Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream Recipe for Coffee Lovers

Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream

A coffee cake roll built on a Japanese style chiffon base, filled with whipped cream infused with Kahlúa coffee liqueur.

Coffee flavors both the cake and the cream, so every slice brings a soft, airy crumb together with a cool, creamy center that tastes like a really good cup of coffee.

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The filling is stabilized, which keeps the roll round instead of sagging and makes the cream firm enough to pipe.

Caffeinated Gifts are the Best

This recipe was developed after readers kept asking for a coffee version of the fluffy chocolate cake roll and the vanilla cake roll. Both already belonged to a Swiss cake roll collection that the original baker describes as tried, tested and true, so the coffee roll had a strong foundation to stand on.

The final nudge came from a friend’s birthday. A cake felt like the right gift, the friend had her hands full with mommy duties, and a caffeinated dessert seemed like a thoughtful gesture.

According to the original recipe, she said it was just what she needed. You can read the original chiffon coffee cake roll recipe for the full source version of this cake.

Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake Roll

Here is what makes this roll worth setting aside an afternoon for:

• It comes from a collection of Swiss cake rolls that the original baker describes as tried, tested and true.
• The base is a Japanese style chiffon cake, which makes it super fluffy and airy.
• Coffee flavors both the cake and the cream, so the coffee taste is layered rather than faint.
• The cream is infused with Kahlúa coffee liqueur for extra depth of flavor.
• The cream is stabilized, which prevents the roll from sagging and makes it sturdy enough for piping.

If you already enjoy a good coffee cake, this roll is a natural next step, because it takes those same cozy flavors and turns them into something light and chilled.

How to Prepare Ingredients & Substitutions

This recipe makes 8 slices, with one slice per serving, so it suits a small gathering or a few days of dessert at home. Set out four groups of ingredients: the dry mix, the wet mix, the meringue, and the Kahlúa coffee whipped cream.

Some ingredients repeat across groups, so measure them in the same order the instructions list them and you will not lose track.

Dry Ingredients

For the dry mix you need 45 grams cake flour, 2.5 teaspoons instant coffee powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

Cake flour is a low protein flour that makes the cake softer than all purpose flour, usually with a protein content between 6 and 8 percent.

Pastry flour is also low protein at 8 to 9 percent, and grocery stores usually sell a combined cake and pastry flour at 7 to 9 percent protein. You can substitute all purpose flour, but the cake will be a little tougher.

Reach for cake flour if you can, because tenderness is the whole point of a chiffon roll.

The instant coffee powder in the source recipe is a medium roast instant coffee rather than espresso powder, chosen because it is easy to find at every grocery store.

Espresso powder is more concentrated, so if you substitute it, use half the amount the recipe calls for. Baking powder acts as a backup leavening agent in case there is any weakness in the meringue, and it can be skipped if you are careful with the meringue preparation.

If you use table salt instead of sea salt, use half the amount.

Wet Ingredients

Whisk together 50 ml whole fat milk, 40 ml vegetable oil, 30 grams granulated sugar, 3 egg yolks, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. This first portion of granulated sugar goes into the wet ingredients to help add moisture, so do not hold it back for the meringue.

Use a neutral tasting oil. Canola, grapeseed and avocado oil are all good choices, and none of them will compete with the coffee flavor. Whole fat milk gives the crumb a little richness, and the vanilla extract rounds out all the flavors in the cake.

Meringue

For the meringue you need 4 egg whites from large eggs at room temperature, 50 grams granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Egg whites whip better at room temperature, so let them sit on the counter for about half an hour before you start whipping.

Cream of tartar is an acid that helps stabilize the meringue. If you do not have any on hand, substitute double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar. This is the second portion of sugar in the recipe, and it goes into the whites gradually rather than all at once.

Coffee Whipped Cream

The filling calls for 1 1/2 cups heavy cream at 36 percent milk fat, 32 grams granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder or more to taste, 2 teaspoons Kahlúa or another coffee liqueur, 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder, and 5 teaspoons water.

Heavy cream has a minimum milk fat content of 36 percent and above, while whipping cream runs 30 to 35 percent. Heavy cream is preferable here because that small percentage difference yields a more stable whipped cream, which matters once you add coffee and Kahlúa.

Kahlúa can be replaced with another coffee liqueur such as Baileys, or skipped entirely if you prefer an alcohol free filling. The unflavored gelatin powder is what creates a super stable whipped cream that prevents the cake from sagging.

If you want a refresher on whipping technique before you start, the guidance in this homemade whipped cream recipe is a helpful companion to the filling method below.

Tips For Baking a Great Cake Roll

A strong and healthy meringue, meaning egg whites whipped with sugar, is one of the leavening agents in this cake, so treat it with care.

• Start with a clean bowl. Whip the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl that is not plastic, since plastic tends to trap oil, and egg whites do not whip well in the presence of oil or water. To remove oils, wipe the mixing bowl with lemon or vinegar on a paper towel before you begin.
• Separate while cold. Separate the egg whites and yolks while the eggs are cold, and make sure no yolks end up in the whites. An egg separator helps here.
• Aim for stiff peaks. Stiff peaks are easy to recognize. When you pull the whisk out, the beak points upward instead of slumping over.
• Do not over mix. Once liquid is introduced to the flour, stop mixing as soon as everything comes together. Extra mixing produces more gluten and makes the cake less tender.
• Fold, never stir. Use a gentle folding movement with a spatula to incorporate the meringue into the wet flour mixture. Stirring deflates the air you just whipped in.
• Rap the pan. After pouring the batter into the cake tray, rap it a few times on the counter to remove large air pockets for a smoother surface.
• Keep everything cold for the cream. Chill the bowl, beaters and whipped cream for optimal whipping volume. On a hot day, whipping in a stainless steel bowl set over a bed of ice helps a great deal.
• Do not skip the gelatin unless you are serving right away. Many recipes omit this step, but it is preferred for a cake roll because it prevents the cream from deflating, so the roll stays rounder and looks nicer.
• Add more cream along the first short edge. The short edge you roll first gets a little extra cream, which prevents cracking from large gaps between the folds. An angled spatula helps frost evenly.
• Let the paper do the work. Instead of putting your hands directly on the cake, use the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself while rolling.
• Do not roll too tight. Fold gently and do not worry about rolling very tightly. Even spreading, with a bit more cream along the short edge, lets the sheet cake hold up without cracking.

If rolling and stabilizing feel like more effort than you want today, the same chiffon base also works as a Japanese peach cake in a cup, which needs no rolling and no cream stabilization and can be baked in a pan of any size.

Step By Step

This walkthrough follows the recipe card groups in order, so keep your measured ingredients lined up as you go.

Mix the Batter

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

Sift the dry mix into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Create a well in the center, pour in the wet ingredients, and combine until just incorporated. Over mixing gives you a tough cake, so stop early. Set the batter aside.

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.

Increase to medium speed, and once the whites become opaque and the bubbles tighten up, add the second portion of sugar a little at a time. Increase to medium high and whip to stiff peaks.

Fold one third of the meringue into the coffee flour mixture to get it moving, then fold in the rest. Do not stir, and use the batter immediately.

Bake and First Roll for Muscle Memory

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

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Place a cooling rack over the pan, flip the cake onto the rack, and gently remove the paper. The side facing up will eventually become the top of the roll.

Let it sit on the rack for 5 minutes, then place a new piece of parchment on top, flip the cake over, and roll it with the parchment between the folds so the cake does not stick to itself.

Roll before the cake cools completely, otherwise it will crack. Leave the cake 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. Chill the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours, because completely chilled ingredients whip far better. Put the beaters in the fridge too.

Once the coffee cream is completely chilled, place the water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle the gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes. Set the cup in a saucepan of simmering water until the gelatin liquefies, then take it out and let it cool on the counter.

Start Whipping

Whip the chilled coffee cream mixture on medium speed. Once the bubbles shrink and the mixture gains volume, add the sugar.

When the beater starts leaving tracks in the cream, pour the cooled gelatin in slowly and steadily, aiming between the whisk and the bowl while you keep whipping. Increase to medium high and stop as soon as the cream turns stiff.

Do not over whip, and use the cream right away to assemble the cooled cake.

Assemble and Roll

Gently unwrap the rolled cake and spread an even layer of coffee cream over it, reserving one fifth of the cream for decorating the top. Roll the cake up from the short edge, using the parchment paper to push the cake onto itself. Wrap it in plastic wrap or a new piece of parchment and refrigerate to set before cutting.

Once set, unwrap the cake. If you like, pipe swirls of the reserved coffee cream on top and decorate with chocolate or sprinkles. Trim the sides before serving for a cleaner presentation, and store the roll in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

For a rough sense of the numbers, the source lists a per serving estimate of 295 calories, 23 grams total fat, 11 grams saturated fat, 120 milligrams cholesterol, 180 milligrams sodium, 18 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fiber, 13 grams sugar, and 5 grams protein. These are courtesy estimates from an online calculator, so treat them as approximate.

How to Make Swiss Cake Roll Look Neat and Round

Two things make the difference between a tidy log and a lopsided one. First, stabilizing the cream filling is key to preventing sagging, which is exactly why the gelatin step earns its place. Second, there is an extra rolling technique with plastic wrap that guides the cake toward a round shape.

After assembling the cake with the Kahlúa coffee cream, wrap it in plastic wrap. Then place it on a new piece of plastic and wrap it again, gently rolling it away from you and creating a log shape at the same time.

Use only gentle pressure so the fluffy cake base is not squished. Let the assembled cake firm up in the fridge for several hours before serving. That chill time is what sets the cream and lets the roll hold its curve when you slice it.

How To Make Cake Rolls in Different Flavors

Cake rolls are forgiving templates. You can vary the flavor with powders, extracts and infusion methods in either the cake base or the filling.

• Dry powders go into the cake base along with the dry mix. Matcha cake roll and gingerbread cake roll are two examples.
• Liquid flavorings go into the wet mix. That includes extracts, flavored milk, and fruit or vegetable purees. Cotton candy, Earl Grey tea, pumpkin spice and Tokyo Banana cake rolls all follow this path.
• Extracts can go into the cream filling while you whip it, or you can infuse flavor by soaking the flavoring ingredient in the cream before whipping.
• Avoid highly acidic ingredients in the cream, since they cause the cream to curdle.

Cake bases and cream fillings can be mixed and matched. Pair this coffee cake base with the chocolate filling from the super fluffy chocolate cake roll and you have a mocha cake roll.

Other flavor ideas worth trying include fresh cream strawberry, matcha green tea, carrot and fresh mango cake rolls. If you want to play with appearance, there are pattern tutorials such as fancy pattern, Christmas silent night, gingerbread man printed, bear cheesecake and tiger cat pattern cake rolls.

The lesson is simple. Learn one chiffon base and one stabilized cream, and a whole shelf of cake rolls opens up to you. Start with the coffee version, share a slice with someone who needs a little pick me up, and enjoy the fact that your oven only had to work for about twelve minutes.

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Chiffon Coffee Cake Roll with Kahlúa Whipped Cream

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Coffee Cake Roll With Stabilized Kahlúa Whipped Cream A coffee cake roll built on a Japanese style chiffon base, filled with whipped cream infused with Kahlúa coffee liqueur. Coffee flavors both the cake and the cream, so every slice brings a soft, airy crumb together with a cool, creamy center that tastes like a really good cup of coffee.

• Total Time: 120 min
• Yield: 8 slices 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Mix
45 grams cake flour
2.5 teaspoon instant coffee powder, Note 3
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Wet Mix
50 ml whole fat milk
40 ml vegetable oil, Note 4
30 grams granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Meringue
4 egg whites, room temperature
50 grams granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, Note 5

Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cup heavy cream, 36% M.F., Note 6
32 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder, or to taste
2 teaspoon Kahlúa, or coffee liqueur
1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
5 teaspoon water

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Instructions

Fluffy Chiffon Coffee Cake
1-Line a 8 X 12″ rectangular cake: Line a 8 X 12″ rectangular cake pan with parchment paper.
2-Preheat oven to 325 F: Preheat oven to 325 F.
3-In a small bowl, combine all the: In a small bowl, combine all the “wet” ingredients together with a whisk and set aside (this includes first portion of sugar).
4-In a large mixing bowl, sift in: In a large mixing bowl, sift in dry mix. Stir to combine.
5-Create a well in the center: Create a well in the center. Inside it, add all the “wet” ingredients.
6-Combine until just incorporated, do not over: Combine until just incorporated, do not over mix as it will result in a tough cake. Set aside.
7-In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing: In a clean and dry, non-plastic mixing bowl, whip egg whites on slow speed until frothy, add cream of tartar.
8-Increase speed to medium, once the whites: Increase speed to medium, once the whites become opaque and bubble size have tightened up, add the second portion of sugar a little bit at a time.
9-Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff: Increase speed to med-high, whip until stiff peaks. (Note 5) You’ve now made a meringue.
10-Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue into: Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue into the coffee-flour mixture to get it moving. Once incorporated, fold in the rest of the meringue. Do not stir. Use batter immediately.
11-Pour batter into lined cake pan from: Pour batter into lined cake pan from one spot, spread out the batter evenly with an angled spatula.
12-Tap the pan on the counter to: Tap the pan on the counter to release large air pockets.
13-Bake for 10-12 min: Bake for 10-12 min. at 325 F until a skewer pulls out clean and cake springs back in the center.
14-Let cool in pan for 5 min: Let cool in pan for 5 min.
15-Place cooling rack over cake pan: Place cooling rack over cake pan.
16-Flip cake over onto the rack, gently: Flip cake over onto the rack, gently remove paper.
17-The side facing up will eventually become: The side facing up will eventually become the top of the cake roll. Let it sit on cooling rack for 5 min.
18-Place a new piece of parchment paper: Place a new piece of parchment paper on top of the cake.
19-Flip the cake over and start rolling,: Flip the cake over and start rolling, allowing the parchment paper to be in between the folds. This will prevent the cake from sticking to itself. It’s important to roll the cake before it cools completely, otherwise, it will crack while rolling.
20-Let it cool in this wrapped condition: Let it cool in this wrapped condition while making the Kahlúa Coffee Whipped Cream.

Stabilized Coffee Whipped Cream
21-In a mixing bowl, add cream, instant: In a mixing bowl, add cream, instant coffee powder and Kahlúa. Add coffee to taste, up to 2 tsp. Stir gently until coffee is dissolved. Place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 2 hours. It’s important for these ingredients to be completely chilled before whipping.
22-Place beaters in fridge to chill, it: Place beaters in fridge to chill, it will help the cream whip more efficiently.
23-When coffee cream is completely chilled, place: When coffee cream is completely chilled, place water in a heatproof cup and sprinkle gelatin on top to bloom. Wait 5 minutes.
24-Place cup in a small sauce pan: Place cup in a small sauce pan filled with simmering water. Once gelatin becomes liquid, take it out of the water. Let cool on the counter.
25-Immediately start whipping the coffee cream mixture: Immediately start whipping the coffee cream mixture on medium.
26-Once the bubbles have decreased in size: Once the bubbles have decreased in size and the mixture is gaining volume, add the sugar.
27-Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks: Whip until the beater starts leaving tracks inside the cream, pour the cooled gelatin into the bowl slowly and steadily. Aim for the area in between the whisk and the bowl while continuing to whip.
28-Increase speed to medium-high: Increase speed to medium-high. Stop beating once the cream turns stiff (Note 7). Do not over whip.
29-Use cream to assemble the cooled cake: Use cream to assemble the cooled cake immediately.

Assembly
30-Gently unwrap rolled cake and spread an: Gently unwrap rolled cake and spread an even layer of coffee cream on it. Reserve 1/5 of the cream for decorating the top. (Note 8)
31-Carefully roll up the cake from the: Carefully roll up the cake from the short edge using the parchment paper to help push the cake onto itself.
32-Wrap with plastic wrap or a new: Wrap with plastic wrap or a new piece of parchment paper and place in refrigerator to set before cutting.
33-Unwrap assembled cake: Unwrap assembled cake. If desired, pipe swirls of coffee cream onto the top of the cake and decorate with chocolate or sprinkles.
34-Before serving, cut off sides for a: Before serving, cut off sides for a cleaner presentation. Coffee cake roll can be kept in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Last Step:

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Notes

Additional time: follow the resting and cooling steps (60 min).

• Prep Time: 45 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 295
• Sugar: 13
• Sodium: 180
• Fat: 23
• Saturated Fat: 11
• Carbohydrates: 18
• Fiber: 0
• Protein: 5
• Cholesterol: 120