Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream Recipe

Name: Chiffon Coffee Cake Roll with Kahlúa Whipped Cream
Prep time: 1 h 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 45 grams cake flour; 2.5 teaspoon instant coffee powder; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 50 ml whole fat milk; 40 ml vegetable oil; 30 grams granulated sugar; 3 egg yolks; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 egg whites, room temperature; 50 grams granulated sugar; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1 1/2 cup heavy cream (36% M.F.); 32 grams granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder; 2 teaspoon Kahlúa (or coffee liqueur); 1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder; 5 teaspoon water

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Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream

This fluffy coffee cake roll is built on a Japanese style chiffon base and filled with whipped cream infused with Kahlúa coffee liqueur.

It is soft, airy, and gently boozy, and it was made for anyone who loves coffee.

Jump To

1. Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream
2. Caffeinated Gifts are the Best
3. Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake Roll
4. How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions
5. Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll
6. Step By Step
7. How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

8. How To Make Cake Rolls in Different Flavors
9. FAQs
10. Chiffon Coffee Cake Roll with Kahlúa Whipped Cream

Caffeinated Gifts are the Best

This recipe started as a request. Readers kept asking for a coffee version of my chocolate and vanilla Swiss cake rolls, so I finally stopped putting it off. The timing worked out when a friend’s birthday came around.

She was deep in the newborn season, running on very little sleep and a lot of childcare, and a cake felt like a kinder gift than anything I could wrap.

I brought it over that afternoon. She cut a slice before her coffee had cooled, and her face said everything. That is the whole idea behind this cake. It is a gift for the person in your life who measures a good day by the quality of their coffee.

Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake Roll

Here is what makes this one worth your afternoon.

The base is tried and tested. It comes from the same Swiss cake roll collection as my chocolate and vanilla rolls, so the method has already been through plenty of home kitchens.
The texture is Japanese chiffon, which means very light and very airy. A slice never feels heavy, even after a big meal.
Coffee shows up twice. It flavors the cake and the cream filling, so you get depth instead of a single flat note.

Kahlúa adds warmth and a little extra something to the filling.
The cream is stabilized, so the roll does not sag and the filling is firm enough to pipe for decoration.

How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions

Line everything up before you start. This recipe makes 8 slices, with about 45 minutes of prep, 15 minutes in the oven, and 1 hour of additional chilling time, so plan for roughly 2 hours from start to finish.

Component	Ingredient	Amount
Dry Mix	Cake flour	45 grams
Dry Mix	Instant coffee powder	2.5 teaspoons
Dry Mix	Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Dry Mix	Sea salt	1/4 teaspoon
Wet Mix	Whole fat milk	50 ml
Wet Mix	Vegetable oil	40 ml
Wet Mix	Granulated sugar, first portion	30 grams
Wet Mix	Egg yolks	3
Wet Mix	Vanilla extract	1/4 teaspoon
Meringue	Egg whites, room temperature	4
Meringue	Granulated sugar, second portion	50 grams
Meringue	Cream of tartar	1/4 teaspoon
Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream	Heavy cream, 36 percent milk fat	1 1/2 cups
Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream	Granulated sugar	32 grams
Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream	Instant coffee powder	1 teaspoon
Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream	Kahlúa or another coffee liqueur	2 teaspoons
Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream	Unflavored gelatin powder	1 1/2 teaspoons
Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream	Water	5 teaspoons

Dry Ingredients

Cake flour is the quiet hero here. Its protein content is low, which is exactly what keeps a chiffon roll tender instead of chewy.

Cake flour usually sits around 6 to 8 percent protein, pastry flour around 8 to 9 percent, and store blends of cake and pastry flour run about 7 to 9 percent.

If all purpose flour is all you have, it works, but the cake will come out slightly tougher.

For the coffee flavor I reach for instant coffee powder, medium roast, because it is easy to find and dissolves cleanly. Espresso powder is more concentrated, so if you swap it in, use half the amount called for.

Baking powder acts as a backup leavening agent, and you can leave it out if you are confident in your meringue. Sea salt rounds out the flavor, and if you only have table salt, use half the amount.

Wet Ingredients

The wet mix is whole fat milk, a neutral vegetable oil such as canola, grapeseed, or avocado, three egg yolks, and a little vanilla extract to round out the coffee. The first portion of granulated sugar, 30 grams, goes in here too, where it adds moisture rather than structure.

Meringue

The meringue needs four egg whites from large eggs, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 50 grams of granulated sugar. Egg whites whip to their best volume when they are not cold, so take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead.

Cream of tartar provides the acidity that keeps the meringue stable. If your pantry is out, use twice as much lemon juice or vinegar instead.

Coffee Whipped Cream

Use heavy cream with at least 36 percent milk fat. Whipping cream at 30 to 35 percent works in a pinch, but it whips up less stable, and here the cream has to carry coffee and Kahlúa without collapsing.

Kahlúa can be swapped for another coffee liqueur such as Baileys, or skipped entirely if you prefer a version without alcohol.

Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream, Coffee Whipped Cream

Instant coffee powder brings the coffee flavor, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin powder is what turns this into a very stable cream that keeps the cake from sagging.

Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

A strong meringue is one of the leavening agents in this cake, so treat it with care.

Whip the whites in a clean, dry bowl made of glass or metal rather than plastic. Plastic traps oil, and a trace of oil or water keeps egg whites from whipping. Wipe the bowl with lemon juice or vinegar on a paper towel if you want to be sure.

Separate the eggs while they are cold, and keep every bit of yolk out of the whites. An egg separator helps. Let the whites come to room temperature, then whip to stiff peaks, where the beak points upward as you lift the whisk.

Once the liquid meets the flour, stop mixing sooner than you think. Extra mixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough. Fold the meringue in gently with a spatula instead of stirring, so the air stays where it is.

Rap the filled tray on the counter a few times. Large air pockets rise and pop, which gives you a smoother top and an even bake.

Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream, Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

For the cream, chill the bowl, the beaters, and the cream itself. On a hot day, set a stainless bowl over a bed of ice while you whip.

Gelatin keeps the whipped cream from deflating and the roll from turning flat. Skip it only if you are serving right away.

Spread a little more cream along the short edge that gets rolled first. That extra cushion prevents cracking where the folds meet. Use the parchment paper, not your hands, to push the cake onto itself as you roll.

Your roll does not need to be tight. Spread the cream evenly and use the full amount the recipe calls for, and the sheet cake will not crack.

If rolling still sounds like a lot, there is an easier path with the same chiffon base. A Japanese peach cake in a cup needs no rolling and no cream stabilization, and it bakes in any size pan you own.

Step By Step

Mix the Batter

Line an 8 x 12 inch rectangular cake pan with parchment paper and heat the oven to 325 F. Whisk all the wet ingredients together in a small bowl, including the first portion of sugar, and set them aside.

Sift the dry mix into a large bowl, stir to combine, and make a well in the center. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and mix only until just incorporated. Overmixing here gives you a tough cake, so stop while a few streaks remain.

Make the Meringue

In a clean, dry bowl that is not plastic, whip the egg whites on slow speed until frothy, then add the cream of tartar. Raise the speed to medium.

Once the whites turn opaque and the bubbles tighten up, add the second portion of sugar a little at a time. Increase to medium high and whip until stiff peaks form. You have meringue.

Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream, Make the Meringue

Fold one third of it into the coffee flour mixture to loosen things up, then fold in the rest gently. Do not stir. Use the batter right away.

Bake and First Roll for Muscle Memory

Pour the batter into the lined pan from one spot, then spread it evenly with an angled spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets. Bake at 325 F for 10 to 12 minutes, until a skewer pulls out clean and the center springs back when you touch it.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Set a cooling rack over the pan, flip the cake onto the rack, and gently peel off the paper. The side facing up now will become the top of your roll. Let it sit for another 5 minutes.

Place a fresh piece of parchment on top of the cake, flip it again, and roll it up with the paper between the folds so the cake does not stick to itself.

This first roll is muscle memory, and it has to happen before the cake cools completely. A cooled cake cracks. Leave it rolled and wrapped while you make the Kahlúa coffee whipped cream.

Prepare Cream and Gelatin for Kahlúa Whipped Cream

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream, instant coffee powder, and Kahlúa. Add coffee to taste, up to 2 teaspoons, and stir gently until the coffee dissolves. Put the bowl in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, and put the beaters in there too. Fully chilled ingredients whip far better.

Once the coffee cream is cold, put the water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle the gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Set the cup in a small saucepan of simmering water until the gelatin turns liquid, then take it out and let it cool on the counter.

Start Whipping

Start whipping the chilled coffee cream mixture on medium speed right away. When the bubbles shrink and the mixture begins to gain volume, add the sugar. Keep whipping until the beaters leave tracks in the cream.

At that point, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily, aiming for the space between the whisk and the side of the bowl, while the mixer keeps running. Increase to medium high and stop as soon as the cream holds stiff peaks.

Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream, Start Whipping

Do not over whip. Use the cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

Assemble and Roll

Gently unwrap the rolled cake and spread an even layer of coffee cream over it, reserving about one fifth of the cream for decorating the top. Roll the cake up from the short edge, using the parchment paper to help push it onto itself.

Wrap it in plastic wrap or a fresh piece of parchment and refrigerate it to set before cutting.

When you are ready to serve, unwrap the cake. If you like, pipe swirls of the reserved cream on top and finish with chocolate or sprinkles. Trim the sides for a cleaner look. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

One slice comes in around 295 calories, with 18 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, 23 grams of fat, 11 grams of that saturated, 13 grams of sugar, 180 mg of sodium, and 120 mg of cholesterol.

How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

A neat, round roll comes down to two things. First, stabilize the cream filling so it does not sag. Second, add one extra wrapping step.

After you assemble the cake with the Kahlúa coffee cream, wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap. Then set it on a fresh piece of wrap and wrap it again, gently rolling the cake away from you to shape it into a log.

Use light pressure, because the chiffon base is fluffy and squashes easily. Chill the assembled cake in the fridge for several hours before serving, and it will slice into a nicely rounded log.

How To Make Cake Rolls in Different Flavors

Once you are comfortable with this roll, the formula opens up.

Dry powders go into the base along with the dry mix. Matcha and gingerbread spices are two easy examples. Liquid extracts, flavored milks, and fruit or vegetable purees go into the wet mix instead. Cotton candy, Earl Grey, pumpkin spice, and Tokyo Banana are flavors that work this way.

You can also flavor the cream. Add an extract while the cream whips, or infuse the cream by soaking the flavoring ingredient in it before whipping. Stay away from highly acidic ingredients, because acid will curdle the cream.

Mixing and matching is where the fun is. Pair this coffee base with the chocolate filling from my chocolate cake roll recipe and you get a mocha roll. Other flavors worth trying include fresh cream strawberry, matcha green tea, carrot, and fresh mango.

If you want to push the looks further, pattern tutorials such as the fancy pattern, Christmas silent night, gingerbread man print, bear cheesecake, and tiger cat designs can take the decoration to another level.

FAQs

How do you make a coffee cake roll from scratch?

Begin by making a Japanese-style chiffon cake batter with cake flour, instant coffee, egg yolks, and oil, then fold in a meringue of whipped egg whites and cream of tartar. Bake the batter in an 8×12-inch pan at 325°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Roll the warm cake with parchment paper to train its shape, then let it cool completely. Finally, fill it with stabilized Kahlúa whipped cream and refrigerate until set.

What is the best way to stabilize whipped cream for a cake roll?

The most reliable method is to use unflavored gelatin. Bloom 1½ teaspoons of gelatin powder in 5 teaspoons of water for 5 minutes, then melt it over simmering water. Whip 1½ cups of cold heavy cream (36% milk fat) with sugar and coffee, and slowly pour in the cooled liquid gelatin while beating until stiff. This ensures the cream holds its shape and prevents the cake roll from sagging.

Why does my cake roll crack when I roll it?

Cracking usually happens when the cake cools completely before rolling. You must roll the cake while it is still warm, about 5 to 10 minutes after baking, to set its shape. Also, avoid overmixing the batter, which develops gluten and makes the cake less flexible. Using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour also keeps the crumb tender and less prone to cracking.

How long does a coffee cake roll last in the fridge?

A coffee cake roll with stabilized whipped cream will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. For the best texture, let the sliced cake sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. The gelatin in the cream helps it stay firm and prevents the cake from becoming soggy during storage.