Hojicha Japanese Roll Cake (Printable)

Delicate Japanese sponge roll with roasted green tea cream and fresh mango filling.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 4 large eggs, separated
02 - 5.6 oz granulated sugar, divided
03 - 2 fl oz whole milk
04 - 1.7 fl oz vegetable oil
05 - 2.5 oz cake flour, sifted
06 - 0.35 oz cornstarch
07 - 1 tbsp hojicha powder
08 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Hojicha Cream

09 - 6.8 fl oz heavy cream, chilled
10 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
11 - 2 tsp hojicha powder

→ Filling

12 - 1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced into thin strips

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 338°F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with 2.8 oz sugar until pale and creamy. Add milk and vegetable oil, mixing until smooth.
03 - Sift cake flour, cornstarch, hojicha powder, and salt together. Fold into the yolk mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
04 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add remaining 2.8 oz sugar and continue beating to stiff peaks.
05 - Gently fold meringue into the yolk-flour mixture in three additions, carefully preserving volume and airiness.
06 - Pour batter into prepared tray and smooth the surface. Tap tray gently to release air bubbles.
07 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven immediately.
08 - While warm, invert cake onto a fresh sheet of parchment. Carefully peel off baking paper and cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Cool completely.
09 - Whip chilled heavy cream with powdered sugar and hojicha powder to medium-stiff peaks.
10 - Once sponge is cooled, spread hojicha cream evenly over the surface. Arrange mango strips along one short edge.
11 - Using parchment as a guide, gently roll the cake from the edge with mango, forming a tight spiral. Wrap in parchment and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set.
12 - Trim the ends for a neat presentation and slice to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted tea flavor is sophisticated but never bitter, and it pairs so beautifully with fresh mango that people always ask what the secret ingredient is.
  • It's a showstopper dessert that looks far more complicated than it actually is, perfect for when you want to feel proud of what's on the table.
  • The sponge stays impossibly tender for days because of the oil, so you can make it ahead without any stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip inverting the warm cake onto fresh parchment—this trick prevents cracking and makes rolling so much easier, something I learned the hard way after my first attempt tore apart.
  • The cream must be whipped to medium-stiff peaks, not stiff peaks, or it will be grainy when you spread it and the texture suffers; this discovery changed how tender the whole thing tastes.
  • Temperature matters more than you'd think—cold cream whips faster, a cool cake rolls without cracks, and chilling before slicing means each piece holds its beautiful spiral shape.
03 -
  • Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife dipped in warm water and dried between each cut—this prevents the cream from dragging and makes each slice look like it came from a bakery.
  • If you can't find hojicha powder locally, order it online from a reputable tea company, because the difference between stale powders and fresh ones is night and day, and this cake deserves the good stuff.
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