Hojicha Japanese Roll Cake (Printable Version)

Delicate sponge roll with roasted green tea cream and fresh mango filling

# Ingredient List:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 4 large eggs, separated
02 - 5/8 cup granulated sugar, divided
03 - 1/4 cup whole milk
04 - 3.4 fl oz vegetable oil
05 - 2.5 oz cake flour, sifted
06 - 0.35 oz cornstarch
07 - 1 tbsp hojicha powder
08 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Hojicha Cream

09 - 3/4 cup heavy cream, chilled
10 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
11 - 2 tsp hojicha powder

→ Filling

12 - 1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced into thin strips

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with 5 tbsp sugar until pale and creamy. Add milk and vegetable oil, mixing until smooth.
03 - Sift together cake flour, cornstarch, hojicha powder, and salt. Fold into the yolk mixture until just combined.
04 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 5 tbsp sugar and continue beating to stiff peaks.
05 - Gently fold the meringue into the yolk-flour mixture in three additions, being careful not to deflate the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared tray, smoothing the surface evenly. Tap the tray gently to release air bubbles.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
08 - Remove from oven. While still warm, invert the cake onto a fresh sheet of parchment. Carefully peel off the baking paper and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to cool completely.
09 - Whip chilled heavy cream with powdered sugar and hojicha powder to medium-stiff peaks.
10 - Once the sponge is cool, spread hojicha cream evenly over the entire surface. Arrange mango strips along one short edge.
11 - Using the parchment as a guide, gently roll the cake from the edge with mango, forming a tight spiral. Wrap in parchment and chill for at least 30 minutes to set.
12 - Trim the ends for a neat presentation and slice to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but the whole thing comes together in about an hour once you understand the rhythm.
  • Hojicha cream has this subtle, almost nutty depth that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what that flavor is.
  • The mango adds brightness that keeps it from feeling heavy, perfect for serving at the end of a meal without anyone feeling stuffed.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cake completely before rolling—a warm sponge is fragile and tears easily, while a cool cake is flexible but stable.
  • If your cream curdles or looks broken while whipping, you've hit the butter stage; scrape it into a bowl, let it rest 5 minutes, then gently fold in a tablespoon of cold cream to rescue it.
  • The parchment beneath the cake is your secret tool for rolling—let it guide and support rather than fighting to roll with your hands alone.
03 -
  • Keep all your equipment—bowls, beaters, cream, and even plates—cold before whipping; temperature matters as much as technique when building structure into cream.
  • If your hojicha powder clumps when you whip it into cream, sift it first or whisk it with the powdered sugar before adding cold cream.
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