Bon Appétea: Umeshu Sencha Roll Cake

Soft, light and fluffy with the bittersweet aroma of sencha enhanced by tangy umeshu cream, have a taste of Japan without leaving your door by following along our step-by-step guide to making this beautiful Umeshu Sencha Roll Cake! 

For our pals who like a bit of zest in their desserts, the small crunchy bits of alcoholic ume in luscious cream filling provides an extra layer of taste and texture. With less butter, oil and sugar used in it’s making, team teapasar guarantees that this treat will be perfect without making you feel all that guilty about eating more than one slice. 

Featuring one of teapasar’s favourite brands, Chill Tea Tokyo’s Japanese Plum Green Tea, let the elegant mixture of bold tea flavours and light dash of alcohol bring some fun into your mid-week routine! And if you are baking this to host a small gathering, we recommend making a few more just in case, because this delightful cake may just become your next crowd favourite! 

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

• 10g Chill Tea Tokyo Japanese Plum Green Tea
• 4 egg yolks, room temperature
• 4 egg whites, chilled
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp milk, room temperature
• 2 drop brown food colouring
• icing sugar, to garnish

Umeshu Cream Filling

• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp umeshu
• 2 ume, from umeshu

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line a 20cm x 30cm rectangular cake pan with baking paper. 
2. Pulse tea leaves with food processor into fine powder. Alternatively, grind into fine powder. Set aside.
3. In a clean and dry bowl, whip egg whites on low speed until frothy then add cream of tartar and whip till soft peaks form. 
4. Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar and whip on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Set meringue aside.
5. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar till creamy. Add milk and green food colouring. Sift in tea powder, cake flour and baking soda. Mix well.
6. Gently fold 1/3 meringue into egg mixture. Avoid over-mixing.
7. Once incorporated, gently fold in 1/3 meringue and then another 1/3 till completely combined. Avoid deflating the whites.
8. Gently spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Shimmy and gently tap the pan on counter to release air pockets and smooth out top.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 170°C until inserted toothpick comes out clean and top of cake springs back when gently prodded.
10. Remove pan from oven and gently tap on counter to release cake. Cover the pan with baking paper and a chopping board or any item with a flat surface. Flip the cake over.
11. Gently peel off baking paper from the cake. This side will be the exterior of the roll cake.
12. Cover the cake with another baking sheet and flip again. Remove the baking sheet on top so that the lightly browned side is facing up.
13. Diagonally slice off 1cm from edge on the shorter end of the cake. This is to stabilize the cake when rolled up.
14. Gently roll the still warm cake starting from the uncut side. Let cool completely to room temperature, around 1 hour.
15. When cake is completely cooled, dice ume and set aside. 
16. For cream filling, whip heavy cream and sugar in another clean bowl till firm. Gently mix in umeshu. Refrigerate 6 tbsp cream filling and set aside the remaining.
17. On a flat work surface, unroll the cooled cake. Gently spread cream filling onto cake, leaving a 1cm border on all edges. Sprinkle diced ume evenly.
18. Starting from the uncut end, gently roll the cake back up into a tight roll without the baking paper. Seam (diagonal cut) side should be on the bottom. 
19. Wrap the roll in baking paper and twist both ends to secure. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
20. Once roll cake is firm, remove from fridge and unwrap. Dust icing sugar generously on top and slice off both ends. 
21. Using a piping tip of your choice, pipe the 6 tbsp ume cream filling evenly in a line along the top of the roll cake. Slice and serve.
22. Store any leftover roll cake by wrapping it up and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Tips: 

Spray the baking pan with non-stick spray or grease with butter, line it with baking paper and give it one more spray coating to fully ensure that the sponge cake seamlessly releases. 

Add more cream filling on the end that is folded first as the cream will be pushed along whilst rolling.