Hey there, baking enthusiasts! Get ready to whip up a show-stopping Easter treat that’ll leave everyone talking. It’s time to dive into the delightful world of an Easter Cake Roll – a light and fluffy vanilla cake, hugging a delicious marshmallow buttercream, and topped with adorable marshmallow peeps. Let’s get started on this mouthwatering journey!
The Ingredients You’ll Need
Before we jump into the baking fun, let’s make sure we have everything we need:
For The Cake:
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) canola oil
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3 yellow Peeps
- 2 blue Peeps
- 2 pink Peeps
- Powdered sugar for dusting
For The Marshmallow Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 cups (340 grams) salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) powdered sugar
- 14 oz (392 grams) marshmallow cream
- Gel Food Coloring in yellow, pink, and blue
Let’s Get Baking!
Now that we have our ingredients ready, it’s time to embark on the Easter Cake Roll adventure. Follow these simple steps to create a treat that’ll steal the show:
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Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C (160°C fan oven) and line the bottom of an 11″x17″ or similar size cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, place the egg whites and cream of tartar. Turn the mixer on medium speed and let it work its magic.
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Once the egg whites become frothy and bubbly, turn up the speed to medium-high. Slowly stream in the granulated sugar while the mixer is running – take it slow for the best results. Once all the sugar is in, crank up the speed to high and whisk until you get firm stiff peaks. That’s when you know it’s done, and you can turn off the mixer.
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In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks with milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix them until everything is well combined.
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Sift the flour and cornstarch into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix again until it’s all combined.
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Now, gently fold about one cup of the whipped egg whites into the bowl with the egg yolks mixture. Once that’s done, pour all of that goodness back into the bowl with the remaining whipped egg whites and fold it all together until it’s beautifully combined.
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Pour this fluffy batter onto the prepared cookie sheet, spreading it out evenly. Give the bottom of the cookie sheet a gentle but firm tap on the counter to release some air bubbles and level the batter.
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Bake this cake wonder in the preheated oven for around 15 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when you can gently press a finger on the surface, and the cake springs back.
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Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool for just a couple of minutes. While it’s still warm, place a second sheet of parchment paper on top of the cake. Then, slide the cake off the cookie sheet onto a clean tea towel on the counter.
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Carefully start rolling the cake up with the towel, starting at one of the short sides. If you’re worried about sticking, a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top before rolling will do the trick. Set it aside to cool while we make the buttercream.
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To create the marshmallow buttercream, cream together the salted butter and powdered sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add half of the marshmallow cream and beat until combined. Then add the remaining marshmallow fluff and beat again until it’s all combined, light, and fluffy.
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Separate the buttercream into three bowls, one for each of the colors blue, yellow, and pink. Mix each bowl until you get the desired colors, making sure no white is showing.
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Now, gently unravel the cooled cake roll and slice off the brown edges on each side. Here comes the fun part! Apply the three colors of buttercream in a striped pattern going parallel to the short ends of the cake. You can be as creative as you want with the stripes – make as many or as few as you’d like. And hey, don’t forget to save any leftover buttercream to use as glue for the Peeps.
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Roll the cake back up tightly, gently removing the bottom piece of parchment as you go. Wrap this beautiful creation in some parchment or plastic wrap or the tea towel again, and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
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When you’re ready to serve, slice off any ragged ends of the cake roll, dust it with powdered sugar, and top it with a line of Peeps, alternating in color. And guess what? You can use a little leftover buttercream to help the Peeps stick.
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Finally, slice and serve this delightful Easter Cake Roll! For the best results, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days – if it lasts that long!
Pro Tips for a Perfect Bake
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When separating eggs, be sure not to have any bits of egg yolk in with the whites. They won’t whip up properly if there is yolk in with them.
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For vibrant and bright colors in your baked goods, use gel-based food coloring instead of liquid. Wilton gel food colors work wonders, and the basic set will last you a long time.
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Roll the cake while it’s still hot. If you wait too long, it might become tricky to roll without breaking. Be cautious with those fingers!
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Leave a bit of unfrosted cake on the outside edges – we’ll slice them away before serving anyway.
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Chill the cake roll before serving to avoid frosting oozing out everywhere.
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For a picture-perfect presentation, make the first one or two stripes of frosting (those in the center of the roll) thinner than the others. It’ll look extra pretty that way!
So there you have it – your very own Easter Cake Roll masterpiece! Have a delightful and sweet Easter celebration, and enjoy the magic of this scrumptious treat. Happy baking, and may your Easter be filled with joy and deliciousness!