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Blackberry Roulade

The combination of fresh fruit and whipped cream used to fill this cake, typically found in British desserts, is known as “fool.” You can substitute raspberries or boysenberries for the blackberries in this recipe.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes one 17-inch rolled cake

Ingredients

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large whole egg, plus 2 large egg yolks and 3 large egg whites, all at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup warm water
1 pint fresh blackberries
1 cup heavy cream

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 17-by-12-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a large, clean kitchen towel with confectioners’ sugar; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Place the whole egg, egg yolks, vegetable oil, honey, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, vanilla, and warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until thick and pale (it should hold a ribbon-like trail on the surface when the whisk is raised), 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

    Step 2

    With a clean bowl and whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Raise speed to medium-high; gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of the egg-white mixture into the egg-yolk mixture to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites until just combined. Sift flour mixture over the top, and gently fold in until just combined. Pour batter onto prepared baking sheet; using an offset spatula, spread evenly.

    Step 3

    Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until the cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched in the center, about 10 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto prepared towel; carefully lift off pan and peel off parchment paper. Starting on a long side, roll towel and cake into a log, incorporating the towel as you go. Transfer cake (still in towel), seam side down, to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

    Step 4

    In a medium bowl, crush the blackberries with a fork; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream with the confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold in crushed blackberries; set aside.

    Step 5

    Unroll cake, leaving it on the kitchen towel. Using an offset spatula, spread blackberry mixture over top of cake, leaving a 1-inch border on both long sides. Gently roll cake again into a log (do not incorporate towel). Wrap with towel; refrigerate on a baking sheet until ready to serve, for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Remove towel, and generously dust cake with confectioners’ sugar before serving; slice with a serrated knife.

  2. Blackberry Roulade how-to

    Step 6

    While it’s still warm, a sheet of freshly baked sponge cake is rolled in a clean kitchen towel that has been dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

  3. Step 7

    Once it has cooled, the cake is unrolled and covered with a thick layer of blackberry fool before it is rolled and dusted once again.

Reprinted with permission from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook by Martha Stewart. © 2005 Clarkson Potter
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