Exquisite Raspberry Matcha Roll Cake: A Vibrant Spring Dessert Featuring Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves
This exquisite Raspberry Matcha Roll Cake is a celebration of springtime flavors, marrying the vibrant earthiness of matcha with the sweet-tart burst of fresh raspberries. At its heart lies a delicate, airy matcha sponge cake, generously filled with luscious Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves and a cloud-like raspberry whipped cream. It’s an elegant, light, and wonderfully fruit-forward cake, making it an ideal choice for Easter brunch, Mother’s Day, or any special occasion throughout the year where you desire a dessert that truly stands out.
I am absolutely thrilled to finally share this captivating matcha roll cake recipe with you all! Just look at those stunning colors – the brilliant green of the matcha alongside the deep crimson of the raspberries. It’s a visual feast that perfectly captures the essence of spring, wouldn’t you agree?
My fascination with matcha began during my travels to Japan a couple of years ago. It felt like matcha was everywhere, woven into the fabric of daily life in countless delicious forms. For those who might be new to this wonderful ingredient, matcha is essentially finely ground powder made from specially grown green tea leaves. What makes it unique is that these tea plants are grown in the shade, a process that enhances their chlorophyll content, resulting in a vibrant green color and a richer, less bitter, and more subtly sweet flavor profile.
This distinctive growing method yields a tea with a remarkably complex flavor. Matcha boasts notes that can range from grassy and earthy to subtly sweet and umami, making it incredibly versatile and adaptable to a wide array of culinary pairings. It harmonizes beautifully with many flavors, but its affinity for fruit, especially bright berries like raspberries, is particularly noteworthy. The natural sweetness and tartness of raspberries provide a wonderful counterbalance to matcha’s deep, earthy undertones, creating a balanced and exciting taste experience.
Beyond its incredible flavor, matcha also imparts a gorgeous, rich green color to desserts, transforming them into edible works of art. This vibrant hue is precisely why I adore incorporating it into recipes like this Raspberry Matcha Roll Cake. The visual appeal is undeniable, adding a touch of elegance and whimsy to any dessert table.
The delightful juxtaposition of the bright green matcha cake with the dark reddish-pink of the Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves and the delicate pink of the raspberry cream filling is particularly enchanting in the springtime. It evokes images of nature awakening, with fresh greens and vibrant blooms emerging after a long winter. This cake truly feels like a celebration of renewal and fresh beginnings.
Why You’ll Adore This Raspberry Matcha Roll Cake:
If you’ve been a longtime reader of my blog, you’ll know I have an undeniable soft spot for roll cakes, also affectionately known as Swiss rolls. We’ve explored the classic Vanilla Raspberry Roll Cake, and even a more adventurous Chocolate Passion Fruit Roll Cake. This Raspberry Matcha version continues that tradition, bringing a fresh and modern twist to a beloved classic.
Roll cakes were my absolute favorite dessert growing up. My mom would often prepare them for various family celebrations and holidays, especially for our cherished Easter brunch. They strike a perfect balance: elegant enough for special occasions, yet surprisingly light, never too heavy, rich, or overly sweet. This makes them universally appealing and a welcome treat after a festive meal.
I cannot even begin to count the number of times I watched her meticulously prepare sponge cakes over the years. The rhythm and technique of sponge cake making are practically ingrained in my memory, a culinary legacy passed down through generations. This familiarity makes the process feel comforting and approachable, despite the perception that roll cakes can be daunting.
Crafting Your Perfect Matcha Roll Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
My go-to roll cake recipes are always built upon the foundation of a classic sponge cake batter. This type of batter is inherently very light, airy, and fluffy, providing the perfect tender base for a delicate roll cake. To infuse our cake with that distinctive matcha flavor, we simply add culinary-grade matcha powder directly to the dry ingredients. It’s truly that straightforward, integrating seamlessly into the cake structure.
For those new to baking with matcha, it’s helpful to know that matcha tea comes in various grades, each suited for different applications. Common grades include ceremonial grade (best for drinking as tea), culinary grade, and latte grade. For most baking and dessert recipes, including this roll cake, culinary grade matcha is the preferred choice. It offers a robust matcha flavor that stands up well to other ingredients without being overly bitter, and it’s also much more affordable than ceremonial grade, making it practical for everyday use.
A crucial step in ensuring a smooth, lump-free batter and an evenly colored cake is to thoroughly sift the dry ingredients together – that’s the cake flour, matcha powder, and salt. Sifting not only removes any potential clumps but also aerates the mixture, contributing to the light texture of the sponge cake. Don’t skip this step!
Roll cakes, or Swiss rolls, often carry a reputation for being complicated or finicky to make. However, I genuinely consider them to be one of the more approachable and satisfying desserts to prepare, especially if you keep the filling relatively simple. The key lies in understanding a few fundamental techniques, which I’ll share to ensure your success.
Essential Tips for Roll Cake Success: Achieving the Perfect Spiral
The single most important and crucial step when baking sponge roll cakes is to roll the cake immediately after it’s removed from the oven. This warm-rolling technique is vital because it creates “muscle memory” in the cake. As the warm sponge cools in a rolled shape, it sets in that form, significantly reducing the likelihood of it splitting or cracking when you unroll and re-roll it later during assembly. This simple step is your best defense against a broken cake.
Once your matcha sponge cake has been successfully rolled, completely cooled, and gently unrolled, it’s time for the delightful fillings. First, a generous, even layer of Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves is spread across the surface. This provides a wonderfully fruity and slightly tart base. This is then topped with a light and airy raspberry whipped cream filling, adding another dimension of fresh berry flavor and creamy texture. The combination is simply irresistible.
I am incredibly excited and honored to partner with Bonne Maman on today’s recipe, as their products have been a beloved staple in my family’s kitchen for as long as I can remember. Their iconic red-and-white checkered lids evoke a sense of nostalgia and homemade comfort that resonates deeply with me and my culinary philosophy.
The name “Bonne Maman” itself translates to “grandmother” or “granny” in French, which is a beautiful testament to the brand’s unwavering commitment to tradition, authenticity, and quality ingredients. It speaks to a legacy of home-style cooking and a dedication to natural, wholesome flavors.
All of Bonne Maman’s preserves are crafted with incredibly simple, wholesome ingredients—the very same kind you would expect to find in your own grandmother’s kitchen: the highest quality whole fruit, sugar, a touch of lemon juice, and fruit pectin. There are no artificial colors, no high-fructose corn syrup, and no preservatives, ensuring a pure and genuine fruit taste that shines through in every spoonful.
Remarkably, the brand’s original recipes have remained unchanged since the company was founded, a commitment to consistency and excellence that I deeply admire. This dedication means that not only is the quality consistently exceptional, but their preserves also possess an authentic, homemade taste that is truly unparalleled and instantly recognizable.
Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves just happens to be my personal favorite. It delivers that signature, intensely fruity raspberry flavor, and its texture is absolutely perfect for this specific application. It’s not too stiff, nor too runny—just the right consistency.
It contains just the right amount of whole raspberry seeds, adding a pleasant textural contrast, and its spreadable consistency is ideal for coating delicate sponge cakes. This is a very important detail, as preserves that are too thick can inadvertently cause the tender sponge cake to break or tear when you try to spread them. Bonne Maman’s preserves are designed for effortless spreading, making them versatile for a multitude of other culinary applications beyond this delicious cake.
Prepping and Serving Your Raspberry Matcha Roll Cake: Tips for Elegance and Freshness
While roll cakes are often at their peak freshness and texture when assembled and served on the same day, you can absolutely prepare this Raspberry Matcha Roll Cake a day ahead of serving, which is incredibly convenient, especially if you’re planning to serve it for a busy Easter brunch or another special gathering. Preparing it in advance can actually enhance the flavors.
A fascinating aspect of this cake is that the matcha flavor will actually strengthen and deepen over time as the cake rests in the refrigerator. This allows the complex notes of the green tea to fully develop and meld with the raspberry fillings. If you are not serving the cake immediately, it is essential to store it in the refrigerator. This not only preserves freshness but also helps the whipped cream filling to firm up, ensuring clean, beautiful slices.
To truly showcase the beautiful, natural green color of the matcha sponge and to keep this cake feeling light and fresh, I prefer to keep the exterior decorations minimal. I typically don’t frost the outside of the cake. Instead, just before serving, a delicate dusting of powdered sugar creates a simple yet elegant finish. For that perfect, clean slice that reveals the stunning spiral of layers, always use a sharp serrated knife. This will ensure each piece is as visually appealing as it is delicious.
Raspberry Matcha Roll Cake
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Equipment
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KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan Stand Mixer
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Half Sheet Pan
Ingredients
Matcha Sponge Cake:
- 1 cup (120 g) cake flour, sifted fluffed, spooned, and leveled
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) culinary-grade matcha
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 large eggs, separated room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar divided
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- roughly ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar for rolling the cake
Raspberry Cream Filling:
- ⅔ cup (215 g) Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves
- ⅔ cup (160 mL)) chilled heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons (24 g) powdered sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces fresh raspberries plus more for garnishing
For Garnishing:
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
For the Cake:
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center position. Lightly grease a half sheet pan (roughly 18-inch long x 13-inch wide) with baking spray, line with parchment paper, then lightly grease the paper with baking spray. Set aside.
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Sift together the cake flour, matcha, and salt. Set aside.
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Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk over high speed until light and foamy. Slowly sprinkle in ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar and continue whisking over medium-high speed until the egg whites have reached medium peaks. Note: If the whisk attachment is lifted up, the tip of the peak should tip over but still hold. Carefully transfer to a large, clean mixing bowl and set aside until ready to use.
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Wipe the stand mixer bowl clean (don’t worry if there is still some residue) and combine the egg yolks, the remaining ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Using the whisk attachment, beat over high speed until ribbony and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Add about a third of the egg whites to the beaten yolk mixture, and gently combine together using the whisk attachment. Repeat with two more additions of the beaten egg whites, gently folding them in with a large spatula. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites by over mixing.
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Sprinkle roughly a quarter of the cake flour onto the sponge batter, and fold in gently with a spatula. Repeat until all of the flour has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients have been incorporated evenly. Transfer the batter onto the prepared sheet pan and spread into an even layer using an offset spatula. The batter should fill the entire pan.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden in color. As the cake is baking, lay a clean kitchen linen (the long edge of the linen facing you) on your countertop and using a fine-meshed sieve, dust with confectioner’s sugar.
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As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a knife if necessary. Carefully and quickly invert the sheet pan (long edge of the pan facing you) in one quick motion and cake onto the sugar-dusted linen. Very carefully peel off the parchment paper. Dust the cake with another thin layer of powdered sugar. While the cake is still warm, roll the cake and linen, narrow end to narrow end, into a tight spiral. The linen should be rolled with the cake, so that the cake does not touch itself as it is rolled. Cool on a wire rack, in the linen, until the cake is room temperature.
For the Filling:
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Unroll the cake so that it lays completely flat. Using an offset spatula, spread the Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves into a very thin layer onto the cake.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat over low speed, starting at slow speed and increasing to medium high, until thick and medium peaks form. The whipped cream should be on the slightly thicker side, as it will hold better in the final cake. In a small bowl, lightly mash the raspberries with a fork (chunks should be visible). Gently fold the mashed raspberries into the whipped cream mixture.
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Spread the raspberry cream into an even, thin layer on the cake, leaving about a ¾-inch border on all sides. Carefully re-roll the cake (without the linen), narrow end to narrow end, into a spiral. Gently place the cake seam-side down on a long serving platter (or small sheet pan) and cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one to two hours (or until just before assembly and serving). This will help set the cream and filling, and ensure it slices more cleanly.
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Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, dust the cake generously with confectioner’s sugar and garnish with additional raspberries as desired. Serve immediately.
Tips for Success:
- This cake texture is best served the day it is baked and assembled, but can be prepared the day before as well. The matcha will actually develop and deepen with time. Well wrapped, the cake will keep in the refrigerator for up 3 to 4 days.
- It is important to invert and roll the sponge cake immediately once it is removed from the oven. This helps create muscle memory in the cake, and prevents splitting and tearing during cake assembly.