A little over two weeks ago, tornadoes wreaked havoc in Alabama and the surrounding states. I feel very fortunate that the damage we suffered here in East Tennessee was mild comparatively. We'll be getting a new roof and vinyl siding, but many people in Alabama lost everything they owned, and worse. Maybe you've heard of the devastation? A photographer friend captured it perfectly here.
That evening, after the storm was over, we emerged from our designated safe-place to find our yard completely covered with soft-ball sized hail. Wow. I've never seen anything so strange and scary!
Since then, I find myself gravitating toward creature comforts, or better said - things to soothe jangled nerves. I've spent more time with my recipe journal-slash-sketchbook and Bic Cristals in black (do other writing instruments exist?). I keep inspiration close by in the form of a sparkly vintage brooch. I indulge in too many cups of coffee as well as the nerdiest art books...
...and I bake, of course. It's strange how I can completely abandon my worries while whisking eggs and measuring sugar. I know many of you feel the same way.
I'll bet you didn't know that cake rolls are my favorite thing to make, ever. They are so simple and beautiful. It's been much too long since I last posted a roulade, so I've decided to put forth a little extra effort and post a video of my roulade making process.
I almost hesitate to call this roulade "pink velvet" even though it has
everything that a velvet cake is supposed to have, specifically,
buttermilk and vinegar. Unlike most true velvet cakes, it has a
very mild flavor and isn't overly tangy. Without the pink coloring, it
would be a good all purpose, basic cake roll. I used vanilla Swiss
buttercream for a filling, and the overall balance and texture is as pretty as the cake looks.
Pink Velvet Roulade
Heavily adapted from Domino Sugar's Red Velvet Cake Roll
serves 8-10 [click to print]
Cake:
4 eggs
3/4 cup extra fine granulated sugar
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 drop or small dab of Wilton rose gel food coloring (Americolor pink would also work)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 jelly-roll pan with white vegetable shortening and line with parchment; grease parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat eggs with a hand mixer for 5 full minutes - set a timer if you need to! Properly whipped eggs will lighten in color considerably and have the appearance of yellow cake batter.
With the mixer still running, slowly add sugar and oil to the whipped eggs. Next, add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract and food coloring (add food coloring a little at a time until desired color is achieved).
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to the liquid ingredients. Mix until well combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and tilt pan to distribute batter evenly.
Sprinkle a cotton tea towel with powdered sugar and rub sugar into the towel with your hands. Terry-cloth towels and towels with texture (such as waffle pattern) are NOT ideal for making cake rolls.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. Check at 12 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back when pressed with fingers.
When cake is baked turn it out onto the tea towel - do this without delay! Peel off parchment and immediately roll cake into the tea towel, beginning at the narrow end. Roll tightly and as evenly as possible. Place rolled cake on a wire rack seam-side down and let cool completely.
Swiss buttercream filling:
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg white (use two whites if your eggs are small)
12 tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 US sticks)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Whisk egg white(s) and sugar together in a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar melts into the egg white. Check consistency by rubbing a bit between two fingers. If sugar granules remain, keep heating/whisking.
When sugar and egg white are blended, transfer to a stand mixer. Whip until the mixtures doubles in size. Add vanilla extract, and then whip in softened butter a little at a time until mixture has thickened to buttercream icing consistency.
Assembly:
Carefully unwrap/unroll velvet cake, allowing the most tightly rolled end to curl slightly (see video). Frost inside with Swiss buttercream and roll cake tightly. Cut into pieces with a serrated knife and serve.
Pretty when garnished with sweetened whipped cream and glace' or maraschino cherries.
What a beautiful roll, it looks like it would cut so easily and the filling looks so deliciously smooth!
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, you can never have enough pink. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! A lovely roulade. Great video too.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Love this! And the video is the cutest thing I've ever seen. Your little pugs are the coolest.
ReplyDeleteLindo!
ReplyDelete:o)
Beautiful!! I loved the video. Sometimes seeing it in action is better than words. Thank you! What is the song that's playing? It's great too :)
ReplyDeleteHeather, this is GORGEOUS!! You make the most beautiful things...is it possible to LIVE in a blog? Because I'm thinking I'd like to live here for awhile. Everything's so pink and magical.
ReplyDeleteLooks so beautiful. It's my daughter's birthday son. Now I know what cake to make her!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the video! I've never made Roulade and you make it look like it is something I could pull off. Your photographs are stunning.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you did not suffer too much damage from the tornadoes but Alabama is still suffering and will be for a long time to come. Horrific what happened to so many in such a brief few moments in time.
So pretty! And love the video too.
ReplyDeleteLooks absolutely gorgeous! I want to make one RIGHT NOW! :)
ReplyDeleteMmmmm. I've never made a roll cake, which is seeming like a shame, especially since the color of that is so stunning.
ReplyDeleteHeather, I LOVE your video! Besides being helpful, the song is perfect and the assistants are cute:) Gorgeous roulade! I'm glad your damage wasn't more severe...that must have been so scary:(
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous, beautiful stunning! I love it!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful!!! You really make the cutest prettiest food ever! I know what my birthday cake is this year ;)
ReplyDeleteLOVE the video! You're a pastry rockstar, Heather. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThis is the prettiest dessert I've ever seen! You are so talented.
ReplyDeleteAdore that third photo. I did think about you during the devastation of the tornado. I'm sorry about the damage to your home. New roof and siding is pretty major.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help I notice at the bottom of your post, the cupcakes with the mustache. My husband grew a mustache with goatee this year. That would be so funny to make for him!!
Yep. Had to come back. The video!!! Adorable!! I giggled the whole way through. It is fantastic, entertaining, and informative. But...the entertaining part I love!
ReplyDeleteThat is the most beautiful dessert I have ever seen. Just looking at the picture makes me happy. I would really like to post this and link right back to you if that is ok. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGORGEOUS! I love making roulades too, but somehow I always forget I love making them, thanks for the reminder :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous as usual! I was just looking at a roulade recipe in a new German cookbook I bought today. Your great video may just give me the confidence to try and pull it off. I love your squishy faced co-stars and your pink mixer is beyond adorable.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great creation, loving your composition in this set of pictures too! You get better and better, one of my MOST favorite blogs to read.
ReplyDeleteThis is so freaking beautiful! Great cake!
ReplyDeleteSo much beauty in one post, really! And the video was perfect. I'm adding this to my list of to-makes.
ReplyDeleteJust gorgeous. The video is super cute and helpful as well. So glad to hear you and your home are ok.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty & tasty I sure!
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness this is one of the cutest and most beautiful little cakes I have ever seen! Love love love this!
ReplyDeleteEs una delicia de postre. Con un color tan bonito!! Te feliciot por esta receta tan fantástica.
ReplyDeleteBesitos,
so sorry to hear you got caught up with the earth quakes but glad to hear the damage was only minor. Love the roulade how yummy and lovely, dee x
ReplyDeleteThis looks like something my hubby would love, but I must admit I'm more of a chocolate lover myself. It sure did turn out pretty!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you made it through the tornadoes. We can only imagine how frightening it must have been, and still is, for many. I agree, "creature comforts" are best at a time like this, and how nice of you to include us by giving us this recipe. It's so bright and cheery... simply stunning, as is your website! I can't wait to make it (it will be my first roulade!). All the best to you and yours, and all the others who have been affected by those tornadoes.
ReplyDeleteThe video is completely adorable!!! I'm in MA so I'm pretty far away from any tornado damage, but I'm sure those who are going through tough times because of it will be cheered up by your video.
ReplyDeletethose are absolutely stunning! such a happy confection to bring joy to the world.
ReplyDeleteThis looks so pretty!
ReplyDeleteOk. This was the cutest thing I've ever seen.......I thought the dessert itself was adorable until I watched the video....Oh. My. Gosh.
ReplyDelete*squee*
I loved your little helpers, too!
Ann
Those are just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful cake, great video too!
ReplyDeleteThis is fabulous! I am so glad you included the video for those of us that need to visually see something to understand...such as myself ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh, Heavenly Heather! This is just so pretty and gorgeous AND heavenly! You take the best photographs of your creations also. I am saving this recipe and hope to try it one day. You are the master!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Gloria
ok. . . I am OBSESSED with your video! :-) WOW! ;-) makes it look SO easy!
ReplyDeleteSO pretty!
ReplyDeleteDid you hear the loud gasp that just came from my side of the computer screen? Seriously, this is the prettiest cake roll I've ever seen. Gorgoise!
ReplyDeleteso pretty! I am loving this!
ReplyDeleteAdorable! Almost too pretty to eat. Almost. :)
ReplyDeleteLaura
This is so pretty! And I loved the video too!
ReplyDeleteLove the video! Looks like fun to make. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know what I like better: your roulade or the fact that you enjoy Bic Cristals just as much as I do.
ReplyDeleteThank you for another lovely post and recipe!
Hi, I loved your blog, it´s beatiful, I´m Spanish, I don´t speak English but CONGRATULTIONS FOR YOU BLOG!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt looks wonderful
ReplyDeleteOh Heather this post was both scary and sweet! I adore your video, with its amazingly appropriate lyrics, it made me smile all the way through, I just had to watch it twice! As usual, everything you do and surround yourself with is so very gorgeous. xoxo ~Lili
ReplyDeleteHeather, I am so glad to hear you did not get much damage from those awful tornadoes. Amazing how life's simple pleasure can take us away from all the craziness - thank goodness for baking and beautiful pink cakes :) xo
ReplyDeleteThe video was so adorable! It made me want to find the song and then dance, sing, and bake all at the same time! You are always such an inspiration in so many ways!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful video! Everything is just right - the music, the lighting and your cute (and well-behaved) assistants.
ReplyDeleteThe cake roll is gorgeous and very inspiring.
I'm posting a link on my Facebook Fan page (Mignardise).
I LOVE the video! LOVE!! I couldn't help but smile through the whole thing and the fact that Biscuit and Churro were there...made me love it more :)
ReplyDeleteLove the pink and the sweet song!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! These look like they could also be called Watermelon Roulade although Pink Velvet sounds quite enchanting! Thanks for making this technique so simple!
ReplyDeleteWOHOOOO this is such a NICE video right there!! SO great so positive...LOVE IT. Thanks so much for this post.
ReplyDeleteniner from www.wechooseorganic.com (recipes and more)
For those curious -
ReplyDeleteThe song in the video is Nancy Sinatra's "Sugar Town".
This is my first post here, but not my first time here! Really love what you do!
ReplyDeleteCrash
This looks perfect. And if it tastes how it looks, it tastes perfect. I want a bite.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Absolutely beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis looks just plain AWESOME!
ReplyDeletewill using milk and lemon make any difference to the texture? buttermilk's pretty expensive here
I just made this and it is delicious! Mine isn't as fluffy as yours though. I beat my eggs for 7 minutes and think I should have went even longer...Although it's not as gorgeous as yours it's still impressive. So glad I saw it on foodgawker. :)
ReplyDeleteYou my friend are adorable....I will be making this and linking back to you. Love your side kicks! Thank you soooooo much. xoxo
ReplyDeleteMy mom's name is Rose and everyone calls her Rosie! Saw your comment on MM and had to drop you a note about it!
ReplyDeleteWhat perfect rolling! I just made a cake roll too and it cracked for sure and the filling oozed out haha. Great job and thanks for the video.
ReplyDeleteI actually have been looking for a pot like the one you scooped the flour out of. Would you mind sharing where you got that? Or who manufactures it? Thanks in advance!
This cake looks absolutely lovely! Would be a beautiful dessert for a girly luncheon : ) I just found your blog (thanks to the Saveur Awards) and am blown away by your amazing photography and how perfect (without being fake perfect) everything looks. I'm looking forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteWe never baked nearly enough at culinary school (here, if you're interested: "Culinary School: Three Semesters of Life, Learning, and Loss of Blood" http://amzn.to/eOKJWw on Kindle), but if we did, this is what I'd have liked to have made. The girly pink makes me want to smile, it is so pretty!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I made a roll cake last week for the first time, but it didn't look that cool... I have to try this asap!
ReplyDeleteYour blong is my brand-new favourite, I just found it and I already love it :)
*gasp* Ooooooh...do you have any idea how your pictures are making my mouth water???? Your roulade is incredibly beautiful, and I'm hardly waiting to make this!!! The video, by the way, was fantastiCO!! Thanks!! I can't wait to browse your web some more but after seeing this gorgeous roulade and those incredibly beautiful key lime cheesecake bars, I'm sure everything else I discover on your blog is gonna be just as delightful! :)
ReplyDeletethat video made me so smiley. that was awesome. i love the gentle pink loveliness of this. just, wow. once again, you've truly outdone yourself! i am so amazed by how you make your food look so elegant, mine is much more... ha, well, my last big thing was star wars theme so! that's mine. i need to work on getting back to the beauty of food like you and so many other talents on the web. this may be my break back into the "pretty" side of baking :)
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing. always beautiful.
-meg
@ http://clutzycooking.blogspot.com
Wow...
ReplyDeleteYou make the most gorgeous, delicious things I have ever seen! :D
Honestly, your work has to be the very definition of 'edible art'! ;)
That video was awesome awesome awesome. I have no idea how you found such a perfect song, but I loved it, and kinda want it for my iPod! My husband adores roll cakes of any kind, but I've never made one. It's my grandmother's specialty, so I've always let her do it. Your video proves to me though, that I *can* do it. Can't wait to try!
ReplyDeleteI love your video!! My favourite bit is when your dog was curiously looking at the tabletop when you brought the tray to the table. Adorable.
ReplyDeleteAnd needless to say, the roulade is awesome. I've made swiss rolls before, but both times the cake cracked during the rolling process - haven't tried making it for a while, now I have your video I have to try again!
Thanks everyone! Xiaolu, I couldn't find any markings on the pans. I found them at an antiques store, but they are not antiques - they are new. Also, they came as a nesting set of 3. If I find them online I'll leave a link in your most recent blog post.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Su-yin, my cake roll cracked a little this time (I left it sitting unrolled too long while trying to film) but I just stuck it back together with some buttercream. :)
Thanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteYour friend's photos are harrowing. It's unbelievable to see the devastation. I can see why you feel like making comfort food, and your cake roll is comfort food of the most beautiful kind.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so delicious I'm going to have to try it this weekend. I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy the damage at your place wasn't absolutely horrible, but I am sorry to hear that there was any at all :( I hope everything goes well with the repairs!
ReplyDeleteAlso, this is the most perfect roll cake I have ever seen. I love your photos, too :)
This is absolutely gorgeous! I came upon your blog today while looking at Blue Velvet Cupcakes on foodgawker and I can't get away from it. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
ReplyDelete(another) Heather
http://mmmisformommy.blogspot.com
You and Bakerella are definatly my masters. I love you so!!!
ReplyDeleteYou make roulades look so easy! I adore the pink color, of course :)
ReplyDeleteThat is the prettiest styled photo of a pink roulade on a book with a brooch I have ever seen!
ReplyDeleteI am a new and excited Follower :)
http://www.redpoppyfashion.blogspot.com
xo RedPoppy
Love the video!kisses fron greece!
ReplyDeleteHe publicado tu foto y un link hacia tu blog en Mis Favoritos de esta semana, puedes verlo en http://blocderecetas.blogspot.com/2011/05/mis-favoritas-semana-21-2011.html
ReplyDeleteEspero que te guste!
Would this work if I used a box cake mix?
ReplyDeleteHi, your blog is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteWow everything you make is amazing! I cant find one thing thats my favourite...everything is my favourite! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly,
I wouldn't use a box mix for this. The egg/liquid ratio to flour is much higher than a boxed cake mix.
This looks so beautiful! I absolutely love the shot of it on the book, really inspiring food and photos yet again!!
ReplyDeletethis looks so pretty! Loved your video with your doggies!!
ReplyDeleteanything pink and swirly!
THis is so beautiful. I pinned it. I love to bake (and cook) and live in Franklin Tn. I notice you live in East Nashville, a favorite part of town for food. I can't wait to try this, if anything, for the look of it.
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog for the first time. You are amazing! Love the roulade and the champagne cupcakes. Love, Love, LOVE it!
ReplyDeletewow! great video! and lovely dogs!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lasrecetitas.blogspot.com/
oh my, how did I miss seeing this one. So pretty in pink!!!
ReplyDeletejust made this and it turned out really great for a first time try. ive never made a roulade before in my life. its very cakie and sweet but very pretty which is half the reason i bake. here is a picture of mine http://instagr.am/p/N3dnh/ proves anyone can do it!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so yummy and pretty. I can't wait to try the recipe.
ReplyDeletemafrangine.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe, I made this today for Valentine's Day and it's oh so perfect!
ReplyDeleteA BEAUTIFUL cake and a Swanky Blog.. I'm ur new follower :D
ReplyDeleteI like to use ice cream as the filing for these type of cakes. Any suggestions for a good type of ice cream to use as a filler?
ReplyDeletemy buttercream doesn't look anything like your photo. it's pale yellow after following your directions to the letter - and it's WAY buttery. it won't stand up to the cake.
ReplyDeleteI made this for mother's day, she loved it well everyone did, i've never mad eone before it looked so pretty i had to try it, Thankyou.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what i loved the most about the video, the lovely roulade or the super cute pugs!
ReplyDeleteAny advice how to make it not shrink? :( Mine is shrink, is it cos too long mixing in mixer?
ReplyDeleteWhich is the name of the book that use for the amazing photo? It's about something of the starchs?
ReplyDeleteLooks amazing! Can't wait to try!
ReplyDeleteLoved the video, the song and of course the end result :) beautiful! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the video! I should try it out sometime :) And what is the name of the song? I'd appreciate it if you answered. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBest video I have ever watched for a recipe.Must try for me,thx for sharing
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! i must try this XD youre the master! XD thank you for the recipe :)
ReplyDelete