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Monday, August 20, 2012

Lost and Found

There is nothing like bringing a dish back from the brink to make you feel a sense of accomplishment.

This month's Cake Slice pick, an "ultimate lemon roll," sounded fantastic.  However, like so many of the other desserts I have made from Tish Boyle's The Cake Book, in execution it turned out to be a bit sloppier.  As in crumbling sponge cake, oozing lemon curd kind of sloppy.  Eesh.

Since I was serving this as dessert for Erika's going-away dinner, I wanted it to look presentable.  Everything tasted good, it was just too messy to put on a platter and serve for dessert.

Enter the savior of many a baker with a less-than-gorgeous cake:  frosting.  Specifically, frosting made from the remainder of the pint of heavy cream I purchased for the recipe.


As an aside, why is heavy cream not sold in containers smaller than a pint anywhere in the Municipality of Anchorage?

I whipped up that cream with a tiny bit of sugar and some vanilla, and frosted the heck out of the cake.  It covered the bumps, cracks and general lack of beauty, and gave it a certain je-ne-sais-quoi to boot.

If I made this again, I would go with a straight lemon curd filling, minus the cream.  Regular curd is thicker and therefore less likely to ooze.

In other advice, buy a lot of lemons.  I used at least five in making all the components of the cake.

The (Kinda, Sorta) Ultimate Lemon Roll
Adapted from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle

For the filling:
7 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp. lemon zest
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, sliced into tablespoons
1/2 cup heavy cream

For the cake:
1 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 eggs, separated
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg white
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Powdered sugar

For the frosting:
Remainder of pint of heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. granulated sugar

First, the lemon curd filling:

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, then place the pan on medium heat and add the butter, lemon zest and juice and butter.  Whisk the mixture together for about ten minutes, or until it thickens.  Using a fine strainer, strain the curd into a medium bowl, preferably a metal one.  Place the metal bowl in an ice water bath and stir frequently for fifteen minutes.  The curd should be slightly chilled.

During this process, be careful not to splash water into the curd, or disaster will ensue.

Next, the cake:

Using a hand mixer, whip 1/2 cup of the heavy cream at high speed until the soft peak stage.  Fold the cream into the curd in stages, then cover and refrigerate this mixture.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare a jelly roll pan for the cake.  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment and sprinkle it with powdered sugar.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, the baking powder and the salt.  Whisk these ingredients together.

Using the hand mixer again, beat the egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, oil, water and vanilla until just blended.  Add the flour mixture in four installments and mix again.

If you look carefully, you can see the
start of the dreaded oozing.

In another medium bowl and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until the soft peak stage.  Drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, then increase the mixer speed to high.  When the whites are very stiff, fold them into the cake batter and then spread the batter in the jelly roll pan as evenly as possible.

Bake the cake for about fifteen to eighteen minutes, until it is lightly colored and springs when touched.  Place a baking rack over the cake and invert the pan so the cake ends up on the rack.  Do this as gently as possible, because this cake wants to crack. 

Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake, then roll the cake using the parchment paper--the paper will be rolled up with the cake.  Let rest on the baking rack until fully cooled.

When the cake is cool, unroll it and trim the edges on the short ends.  Spread the lemon mixture to within one inch of the cake edges, then re-roll the cake and transfer to a serving platter.  You will have leftover curd.

Finally, when the cake appears to be lost, the frosting:

When your cake doesn't look presentable, whip the remaining cream with the vanilla for the frosting, drizzling in the tablespoon of sugar.  Wipe up any lemon curd that has oozed out of the cake and onto the platter and then frost the heck out of the cake.  Cover and refrigerate immediately.



I served the cake slices with a pool of the curd mixture beneath them and garnishes of the remaining frosting on the side.

41 comments:

  1. You still did a great job and managed to not only save the cake but made it look good! I am so happy! I loved the flavor of this roll... but it's definitely for lemon lovers! :) YUM!

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  2. The roll looks soft and moist,yummy filling with citrusy flavored !!

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  3. It looks so pretty! I absolutely LOVE lemon curd, and haven't had it in forever!! Yum! Lemon is my favorite flavoring (besides chocolate) ... our wedding cake was all lemon! :)

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  4. Clever of you with the frosting! Love your finishing touches of little piped flower of frosting and that pool of lemon curd beneath!!

    This is a lovely cake!

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  5. Very tasty swirl cake! Your filling is so rich and delicious. Just give me a bowl of that! :)

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  6. I've never attempted to make a lemon roll but it is absolutely one of my most favorite cakes. I don't see it that often anymore in bakeries but, when I do, it comes home with me!

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    1. There is something about rolled cakes that looks so special! This one was a little wonky in the making, but was still delicious.

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  7. I bet the whip cream made it even more yummy :)

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    1. The amazing thing is how light the dessert still tasted!

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  8. you're right. there's an unspoken feeling of rescuing a dish from its brink! you are so brave to have tried this roll! I would have thought a million times before making it for anyone else. I'm sure the extra cream made it very decadent. I'm going to go with the idea of lemon curd too. Great post!

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  9. Great recovery! Your finished cake looks terrific - I wouldn't have known if you hadn't told us!

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  10. This sounds wonderful. I'm not that keen on the chocolate version so maybe I should give this a go!

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  11. It turned out fantastic all the same. I love the look with the frosting...way to save the day :)

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  12. I quite like cake ooze. It's extra bits for the baker! You did a great job prettying up this cake though - good save. My mouth is watering at the thoughts of all those gorgeous lemony layers of flavour.

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    1. I am ashamed (kind of) to think how many bits of curd and crumbly cake made their way into my mouth in this process.

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  13. I think you made it look even better!

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    1. Thanks, Kelly-Jane! That whipped cream frosting covered any number of flaws.

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  14. Oh I LOVE roll cakes and lemon?! That is certainly to die for.

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  15. You've just inspired me to make one of these "rolly polly" cakes very soon...your version looks too good to pass up!

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  16. Haha well I'm glad to see you salvaged it! I'm sure it was absolutely delicious. It certainly looks it!

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  17. What a wonderful job you did saving this roll. I love the way it looks on the plate, lovely and I bet it was delicious too.

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  18. I could feel my taste-buds start to dance reading this recipe!! I love a good lemony dessert. :) I have never done a roll type cake... now you've got me thinking....

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    1. Rolled cakes are generally not this challenging--I did a chocolate one last December that was nowhere near as fragile.

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  19. Good save with the frosting...the result is beautiful! Hubby loves lemon desserts...and you've inspired me to make a cake roll filled with just curd....mmmmmmm.

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    1. I think it would be brilliant with just the curd--it's such a great summery dessert.

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  20. Roll cakes are always a visual treat. The curd, as well as the rest of the recipe, looks absolutely scrumptious!

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  21. Great save! The Lemon Roll looks awesome!

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  22. I love just reading the recipes for lemon desserts;-) Looks like your rolled cake turned out perfectly,yum!

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  23. It looks beautiful thanks to your frosting, and I'm sure it tasted terrific. I love honest comments about recipes, including mine. That way I know what adjustments I might need to make. :)

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  24. This cake looks so luscious! What a great idea with the frosting. Actually, if you hadn't mentioned it..I wouldn't have thought you had any trouble about it. I love these rolled cakes...but I find that they look more oval when I make them! I LOVE lemons...and good suggestion about just using curd next time! : )

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    1. It really was lovely when it was all said and done--and not whipping the cream into the curd will just make it more lemony. A good thing in my book!

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  25. Nice cake with the frosting. Oh yes, lemons are always bought as part of my grocery every week but not so much for baking and cakes. Its into savory dishes,for the tangy taste.

    Seems like your baking skills are getting better and better.

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  26. I love cake rolls, they are my favorite with any filling.Love the frosting and I can tell from the picture how delicious it would be.

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  27. Mmmm this cake roll looks perfect my friend, wonderful job :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  28. yumm, I wish I had that sitting and waiting for me right now. how wonderful it would taste with a cup of tea!

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  29. Honestly, I think it looks better with your frosting and I'm sure tasted better too.

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  30. Looks pretty delicious to me! I have never made a roll---too intimidated.

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  31. I like getting to work early tooooooo! :D AND I like lemon... and lemon rolls! :D

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  32. I think you did an amazing job. I wouldn't even try it when it looks difficult when it comes to making desserts. Rolls? Um.. not another 10 years! :D So, great job Krista!!!

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  33. The roll looks very very airy and soft. The pleasant tangy lemon filling must be great!

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