Nothing beats the combination of rich chocolate and strong espresso. This Mocha Chiffon Roll is light as a feather, incredibly airy, and, thanks to our LaBour All-Purpose Flour Blend, completely gluten-free. The secret to a perfect, crack-free roll? We'll share it with you below!
| Prep time: 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Bake time: 14 minutes |
| Chill time (in the fridge): 3 hours |
| Total time: 4 hours 24 minutes |
| Servings: 8 slices |
| Cuisine: Japanese |
Ingredients
For the Mocha Cake
80 g LaBour All-Purpose Flour Blend
20 g cornstarch
50 g natural cocoa powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder
6 large eggs (at room temperature)
¼ tsp cream of tartar or citric acid
150 g superfine granulated sugar (divided into 100 g + 50 g)
70 g plant-based milk (e.g., almond milk, pea milk, soy milk ...)
60 g sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Espresso Whipped Cream Filling
400 g plant-based whipping cream
40 g powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp instant (decaf) espresso powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: coffee beans for decoration
Equipment
Baking sheet 30.5 cm x 43 cm or 42 cm x 34 cm
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Mixing bowls
Rubber spatula
Piping bag
Piping tips of choice (I used Wilton 1M and 4B)
Instructions
1. Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180°C (convection fan setting). Line a 30.5 cm x 43 cm (or 42 cm x 34 cm) baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. The Flour Mixture
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the LaBour flour blend, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Set aside.
3. Separate Eggs
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two large, grease-free mixing bowls. Be careful not to get any egg yolk in the egg whites, otherwise you won't be able to whip the egg whites stiff.
4. The Meringue
Add the cream of tartar (or citric acid) to the egg whites. Beat the egg whites with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until frothy (like cappuccino foam). Add the 100 g sugar, spoonful by spoonful, while continuing to beat. Continue until stiff peaks form (the meringue should stand upright when you lift the mixer). Set aside.
5. The Egg Yolk Mixture
Add the remaining 50 g sugar to the egg yolks and mix until combined. Add the plant-based milk, oil, and vanilla extract and mix again. Sift the flour mixture over the bowl and mix on the lowest setting until just combined. You can also mix this by hand with a whisk.
6. Combine
Gently fold about ⅓ of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Then add the rest of the meringue.
Note: do this very carefully with a spatula (folding) so you don't beat the air out of the batter. Stop as soon as no white streaks are visible.
7. Baking
Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and smooth it out with an offset spatula into the corners. Bake the cake for 13-14 minutes. The top should feel springy.
8. The Pre-roll (the secret!)
Let the cake cool on a wire rack for only 5 minutes. Then, run an offset spatula (or a thin knife) along the edges of the baking sheet to loosen the cake. Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet, firmly grasp both sides (use oven mitts!) and flip the sheet in one swift motion so that the cake lands on the wire rack.
Carefully peel the baked-on parchment paper off the cake. Then place a new, clean sheet of parchment paper on the cake and flip it over again (the wire rack should end up on top), so that the cake is now on the fresh parchment paper (with the nice side facing up).
Now immediately roll up the warm cake (along with the new parchment paper!) from the short side. Let the cake cool completely in this rolled shape.
Tip: once the cake is at room temperature, you can wrap the rolled cake in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator to finish the next day. Note: allow the cake to return to room temperature completely before carefully unrolling it. This prevents the dough from being too cold (and therefore too stiff) and tearing.
9. Filling and Finishing
Whip the plant-based whipping cream stiff with the powdered sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. Set aside a little whipped cream for decoration.
Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the espresso whipped cream over it, but leave the last 5 cm at the end free. Roll the cake up tightly again (without the paper this time) and wrap it in plastic wrap.
Pro-tip: lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface and place the cake roll on it. Pull the wrap tightly over the roll from the bottom upwards. As you wrap the foil around the cake, pull it tight (like a tight cocoon). This ensures that the cake gets a nice, tight round shape and maintains it while firming up in the refrigerator.
10. Patience...
Let the roll firm up in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (or overnight). Trim the ends for the perfect spiral look. Garnish the cake roll with some extra cream and coffee beans. Use two piping bags: one with a star tip (e.g., Wilton 1M or 4B) and one with a smooth, round tip (e.g., Wilton 2A). Alternately pipe small dollops of the remaining espresso whipped cream on top of the roll. Optionally finish with a few coffee beans.
Storage and Freezing
In the refrigerator:
You can store this Mocha Chiffon Roll for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Make sure the roll is in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. You can serve the cake cold directly, but the flavors will develop even better if you let the slices come to room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
In the freezer:
Have leftovers? No problem! You can freeze the roll (or individual slices) for up to 1 month. Wrap the cake well in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, or use an airtight freezer container. Let the cake thaw overnight in the refrigerator before eating.
