Irresistibly Fluffy Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll Recipe

Indulgent Japanese chocolate cake rolls bring a delightful twist to traditional dessert experiences.

Soft, cloud-like textures elevate this sweet treat beyond ordinary confections.

Delicate Swiss roll techniques merge seamlessly with Japanese culinary precision, creating an extraordinary pastry marvel.

Elegant and light, these chocolate cake rolls promise a melt-in-your-mouth sensation that dancers dream about.

Whisper-thin sponge layers and rich chocolate cream intertwine in a harmonious ballet of flavors.

Intricate rolling techniques redefine simple ingredients into an artistic masterpiece that captivates both eyes and palate.

Mastering this recipe requires patience, passion, and a gentle touch.

Why You’ll Love Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll

• Craft a Delicate Dessert: This Japanese chocolate cake roll offers a sophisticated yet approachable baking experience that transforms simple ingredients into an elegant treat.
• Celebrate Textural Perfection: The chiffon cake delivers an incredibly light, cloud-like texture that melts in your mouth, combining soft cake crumbs with silky chocolate whipped cream for a harmonious sensory experience.
• Master Precise Technique: The recipe teaches advanced baking skills like meringue creation, gentle folding, and precise rolling, allowing home bakers to develop professional-level pastry techniques with clear, manageable steps.
• Impress Without Overwhelming: Despite its sophisticated appearance, the cake requires basic ingredients and straightforward methods, making it an achievable showstopper for intermediate bakers looking to elevate their dessert game.

Ingredients for Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll

• Cake Flour: Soft and fine flour for a tender, light texture with low protein content.
• Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps create a soft, moist cake structure.
• Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise and creates a light, airy texture.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness.

• Egg Yolks: Adds richness, moisture, and helps bind the cake ingredients.
• Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender, preventing dryness.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor and aromatic sweetness.

• Cocoa Powder, Milk: Creates a rich chocolate flavor and smooth liquid base for the cake.

• Cream of Tartar: Helps stabilize egg whites and create a more consistent meringue.

• Heavy Cream: Provides a rich, smooth base for the whipped cream.
• Chocolate: Adds deep chocolate flavor and creates a luxurious filling.

Bake a Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll in These Steps

Step 1: Prepare Baking Setup

• Gather an 8 x 12-inch rectangular pan
• Line pan with parchment paper
• Preheat oven to 325°F

Step 2: Create Chocolate Liquid Base

• Combine milk and cocoa powder
• Heat on medium heat
• Stir continuously
• Dissolve powder completely
• Cool mixture to room temperature

Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients

• Combine ingredients
• Sugar
• Baking soda
• First cream of tartar portion
• Salt
• Sift cake flour
• Blend ingredients thoroughly

Step 4: Prepare Wet Ingredient Mixture

• Create center well in dry ingredients
• Add
• Egg yolks
• Cooking oil
• Vanilla extract
• Chocolate milk mixture
• Mix until just incorporated

Step 5: Whip Meringue Base

• Use clean, dry mixing bowl
• Whip egg whites on slow speed
• Add second cream of tartar portion
• Gradually add sugar
• Increase speed to medium-high
• Whip until stiff peaks form

Step 6: Combine Cake Batter

• Gently fold meringue into chocolate mixture
• Use folding technique, not stirring
• Maintain light, airy texture

Step 7: Prepare Cake For Baking

• Dab batter on parchment paper edges
• Spread batter evenly in pan
• Tap pan to release air bubbles

Step 8: Bake Cake

• Bake for 14-16 minutes
• Check with skewer for doneness
• Cake should spring back when touched

Step 9: Cool And Roll Cake

• Remove from oven
• Cool for 5 minutes
• Carefully remove from pan
• Roll while warm using parchment paper
• Let cake cool in rolled position

Step 10: Prepare Chocolate Cream

• Chill mixing bowl and beaters
• Chop chocolate into small pieces
• Combine chocolate and cream
• Gently heat until chocolate melts
• Cool mixture
• Whip to light, fluffy consistency

Step 11: Assemble Cake Roll

• Unroll cake carefully
• Spread chocolate cream evenly
• Roll cake gently
• Trim edges
• Place on serving plate

Enjoy your delightful Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll!

Tips for a Soft Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll

• Prevent Cake Cracking: Roll the cake while it's still warm to maintain flexibility and avoid breaking during the rolling process.
• Whip Cream Perfectly: Chill your mixing bowl and beaters beforehand to help the cream whip more effectively and achieve a smoother texture.
• Create Smooth Texture: Remove the cake's skin gently to expose delicate crumbs and ensure a more appealing final appearance.
• Chocolate Melting Technique: Heat chocolate and cream slowly over medium heat, stirring continuously to prevent burning and achieve a smooth mixture.
• Even Spreading Trick: Use an angled spatula to distribute cake batter evenly in the pan, ensuring consistent baking and a uniform cake roll.

How to Keep and Reheat Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll

• Refrigeration: Store the Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep refrigerated to maintain its soft texture and prevent drying out.
• Freezing: Carefully wrap the cake roll in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving to preserve its delicate structure.
• Reheating: Let the cake roll sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the cake tough and dry. Enjoy the cake slightly chilled for the best flavor and texture.

Perfect Pairings for Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll

• Pair with Velvety Red Wine: A smooth Pinot Noir complements the chocolate's richness, cutting through the cake's delicate sweetness with its subtle tannins and berry undertones.
• Match with Creamy Vanilla Latte: The warm coffee's robust flavor balances the cake's light texture, while vanilla notes enhance the chocolate's depth and provide a comforting contrast.
• Serve with Fresh Raspberry Sorbet: Tangy raspberry cleanses the palate between bites, offering a bright, refreshing counterpoint to the cake's rich chocolate cream and soft chiffon texture.
• Accompany with Aged Whiskey: A smooth Japanese whiskey like Yamazaki adds complexity, its caramel and oak notes creating an elegant drinking experience that elevates the delicate chocolate roll.

Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll: Flavor Ideas to Explore

• Matcha Magic Roll: Swap cocoa powder with matcha green tea powder for an earthy, Japanese-inspired flavor profile that brings a vibrant green color to the cake roll.
• Nutty Chocolate Sensation: Incorporate finely ground almonds or hazelnut flour into the cake batter, adding depth and a subtle nutty undertone to the chocolate chiffon cake.
• Berry Chocolate Dream: Spread a thin layer of raspberry or strawberry jam beneath the chocolate whipped cream for a fruity contrast that complements the rich chocolate flavor.
• Coffee Chocolate Fusion: Infuse the chocolate milk mixture with espresso powder or replace some milk with strong coffee to create a mocha-inspired cake roll with an intense flavor complexity.

Japanese Chocolate Cake Roll Recipe

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4.6 from 26 reviews

• Total Time: 36 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Silky Japanese chocolate cake roll whispers elegance with its delicate sponge and rich chocolate cream. Graceful layers melt smoothly across your palate, delivering a perfect balance of sweet comfort and refined Japanese pastry craft.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• 3 egg yolks
• 45 grams cake flour
• 50 grams granulated sugar (for cake batter)
• 50 grams granulated sugar (for egg whites)
• 120 grams semi-sweet chocolate
• 290 milliliters (9.8 fluid ounces) whipping cream 33%

Liquid and Flavoring Ingredients:

• 50 milliliters (1.7 fluid ounces) whole fat milk
• 40 milliliters (1.35 fluid ounces) vegetable oil
• 5 teaspoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry and Stabilizing Ingredients:

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar (for cake batter)
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (for egg whites)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

1. Prepare an 8 x 12″ rectangular cake pan by lining it with parchment paper, ensuring complete coverage.
2. Warm milk and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until powder completely dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Heat oven to 325°F, positioning rack in the center.
4. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: sugar, baking soda, first portion of cream of tartar, salt, and sifted cake flour.
5. Create a central well in the dry ingredients. Pour in egg yolks, oil, vanilla extract, and cooled chocolate milk mixture.
6. Gently mix until ingredients are just incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
7. In a separate clean bowl, whip egg whites starting at low speed until frothy. Add remaining cream of tartar.
8. Gradually increase mixer speed, incorporating sugar incrementally while whites become opaque.
9. Continue whipping until meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks.
10. Delicately fold one-third of meringue into chocolate batter to lighten, then incorporate remaining meringue using gentle folding technique.
11. Secure parchment paper to pan edges with small batter dabs to prevent movement.
12. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly with an angled spatula.
13. Tap pan against counter to eliminate large air bubbles.
14. Bake for 14-16 minutes until cake springs back when touched and skewer emerges clean.
15. Allow cake to rest in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
16. Remove parchment paper, peeling away surface skin carefully.
17. Cover cake with fresh parchment paper and roll while still warm to prevent cracking.
18. For chocolate cream, melt chocolate pieces with cream over medium heat until smooth.
19. Chill chocolate cream mixture, stirring periodically to ensure even cooling.
20. Whip chilled chocolate cream to medium-stiff consistency, being cautious not to overbeat.
21. Unroll cake carefully and spread chocolate cream in an even layer.
22. Reroll cake gently using parchment paper as support, adding extra cream along initial fold to prevent cracking.
23. Trim cake edges before transferring to serving plate.

Notes

• Master the art of rolling a delicate chiffon cake without cracking by keeping the cake warm and using parchment paper as a helpful guide.
• Chilling the mixing bowl and beaters ensures a perfectly whipped chocolate cream with ideal texture and stability.
• Remove the cake’s skin carefully to achieve a beautiful, exposed crumb surface that looks professional and appetizing.
• Work quickly and gently when unrolling and re-rolling the cake to prevent structural damage and maintain its soft, pillowy texture.
• Avoid overheating chocolate and cream to preserve smooth, silky consistency and prevent separation during preparation.
• Temperature control is crucial throughout the baking process, from mixing ingredients to cooling and assembling the cake roll.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 16 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Japanese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 308
• Sugar: 14 g
• Sodium: 72 mg
• Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 13 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 83 mg