Jelly rolls frighten off a lot of home bakers. However, while there are a few technical steps involved, a jelly roll is—at the heart of it—a simple cake. It's just sponge cake with jam or jelly. Read the recipe through first before you start and you'll be fine. And remember, a cracked jelly roll is easily disguised with a layer of whipped cream!
TOOLS
Jelly roll pan (15x10)
Mixing bowl + electric mixer or stand mixer
Parchment paper
Offset spatula (not essential, but handy!)
Mixing bowl + electric mixer or stand mixer
Parchment paper
Offset spatula (not essential, but handy!)
INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (see note)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Icing sugar
About 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jelly (see note)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (see note)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Icing sugar
About 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jelly (see note)
NOTES
Almond and raspberry go very nicely together, but that's not your jam (ba dum dum), use 1 full teaspoon of vanilla.
Feel free to use whatever jam or jelly you like, but take into account the amount if you're using something with a lot of whole fruit. This recipe uses seedless raspberry jelly, so if you were to use a preserve, you'll maybe want to spread it out a little thinner.
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a jelly pan with lightly greased parchment paper or use a jelly pan specifically designed for easy release, like the All-Clad Pro-Release pan. These pans are amazing, and many folks forgo parchment paper/greasing entirely, but we like to hedge our bets and use lightly oiled parchment as well. For this recipe, we'll use the parchment paper to make rolling the cake easier (thank you, Serious Eats). If you are using the traditional method of rolling the cake in sugar-dusted tea towel, feel free to use a pro-release pan.
In a medium sized mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the eggs with an electric/stand mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until very thick and yellow.
Slowly beat in the sugar. Once incorporated, beat in the water and vanilla on low speed. Gradually add the remaining dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and beat until the batter is smooth. Try not to overmix.
Pour the batter into the jelly pan and make sure you spread an even layer into the corners if you can. An offset spatula is great for this.
spreading to corners.
Bake until puffed and golden from edge to centre—approximately 12 minutes . A baked sponge will be firm to the touch in the centre, but still soft enough to leave a slight fingerprint impression when gently prodded.
As soon as the cake is out of the oven, cover it with foil, crimping the edges to seal in the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes. This allows the cake to steam for a few minutes, keeping it soft and easy to roll. You don't want to let the cake cool too much or it will crack and be too difficult to roll.
Loosen the sides of the still warm cake from the pan. Trim any crispy edges (if necessary). Stir the raspberry jelly to make sure it's smooth and spread an even layer over the cake, going right to the edges of the cake.
Working from one of the shorter sides, lift the edge of the cake by the parchment underneath and gently fold the sponge inward until it rolls over itself. Continue rolling, using the parchment to help you lift the cake. It should separate from the cake as you go.
Once the cake is completely cooled, dust with icing sugar and serve with barely sweetened whipped cream and toasted slivered almonds. The cake on its own without whipped cream will be fine covered at room temperature for 24 hours.