jelly roll cake

King Arthur Test Kitchen’s jelly roll wraps a thin, airy sponge around thick jam, creating a spiral visible in each slice. A dusting of confectioners’ sugar finishes the rolled cake.

Flour, baking powder and table salt are sifted together. Eggs are beaten until foamy, then granulated sugar is gradually added until the batter becomes thick and pale, with vanilla entering near the end.

The dry mixture is gently folded into the beaten eggs and spread in a lined, lightly greased jelly-roll pan. The thin cake bakes until golden and springy.

The warm baked cake is inverted onto a sugar-dusted towel, the parchment is removed, and the cake rolls up with the towel while it cools. Once cooled, it is unrolled, spread with thick jam and rolled again without the towel.

The seam rests underneath the finished roll, which receives another confectioners’ sugar dusting. King Arthur recommends resting it before slicing so the jam can soak slightly into the layers, and specifies jam or preserves rather than thin jelly.