Swiss rolls used to be very intimidating for me because there was never a time it can be perfectly rolled without it cracking. And when I meant a perfect roll, it also has to be a neat and roundish one, not flatten in anyway too. I can be quite a perfectionist sometimes! And I was actually looking for the acquired taste from the “Polar” brand too ! Because I remembered vividly during the times when my dad was hospitalized, it was quite amazingly to know that he doesn’t have much appetite for other foods except for Swiss rolls.
I guess no one, including myself can resist a soft moist cake encased in a thin layer of whipped cream and coated generously with fine sugar. And to date, I have been feeding the old folks with so much of my experiments on the swiss rolls that they are calling a stop to all rolls now ! LOL.
Not sure about you guys, but when it comes to cakes, I am generally not a big fan of buttercream or anything that’s too oily. But we still need that fine layer of cream to go along with the cakes for that luscious and creamy taste. For me, it’s always the old school taste that’s much acquired and loved and which I am always in sought of. Even when there are so much variations and entrants of delicate and intricate desserts and pastries from renowned bakeries and all, the old school bakeries with their simple designation of breads and cakes are still my best favorites and which will never get tired of. :) 
So here’s to a perfectly moist swiss roll with that much needed acquired taste that’s made using the steam bake method, to retain all that moisture and the ability to roll it without cracking finally !
Enjoy !
- 3 egg yolks
- 50g oil
- 50ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 60g cake flour
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder (I used double acting baking powder, if you are using normal one, please adjust to ½ tsp)
- ¼ tsp salt
- pinch of baking soda
- 3 egg whites
- 75g sugar
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar (optional)
- 60g non dairy whipped cream
- Add some water to a tray placed at the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.
- Combine the egg yolks, salt, oil and milk in a bowl and mix well.
- Sieve the cake flour, baking powder and baking soda together and mix into the egg yolk batter in Step 2 until just combined. Do not overmix.
- In another bowl or with your stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add the sugar progressively and cream of tartar if using and whisk till the egg whites are stiff.
- Add the meringue into the batter from Step 3 in 3 batches using a spatula and fold until well mixed.
- Pour the batter into a 10' by 14' baking tray lined with parchment paper. Even the surface and drop the tray from a height to release any air bubbles if any.
- Bake in the oven at 190 degrees C for approximately 15 minutes of until the centre comes out lightly spring when touched.
- Remove the tray from the oven immediately and dropped it from a height onto the counter top a few times to prevent the cake from shrinking.
- Transfer the cake to a wire rack and set aside to allow it to cool completely.
- Whip the non dairy whipping cream until very stiff. Keep the whipped cream in a freezer if you are not using it immediately.
- After the cake is cooled, invert it into another parchment paper and remove the original paper at the bottom of the cake.
- Make 2 shallow cuts at one beginning folding end of the cake, around 3 cm apart. (Do not cut the cake all the way to the bottom.) Spread the whipped cream onto the cake and rolled it up gently with the help of the parchment paper.
- Keep the cake rolled and wrap it with a cling wrap. Allow the cake to be chilled in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours until firm before slicing.
