Description
Make an elegant Red Velvet Cake Roll filled with creamy cheese — beautifully swirled and perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Red Velvet Sponge Cake:
- ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
- ¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 large eggs, separated
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- 2 Tbsp buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp milk + ½ tsp vinegar; let sit 5 minutes)
- 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp red food coloring (one 1‑oz bottle)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting towel / cake)
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare your pan and towel.
Preheat your oven to 350 °F (≈ 175 °C). Line a jelly roll pan (e.g. about 10×15 inch) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite ends. Lightly grease the parchment. Have ready a clean kitchen towel or thin linen, sprinkled generously with powdered sugar (to prevent sticking when rolling). - Mix dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. - Beat egg whites.
In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ of the granulated sugar (i.e. about ¾ of 150 g → 75 g) and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside. - Beat yolks and mix wet ingredients.
In another bowl, combine the egg yolks and the remaining granulated sugar. Beat until pale and thick. Then mix in oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring until fully incorporated. - Combine dry and wet, fold into whites.
Alternately fold the dry flour mixture into the yolk mixture (in 2–3 additions), mixing gently until just combined. Then carefully fold in the beaten egg whites in 2 additions, using a spatula and folding motions—be careful not to deflate them too much. - Bake the sponge.
Spread the batter gently and evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for about 12–15 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. - Unmold and roll while warm.
As soon as the cake is out of the oven, loosen its edges. Invert it onto the sugared towel, peel off the parchment, and immediately roll the cake and towel together, starting from a short side. Let it cool rolled up (wrapped) on a rack. - Prepare the filling.
While the cake cools, beat together the cold cream cheese and room temperature butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until creamy and well blended. - Unroll, fill, and reroll.
Once the cake is cooled (but still pliable), gently unroll it. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the surface, leaving a small margin (~½ inch) at the edges. Then reroll the cake (without the towel this time), seam side down. - Chill and slice.
Wrap the roll in plastic wrap or parchment, and chill for at least 1 hour (seam down) to set. Before serving, trim the ends neatly and slice with a serrated knife into ~½‑inch slices. Optionally dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
Use gel or paste red food coloring for more vibrant results and less liquid.
Be sure your egg white bowl and beaters are completely dry—moisture can prevent stiff peaks.
Work gently when folding to preserve air in the batter.
Roll while the cake is still warm to reduce cracking.
If cracks appear during rerolling, press gently to hide them or trim them off before serving.
Keywords: Red Velvet Cake Roll