Seersucker Lemon-Blueberry Cake Roll
We saw this image in Judith Fertig’s new book, Bake Happy, and we knew we had to bring it to you. The blueberry stripes are genius and fun. They are not hard, but there are some steps that do require time, so read the recipe through and make sure you understand the logistics. You not only have to pause for some freezer time, but you also need room in the freezer for a half-sheet pan. The cream cheese in the filling gives it great body, allowing you to make picture perfect slices; this cake will draw raves from your next party-goers. Also check out her Rainbow Cake with Robin’s Egg Blue Frosting.
Reprinted with permission from Bake Happy
During the holidays, some bakers like to make a pumpkin cake roll or the fancier bûche de Noël. But there is a lot to be said for a summery version, too, in stripes of pale yellow and deeper blue. With a blueberry-studded, lemon-scented filling, this cake has the fresh look and taste of summer. The cake roll is also easy to make, in stages, and to roll up. The cake itself is very supple, but the trick is to follow the timing exactly—7 minutes in the oven and 5 minutes to cool before spreading on the filling and rolling it up. Make this a polka dot cake, if you like, by piping dots instead of stripes. The only tricky part of this recipe is that the whole baking sheet needs to go in your freezer for 30 minutes for the stripes to set. Adapted from a recipe by Raiza Costa, who blogs at Dulce Delight.
- 1 (8-ounce/226-g) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 pint (300 g) fresh blueberries
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup (75 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- Blue and black gel food coloring
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (112 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup (85 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- Fresh blueberries for garnish
- Mint sprigs, for garnish
- Line a 17 x 11-inch (43 x 28-cm) baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
- For the Lemon-Blueberry Filling, place the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and lemon zest in a food processor and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the filling aside.
- Arrange a piece of parchment paper on a flat work surface and dust it with confectioners’ sugar.
- For the Blueberry Stripes, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, butter, and flour until smooth and thick. Color the batter with gel food coloring until you get a dark blue. Put the mixture in a squirt bottle with a ⅛ to ¼-inch (3 to 6-cm) opening at the tip. Squirt squiggly blueberry stripes, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, across the short side and down the length of the prepared baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer and let the stripes set for 30 minutes.
- When you’re ready to bake the cake, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy, about 2 minutes, then continue beating on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes more. Add half of the sugar to the bowl, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat on high speed until white, billowy peaks form, about 7 minutes total. Set the bowl aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks with the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar, the melted butter, and the flour; whisk together until smooth. Add half of the beaten egg whites and fold them in with a spatula or large metal spoon until they are well incorporated. Add the rest of the beaten egg whites and continue folding them in until the batter is uniform in color.
- Remove the baking sheet with the blueberry stripes from the freezer. Spoon the cake batter over the stripes in a thin layer. Smooth the batter with an offset spatula or flour scraper. Using your forefinger, make a clean channel along the perimeter of the cake batter so that the batter does not touch the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 7 minutes or until the cake feels firm when you press it in the middle and the edges are just starting to turn golden.
- Immediately remove the baking sheet from the oven and invert the cake onto the confectioners’ sugar–dusted piece of parchment paper. Peel the parchment paper from the top of the cake and discard it. Place a new sheet of parchment paper over the cake. Holding the cake at both ends, carefully and quickly turn the cake over again and peel off the parchment so that the confectioners’ sugar–dusted side is facing up. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes.
- Spread the cake with the filling and sprinkle with the blueberries. Starting with a short side, carefully and firmly roll up the cake.
- To serve, transfer the cake to a platter, cut it into slices, and set each slice on an individual plate with a scattering of blueberries and fresh mint sprigs. If necessary, trim the ends a little bit with a serrated or cake knife to make a more attractive cake roll.
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