Try this Easy Sponge Cake Roll recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 45.7000454262269 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0521263411565625 g
- Fiber 0.0202476252826064 g
- Protein 0.0656090207303125 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0101934515650625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (46g)
- Sodium 8.7501915234375 mg
- Sugar 45.6797978009443 g
- Trans Fat 0.00126574859000001 g
- Calories 179 calories
Step-by-step
- HEAT oven to 400°F. COAT 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 x 1-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray. LINE bottom with waxed or parchment paper; spray paper.
- BEAT egg whites and cream of tartar in mixer bowl with whisk attachment on high speed until foamy. Beating constantly, ADD 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, 2 tbsp. at a time, beating after each addition until sugar is dissolved before adding the next. (Rub a bit of mixture between thumb and forefinger; it should feel completely smooth.) Continue beating until whites are glossy and stand in soft peaks.
- BEAT egg yolks in clean mixer bowl on high speed until thick and lemon-colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually BEAT IN remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar until mixture is pale yellow and sugar is dissolved. BEAT IN vanilla and salt.
- SIFT flour over egg whites. ADD yolk mixture. FOLD gently but thoroughly until color is uniform and no streaks of flour remain. Do not stir. SPREAD in into prepared pan.
- BAKE in 400°F oven until center springs back when lightly tapped with finger, 10 to 12 minutes.
- SPRINKLE clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar. LOOSEN cake from sides of pan with knife. INVERT cake onto towel; carefully peel off waxed paper. TRIM all cake edges with serrated knife. ROLL UP cake, starting from short end and rolling towel in with cake. COOL wrapped cake roll, seam-side down on wire rack.
Why does the batter deflate the moment the spatula touches it? Whipping whole eggs or separating them to aerate whites requires understanding the mechanical structure of albumen proteins, which trap air bubbles when agitated by a whisk attachment. Historically, bakers relied on sheer muscle power and copper bowls to stabilize these foams before mechanical mixers and acid stabilizers like cream of tartar standardized the process. Utilizing room temperature eggs rather than cold ones from the refrigerator drastically reduces whipping time because warmer proteins stretch more readily around the expanding air cells, yielding a volume that holds up during the delicate folding stage.
The Science of Structure and Sugar
Sugar does more than sweeten the crumb; it acts as a tenderizer by binding water and raising the coagulation temperature of the egg proteins. When incorporating the granulated sugar into the whipped whites two tablespoons at a time, checking the mixture between thumb and forefinger ensures that no gritty crystals remain, which would otherwise weigh down the foam and create dense pockets in the finished crumb. Sifting the all-purpose flour over the whipped whites rather than dumping it in one mass prevents heavy clumps from forming, allowing the yolk mixture and flour to integrate through gentle folding motions without knocking out the trapped air.
Rolling While Warm
Transferring the baked cake from the 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven immediately to a powdered-sugar-dusted kitchen towel dictates whether the final product rolls cleanly or shatters. Cellulose structures in baked flour set rapidly as they cool, so inverting the sheet and rolling the warm crumb inside the fabric forces the internal moisture to redistribute evenly while the gelatinized starches adopt a curved memory. Pairing this airy, neutral sponge with tart fruit preserves or rich buttercream creates a balanced contrast where the sweet density of the filling offsets the delicate, featherlight crumb of the outer pastry.
