Storybook Cake Roll Recipe

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This Storybook  cake roll is moist, rolled with a vanilla butter cream, covered in decadent chocolate and the cookie crumbs give it a subtle crunch. I love that this recipe uses one frosting that turns into vanilla and chocolate cream with a couple of quick add-ins. So don’t worry, you really only make the frosting once.

This roulade is based on a classic Russian cake roll known as Tort Skazka (Торт Сказка)- which translates to “storybook cake” and it has a delicious story to tell.

This cake roll looks and tastes like something from a fancy European bakery, but you can master it at home! I baked this cake twice in 1 week (and ate it twice in 1 week!) to ensure it was perfect for you and I included every detail to make sure you succeed.

This cake is simple enough to make for a tea party with friends, but it’s also fitting for any special occasion or holiday dinner. It has impressed everyone in the family (and I have a big family!). Your taste buds will dance.

Ingredients for the Sponge Cake Roll:

1 cup sifted cake flour (click for easy tutorial on making cake flour) *measured correctly
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temp

Ingredients for the syrup:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup hot water
3 Tbsp rum – I used Bacardi golden rum (it is optional, but adds great flavor)

Ingredients for the custard buttercream:

1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 Tbsp water
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (uncooked – straight from the can)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp cocoa

Ingredients for the topping:

1/2 cup golden brown cookie crumbs (I used crumbs from 4 graham crackers)

What you’ll need:

11×17 rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper

How To Make The Cake Roll:

If you’ve never made a European Sponge Cake, this video will give you an idea of what the batter and process looks like. Please note the proportions are slightly different in this cake but the general process is the same.

2. Once the cake comes out of the oven, remove it from the baking pan, and while it’s still hot, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper over it and roll the cake loosely (rolling it while it’s still warm helps prevent cracks later). Let the rolled cake cool to room temp, then you can remove the backing and lay it flat again keeping the same side up as before so you are rolling in the same direction after it’s frosted. (Start making syrup and frosting – see how to make frosting below).

How To Make Syrup:

1. Dissolve sugar in boiling water. Add rum and let the syrup cool to room temp.

How To Make Custard Buttercream:

1. In a small sauce pan, off the heat, whisk together 1 egg yolk, 1/2 Tbsp water, 1/2 cup condensed milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth.

2. Place over the lowest heat and slowly increase the heat to a medium/low or just until it is lightly steaming. Continue whisking constantly until it thickens slightly – don’t let it boil. When it’s ready, it will be the consistency of uncooked sweetened condensed milk. Total time on the stove: 7-8 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and let custard cool to room temp. It will thicken more as it cools.

3. Beat softened butter in a mixer with whisk attachment for 5 minutes on high speed, scraping down the bowl as needed.

4. Add room temp custard mixture, 1 Tablespoon at a time, into the whipped butter, beating on high speed for a few seconds with each addition. Once all of the custard is incorporated, scrape down the bowl and beat another 2 minutes on high speed.

5. Divide finished cream in half. The first half will remain your white cream and you will spread this over the moistened cake. Keep the second half in the mixing bowl with the whisk attachment and add 4 Tbsp cocoa (1 Tablespoon at a time) and 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. The oil will enhance the chocolatey color. Beat on high speed 2 minutes or until all of cocoa is well incorporated (scrape down the bowl as needed).

Final Cake Assembly Instructions:

1. Once cake is room temp, brush the top of your unrolled cake roll (the side that will be the inside once it’s rolled up) evenly with the syrup (see how to make syrup instructions above). Let it sit and soak up the syrup at least 5 min

2. Spread your white cream filling in a thin layer evenly over the top of the cake (this bent icing knife makes it easy) and start rolling your cake from the same side as before, keeping a tight(-ish) roll without squeezing out the frosting. It really is just a very thin layer of frosting, but it will be just right; you’ll see!

3. Next, spread a thin layer of chocolate cream over the top of your cake. You need just enough to cover the cake and keep the crumbs on the sides.

4. Sprinkle finished roll with cookie crumbs on the sides; it was easy with a food scraper; pour crumbs along the base of the cake and use a scraper to pull them up on the sides of the cake (see pics below). Pipe remaining chocolate over the top of the cake. I made swirls across the top with a large Wilton 1M open star tip. <– click to see the frosting set I have and use for everything. It turned out so pretty and I really loved that it looked like it just walked out of a hair salon.

Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Once the cake is chilled, it is much easier to transfer and slice. It tastes great cold straight out of the fridge or softened up to room temp.

Storybook Cake Roll Recipe

4.98 from 41 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

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Prep Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs

Ingredients 

For the Sponge Cake:

• 1 cup sifted cake flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temp

For the Syrup:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 3 Tbsp rum - I used Bacardi golden rum, optional, but adds great flavor

For the Custard Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 Tbsp water
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, uncooked - straight from the can
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Tbsp cocoa

For the Topping:

• 1/2 cup golden brown cookie crumbs, I used crumbs from 4 graham crackers

What you'll need:

• 11 ×17 rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper

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Instructions

How To Make the Sponge Cake: Preheat oven to 410˚F.

• Beat 5 eggs with white sugar on high speed for 5-6 minutes or until thick and fluffy. Next, sift in 1 cup of cake flour in two intervals and fold gently, scraping from the bottom, just until combined with no streaks of flour remaining. Spread batter evenly onto your prepared baking sheet. Bake at 410˚F for approx. 7-8 minutes or until the top is golden.
• Once the cake comes out of the oven, remove it from the baking pan, and while it's still hot, place a sheet of parchment or wax paper over it and roll the cake loosely (rolling it while it’s still warm helps prevent cracks later). Let the rolled cake cool to room temp, then you can remove the backing and lay it flat again keeping the same side up as before so you are rolling in the same direction after it’s frosted. (Start making syrup and frosting - see how to make frosting below).

How To Make Syrup:

• Dissolve sugar in boiling water. Add rum and let the syrup cool to room temp.

How To Make Vanilla and Chocolate Custard Buttercream:

• In a small sauce pan, off the heat, whisk together 1 egg yolk, 1/2 Tbsp water, 1/2 cup condensed milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla until smooth.
• Place over the lowest heat and slowly increase the heat to a medium/low or just until it is lightly steaming. Continue whisking constantly until it thickens slightly - don't let it boil. When it's ready, it will be the consistency of uncooked sweetened condensed milk. Total time on the stove: 7-8 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and let custard cool to room temp. It will thicken more as it cools.
• Beat softened butter in a mixer with whisk attachment for 5 minutes on high speed, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Add room temp custard mixture, 1 Tablespoon at a time, into the whipped butter, beating on high speed for a few seconds with each addition. Once all of the custard is incorporated, scrape down the bowl and beat another 2 min on high speed.
• Divide finished cream in half. The first half will remain your white cream and you will spread this over the moistened cake. Keep the second half in the mixing bowl with the whisk attachment and add 4 Tbsp cocoa (1 Tablespoon at a time) and 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. The oil will enhance the chocolatey color. Beat on high speed 2 minutes or until all of cocoa is well incorporated (scrape down the bowl as needed).

Final Cake Assembly Instructions:

• Once cake is room temp, brush the top of your unrolled cake roll (the side that will be the inside once it’s rolled up) evenly with the syrup (see how to make syrup instructions above). Let it sit and soak up the syrup at least 5 min.
• Spread your white cream filling in a thin layer evenly over the top of the cake and start rolling your cake from the same side as before, keeping a tight(-ish) roll without squeezing out the frosting. It really is just a very thin layer of frosting, but it will be just right; you'll see!
• Next, spread a thin layer of chocolate cream over the top of your cake. You need just enough to cover the cake and keep the crumbs on the sides.
• Sprinkle finished roll with cookie crumbs on the sides; it was easy with a food scraper; pour crumbs along the base of the cake and use a scraper to pull them up on the sides of the cake. Pipe remaining chocolate over the top of the cake. I made swirls across the top with a large Wilton 1M open star tip. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

Notes

Once the cake is chilled, it is much easier to transfer and slice. It tastes great cold straight out of the fridge or softened up to room temp.

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Keyword: Storybook Cake Roll

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $