Red Velvet Cake Roll!

I realize it's a little early for red velvet, but it's becoming so popular it's being made all year long here in the south.  I got a request from a Sweet Tea and Cornbread reader for a red velvet cake roll recipe that would actually roll without breaking, which she was having a problem with.   I decided to go to my 'baking expert' for this one...my mother.   When I ran this by her, she said, I will have to think about this one and get back to you.  

 I thought it  odd that she had to think this much, because this woman can bake just about anything, so the next day she calls me and says  "I don't see any way to use red velvet cake mix and get it to roll without breaking".  I am not sure where she got the idea it had to be a mix, but when I told her it didn't need to be a mix, from scratch is fine...she said, "Oh, that's no problem then."   Problem solved...lol.  

 Isn't it funny how just a little communication clarification can make such a difference. So this is what Mama came up with and I must say it looks beautiful and it tastes yummy.   Here is what you need:

Cake

1/3 cup  plain flour

1 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/3 tsp. salt

4 large eggs separated ( leave them out to come to room temp beforehand)

1 cup sugar divided

1 oz. red food coloring

1 tsp. vanilla

confectioner's sugar

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick butter, softened

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Line a 15x10 jelly roll pan with wax paper or parchment paper.  Grease and flour the pan or spray with the nonstick baking spray made for baking with the flour in it.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.   In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar with an electric mixer until they are fluffy.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the other 1/2 cup of sugar until stiff peaks form, but not until they are dry.   Make sure the beaters and the bowl are very clean and dry when you start. 

Add the egg yolks, food coloring, and vanilla to the dry ingredients until blended.  Fold in the egg whites.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, prepare the cream cheese filling by creaming the cream cheese and butter together.  Add vanilla and confectioners sugar until whipped.  This should be a little stiffer than cream cheese frosting.

When the cake is done, lay out a clean dish cloth and sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar.  Turn the cake out on the cloth.  Remove the wax paper.  If the edges of the cake need it, trim them with kitchen shears to make them nice and even.  Roll the cake starting on the long side with the cloth into a tight roll.  Lay the roll, seam side down on a rack to cool in the cloth.

When cool, unroll cake and spread cream cheese filling to within 1/2 inch of the edges.  Re-roll the cake once filled and place on a platter seam side down.  Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar or you could drizzle with melted white chocolate.  To serve on a platter in slices, as shown in the above picture, with a sharp knife, slice in 1 inch slices.  If it's chilled beforehand, it will slice easier. 

OPTIONAL TIP:   You can make this as a chocolate roll by using a 1/3 cup cocoa powder and leaving the red food coloring out.   Add some mini chocolate chips to the cream cheese filling for a chocolate chip roll.

Red Velvet Cake Roll!