Jellyroll Layer Cake
Submitted by GOLTON
Jellyroll layer cake with spiced sponge strips rolled into a spiral and frosted with English toffee icing. Looks like a regular cake but slices reveal vertical swirl layers.
YIELD
1 8 inch cakePREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
30 minThis jellyroll layer cake is a showstopper disguised as a simple round cake. From the outside it looks ordinary, but cut a slice and you’ll see vertical spiral layers instead of the usual horizontal ones. That surprise reveal is what makes this worth the effort.
The technique is ingenious. Thin sponge cake gets baked in two jellyroll pans, rolled up to set the curve, then unrolled and sliced into long strips. Each strip gets spread with English toffee frosting, rolled up tightly, and wound around the previous roll to build the cake outward in a spiral. Six strips total create an 8-inch round cake.
The sponge itself is egg-heavy and butterless. Six eggs beaten with sugar for 5-6 minutes until thick and lemon-colored is what gives it structure and flexibility. It needs to roll without cracking, so that long beating time is non-negotiable. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice give the sponge a warm, spiced flavor that pairs beautifully with the toffee frosting.
Rolling each cake in a powdered sugar-dusted towel while still hot sets the curve. If you wait until the cake cools, it’ll crack when you try to roll it.
Pro Tips
- Trim the edges before rolling. The crispy edges resist rolling and cause cracking
- Chill the rolled cakes before unrolling and cutting. Cold cake is easier to handle
- Spread the frosting thin on each strip. Too much makes the spiral slide apart
- Start winding each new strip exactly where the previous one ended for a seamless spiral
Variations
- Chocolate toffee: Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the sponge batter for a chocolate version with the same toffee frosting
- Raspberry cream: Skip the toffee frosting and fill with raspberry jam and whipped cream for a lighter summer version
Ingredients
Directions
Grease bottom and sides of two 15- x 10- x 1-inch jellyroll pans with vegetable oil. Line with wax paper, and grease and flour wax paper.
Set aside.
Beat eggs at high speed of an electric mixer until foamy.
Gradually add 1-⅔ cups sugar, beating until mixture is thick and lemon colored (about 5 to 6 minutes).
Sift flour and spices together.
Gradually fold flour mixture, water, and vanilla into egg mixture.
Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 8 to 10 minutes.
Sift powdered sugar in a 15- x 10-inch rectangle on each of 2 towels.
When cakes are done, immediately loosen from sides of pan, and turn each out on a sugared towel.
Peel off wax paper.
Trim ⅛ inch from edges of cake, using a long serrated knife.
Starting at narrow end, roll up cake and towel together; chill.
Carefully unroll chilled cakes.
Cut each cake lengthwise into 3 equal strips.
Spread each cake strip with about ⅓ cup English Toffee Frosting; set aside remaining frosting.
Gently roll up one cake strip jellyroll fashion starting at narrow end.
Set roll upright in center of serving plate.
Starting where roll ends, wind second cake strip around first roll.
Repeat until all 6 strips are used.
Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
Arrange chocolate curls in a pattern on top, if desired.
8-inch cake.
NOTE: On the outside, Jellyroll Layer Cake looks like any other cake, but slicing reveals vertical, not horizontal layers.
The layers are baked in a jellyroll pan, sliced, then rolled in the traditional manner, adding a new strip where the rolled strip ends -----
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