Red Velvet Roulade Recipe
Red Velvet is, for me, the embodiment of all things American. It’s a classic recipe and loved by both those on this and the other side of the pond. And it’s not just all about the colouring, the mixture of wonderful ingredients create a soft, subtle chocolatey sponge with a delightfully smooth texture. With it being all about our American friends on the 4th of July, I am honouring their independence with this Red Velvet Roulade.
My Red Velvet Cake is one of my most viewed recipes and I am not surprised. In the cake and in this rolled roulade version the soft cake and cream cheese filling is bloody amazing. No modesty needed, it’s a well trodden recipe, with thanks to the Hummingbird Bakery again, and such a perfect dessert. Don’t be scared of a roulade, the rolling element is not tricky, and if the sponge cracks, don’t worry, just go hard in on the icing sugar dusting before serving. The cream cheese filling works well with both mascarpone or regular cream cheese, I have tried both, by the large mouthful, and it’s super simple to make. You can make this in the morning and serve in the evening, as it doesn’t spoil for a spell in the fridge, but no earlier than that if you can help it. That said, leftovers are a soft treat up to two days afterwards. I served mine with some colour chart matched strawberries, in all their summer perfection.
This Red Velvet Roulade is a patriotic pud, with more subtlety than the colour would suggest. It’s so divine, don’t reserve it for the 4th of July, every weekend would not be too often for this splendid affair.
Quite a full line up on this one, but don’t be alarmed, nothing really to see here. As usual, if you don’t have buttermilk then mix milk with vinegar and Bob’s your uncle.
Make a start on this by lining your Swiss roll style rectangular tin and pre heating your oven to 160 degrees fan assisted. Now, either in your stand mixer or in a bowl with your hand mixer beat the soft butter or Stork with the caster sugar until much lighter in colour and texture.
Add the egg and beat again then weigh out the dry ingredients, the flour, cocoa, bicarb and salt.
Pop these to one side while you mix your buttermilk with the vanilla and an extra teaspoon of vinegar.
Now, alternate between adding thirds of the flour mixture and then the buttermilk mixture, scraping down between additions and finishing with the flour.
Next, add the all important red colouring of your choice. I love these Pro-gel colours, they are super vibrant and a little goes a long way.
Scrape this colourful mixture into your lined tin, level, then pop into the oven for a scant 15 to 18 minutes. The cooked roulade should be firm to the touch and just coming away from the paper at the edges.
Leave the sponge to cool, covered with a tea towel for around 5 minutes. Turn the slightly cooler sponge onto a large piece of baking paper, dusted with icing sugar, and remove the backing paper.
Roll the roulade up from the short end, keeping the paper in the roll. Leave to cool completely, seam side down.
To make the mouth watering filling, beat the cream, cream cheese or mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla. You want it to be thick, but spreadable.
Keep this in the fridge until needed. When you are ready to assemble this beautiful dessert, unroll your sponge, carefully, don’t panic if it cracks a bit, stay calm and slather it with the tasty filling, it will stick it all back together again.
Now, gently re-roll the roulade, ensuring the seam is on the bottom to hold it all together.
Now, all that’s left is a generous dusting of icing sugar to cover any misdemeanours then either serve straight away, or leave to chill, wrapped, in the fridge until serving. Some lovely British strawberries make the ideal, picture perfect accompaniment.
This Red Velvet Roulade has sweetness, softness and is hugely Instagramable as an added bonus. Just make sure you get the money shot before you devour your slice.
Happy 4th of July to our American friends.
Lucy x
Red Velvet Roulade Recipe
Serves 6 to 8, greed dependent
You will need a stand mixer or bowl and hand mixer with a lined rectangular Swiss roll style tin
Roulade
130g plain flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
a pinch of salt
120ml buttermilk, or 115ml milk plus a teaspoon of vinegar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
120g soft butter or Stork
150g caster sugar
1 egg
1 scant teaspoon gel red food colouring, or as much liquid colouring to turn the roulade red, you will need more if using a liquid colouring
Filling
80ml double cream
35g icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g mascarpone or cream cheese
Icing sugar to dust, fruit to serve, if you like
Make a start by pre heating your oven to 160 degrees fan assisted and lining your rectangular Swiss roll style tin. If you don’t have buttermilk, mix the milk and vinegar now so it has time to blend.
In your stand mixer beat together the soft butter or Stork and caster sugar until much lighter in colour and texture. Beat in the egg until well mixed. Measure out the flour, cocoa, salt and bicarb and in a small jug whisk the buttermilk, vanilla, vinegar (an extra one to the one you may have used to make buttermilk).
Alternate adding the flour mixture with the buttermilk, finishing with the flour, scraping down the sides in-between additions. Add the red colouring and beat again. Once your batter is smooth, scrape into your lined tin, smoothing the top and ensuring the mixture is level. Put into your pre heated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the sponge is just firm to the touch and starting to pull away at the edges. Leave to cool for 5 minutes covered in a tea towel.
Take a large piece of baking paper and sprinkle with icing sugar. Turn the still warm sponge out onto the paper, removing the baking paper from the bottom. Starting at the short side, roll the sponge up, keeping the paper inside the roll. Leave to cool completely, rolled up, with the seam on the bottom to stop the sponge unrolling.
For the filling, beat the cream cheese or mascarpone with the icing sugar, vanilla and cream until thickened but not too thick. Keep in the fridge until needed.
When you are ready to fill your roulade, carefully unroll the sponge, not worrying if it cracks a little. Spread the creamy filling all over the sponge then gently reroll the whole business and place on a presentation plate with the seam of the roulade on the bottom. Serve with cream and berries.
If you are not serving immediately, tightly wrap the roulade in cling film and keep in the fridge until serving. Remove from the fridge around 15 minutes before serving. I would fill this on the day and serve that evening, although any leftovers are still amazing up to 2 days later.
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