Oolong Tea Roll Cake

This recipe for Oolong Tea Roll Cake takes the flavor of deeply rich, fermented tea and pairs it with a light chiffon cake, filled with whipped cream.

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What is oolong tea?

Oolong tea is a Chinese tea that is fermented and semi-oxidized, and falls in between green tea and black tea.

Depending on the variety of tea, its flavor can range from floral and fruity to roasted and nutty.

Why you'll love this recipe

This recipe is a hybrid of my Hojicha Roll Cake and Perfect Swiss Roll Cake, which is a soft, fluffy and tender cake that rolls up with ease.

Minimal ingredients: with only a few pantry and fridge ingredients, you can make this delicious cake at home.

Flavorful: using tea powder adds flavor, without additional liquid.

Delicious: for a unique flavor variation, this oolong tea cake is unexpected and not as mainstream.

Ingredients you'll need

• oolong tea powder: is finely ground (stone-ground) tea, similar to matcha powder or hojicha powder
• eggs: separated egg whites from egg yolks while cold, then let at room temperature
• cake flour: also known as pastry flour, has a lower protein content and helps keep the cake tender; if using all-purpose flour, sub in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• granulated sugar: adds sweetness to the cake
• vegetable oil: use a neutral vegetable oil; I like using avocado oil
• whole milk: adds moisture to the cake
• cream of tartar: is an acid that helps stabilize the whipped egg whites; you can also use 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar
• vanilla extract: for flavor; you can also use a tea extract if you like, such earl grey

How to make oolong tea cake

To make the cake, prepare a 9"x13" tray with parchment and separate the egg yolks from the whites.

Whisk the yolks with sugar, oolong tea powder, oil, milk, and vanilla, then mix in sifted cake flour.

Whip the egg whites with sugar and cream of tartar to soft peaks and fold them into the yolk mixture gently to preserve the airiness.

Bake the batter at 375°F for 14-15 minutes until golden, then drop the tray to prevent shrinkage and cool slightly.

For the whipped cream, chill a bowl and whip heavy cream with powdered sugar to stiff peaks.

Spread the cream over the slightly warm cake, roll it tightly using parchment paper, and chill it in the fridge to set.

Trim the ends and slice with a clean, warm knife for serving.

How to serve

Serve the oolong tea cake with fruit, ice cream, or an oolong tea latte (if you want double the oolong flavor)!

How to store

Store the oolong cake in an airtight container in the fridge or up to 3 days.

Other delicious roll cake recipes you may like

Be sure to check out these recipes!

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5 from 5 votes

Oolong Tea Roll Cake

This recipe for Oolong Tea Roll Cake takes the flavor of deeply rich, fermented tea and pairs it with a light chiffon cake, filled with whipped cream.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time14 minutes mins

Chilling Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 29 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Servings: 8

Calories: 174kcal

Author: Michelle

For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.

Ingredients

Oolong tea cake:

• 3 egg yolks
• 15 g oolong tea powder sifted
• 60 g granulated cane sugar divided
• 30 ml avocado oil or any light vegetable oil
• 30 ml whole milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 45 g cake flour sifted
• 3 egg whites room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar or sub ¼ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar

Whipped Cream:

• 125 ml heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the cake:

• Prepare a 9" by 13" baking tray with parchment paper.
• Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks into 2 different bowls (one for egg whites and one for egg yolks).
• Tip: ensure your bowl for beating the egg whites is clean, with no traces of oil. Give the bowl and whisk a quick wipe with paper towel and a bit of lemon juice or vinegar prior to adding the egg whites.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F/191°C.
• Combine the egg yolks with 30g sugar, sifted oolong tea powder and whisk together. Add in the oil, milk, vanilla extract and whisk again.
• Sift in the cake flour over top of the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine, until there are no lumps.
• In a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, add the room temperature egg whites.
• Turn on the mixer on low speed.
• Once the egg whites become foamy with bubbles, add in a little cream of tartar (or lemon juice/vinegar).
• Gradually increase the speed of the mixer, and slowly pour in the granulated sugar.
• Continue to whip the egg whites until fluffy, shiny and reaches a soft peak. (The egg whites will form a curved tail at the end of the whisk).
• Using a spatula, fold about ⅓rd of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter. This will help to loosen up the egg yolk batter.
• Note: Folding is different than stirring. It takes a lighter hand to not deflate the whipped egg whites. To fold, take the spatula to the bottom of the mixture, and scoop up (a slow flick of the wrist) while turning the bowl about 90 degrees. Continue to turn the bowl and fold until the mixture is almost homogeneous.
• Add the next 3rd of the egg white mixture, folding it into the egg yolk mixture. Continue to fold until all of the remaining egg white mixture is incorporated into the batter, but be sure not to overfold or the egg whites will be deflated.
• Transfer the cake batter to a 9″ by 13″ baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• Give the tray a few taps to release any trapped air bubbles.
• Bake at 375°F/191°C for 14-15 minutes, until the cake surface is golden brown and dry to the touch. The cake should be bounce back when slightly pressed with a finger tip.
• Remove the cake from the oven and immediately drop it from a height of ~1′. This prevents the cake from shrinkage.
• Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes (just until it’s the slightest bit warm — not completely cool).

Make the whipped cream:

• While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream.
• Tip: A chilled bowl (in the fridge) will help the cream to whip up nicely.
• Pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl, add in the powdered sugar and use a whisk to whip to stiff peaks. (Don’t overwhip or the cream will turn into butter).

Assemble the cake:

• Place the slightly warm cake onto a large piece of parchment paper, with the top side down (the browned exterior). Of course, you can choose to roll it the other way if you like.
• Dollop the whipped cream onto the surface of the cake.
• Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the whipped cream over the entire cake.
• Starting at the short end, use the parchment paper to help gently roll up the cake.
• Use the parchment paper to gently push the roll so it is taut.
• Make sure the seam-side is facing down, seal the ends of the parchment paper.
• Place the cake onto a tray and into the fridge for a few hours to firm up.
• Cut the cake ends off with a serrated knife. Use a damp, warm towel to clean the knife in between slices.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 429IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.

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