
  4. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the remaining 60 g sugar in three additions, whipping to firm peaks that still look glossy rather than dry and grainy.
  5. Fold a third of the meringue into the yolk batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two additions. Stop as soon as no white streaks remain.
  6. Pour into the lined pan and spread level with an offset spatula. Tap the pan firmly on the counter twice to release large bubbles.
  7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the surface springs back when pressed lightly. Do not overbake, because a dry sponge is what cracks.
  8. Lay a sheet of parchment on the counter and dust with powdered sugar. Turn the hot cake out onto it and peel away the lining paper.
  9. While still warm, roll the cake up loosely from a short side, rolling the fresh parchment inside it. Leave to cool completely in this shape, about 30 minutes.
  10. Whip the cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and mascarpone together to firm peaks.
  11. Gently unroll the cooled cake. Spread the cream evenly, leaving a 2 cm clear border along the far edge so it does not squeeze out.
  12. Re roll firmly but without crushing, finishing seam side down. Wrap in parchment and chill for at least 2 hours.
  13. Trim both ends with a hot dry knife, dust with powdered sugar and slice to serve.

Notes

  • Matcha choice: culinary grade is right here and far cheaper. Ceremonial grade gives a brighter green but its flavour is wasted once baked. A dull olive sponge usually means old matcha rather than a technique problem.
  • No cake flour: measure 60 g of plain flour, remove 8 g and replace it with cornstarch, then sift twice.
  • Cracking: almost always overbaking, or rolling the sponge after it has cooled flat. Pull it at 12 minutes and roll it warm.
  • Make ahead: the rolled and filled cake holds 2 days refrigerated and slices best on day one. The unfilled sponge can be rolled, cooled, wrapped and frozen for a month.
  • Variation: a line of halved strawberries laid along the cream before rolling gives a fruit centre in every slice.
  • Slicing: dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry between every cut, or the cream drags across the spiral.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://zhangcatherine.com/matcha-roll-cake/