Chevron Cake Roll

Ready or not - Easter is coming.  I'm not sure how it snuck up on me this year but I'm feeling somewhat underprepared for Easter dinner this year. 

Normally, I have my Easter dinner menu organized, my groceries purchased and the prep work complete by this point, but last night I was still trying to finalize menu options.  I was having an especially hard deciding on a Springtime dessert that I wanted to serve to my Easter guests - then I ran across this little gem. Chevron Cake Roll.

Chevron Cake Roll
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoons fine sugar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons flour
food color
Filling
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup fresh strawberries (sliced)

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.  Spray with cooking spray.

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Beat egg whites and fine sugar together until you have firm peaks.

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Beat egg yolks, regular sugar and vanilla together in a separate bowl.

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Fold the egg yolk mixture under the egg white mixture.

Add the flour and gently fold it in.

Remove 1/4 cup batter and tint with food color of your choice.

Transfer tinted batter to a pastry bag.  Mine was fitted with a Wilton #56 tip.

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Pipe zig zag pattern onto parchment paper.  Bake 2 minutes at 350.

Allow to cool 3 minutes.  Spread remaining batter on top of pattern and bake another 11 minutes.

Invert immediately onto a towel dusted with powdered sugar.

Using a cutting board to support the bottom and another to support the top, invert cake again so that the chevron pattern is facing your countertop.

Roll up cake, starting with a short side, in the powdered sugar towel.  Allow to cool completely.

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Whisk powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Carefully unroll cake and spread a thin layer of whipped cream over entire cake.

Slice strawberries and place over whipped cream layer.

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Use a sharp knife to straighten out the edges of the cake.  Reroll carefully.

I need a little practice on my chevron patterns but I'm already dreaming up lots more color possibilities for this little gem. 

I made this cake roll as a birthday cake for a friend a couple of months ago and she was generous enough to share it with me.  I really enjoyed it. 

Just in case you're curious, (or if you happen to be coming to my house this Sunday) this Chevron Cake Roll did not make the cut for my Easter dinner.  It is absolutely delicious and it would look stunning on my dessert table but I eliminated it because I am preparing  dinner for 22 people this year.  This cake would be perfect for a dinner party of 8-10 people - not so practical for a party of 22.  You can bet that this Chevron Cake Roll will make another appearance on our dinner table soon though.

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of the recipe