This recipe for Pork Floss Roll Cake features a Chinese savoury light and spongy chiffon cake filled with dried meat floss, topped with seaweed and green onions.
What is pork floss cake?
Pork floss cake is a savory cake that you can find in Asian bakeries, especially in Taiwan.
It typically consists of a light sponge cake or chiffon cake that is either topped or rolled with a pork floss mixture.
The pork floss mixture can consist of seaweed and sesame seeds.
In keeping with the savory theme, the pork floss is "glued" to the cake with kewpie (Japanese-style) or regular mayonnaise.
What is pork floss?
Originating from China, pork floss, also known as rousong in Mandarin or yuk song in Cantonese, is a meat floss made of pork that has been dried and dehydrated for many hours, like a pork jerky.
It is typically brown in color and has a light and fluffy texture similar to cotton candy, except that it is a little more coarse and tastes savory.
Pork floss is a common ingredient in Asia, used as a filling in pork floss buns, as a topping for congee, or simply enjoyed as a snack.
What does pork floss taste like?
Pork floss has a predominantly sweet and salty umami flavor, and sort of melts in your mouth.
Why you'll love this recipe
This Chinese-style savoury pork floss cake is:
Easy to make: it's adapted from my Perfect Swiss Roll Cake recipe, with a savory spin.
Not your average cake: it's salty and sweet, with lots of umami flavor from the pork filling and seaweed toppings.
Small-batch: this cake is meant to be cut into thick slices and yields about 4 large servings.
Soft & fluffy: this cake is light-handed on the mayo and even while packed with filling, it's still light and tender.
Ingredients you'll need
Cake:
- large eggs: separated egg whites from egg yolks
- vegetable oil: I used avocado oil, but any neutral oil will work
- whole milk: or a non-dairy alternative
- cake flour: for a soft and cottony texture, use cake/pastry flour; if you don't have cake flour, you can remove 1 tablespoon of cake flour and substitute in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- granulated sugar: for sweetness
- sea salt: adds a little savory flavor ness to the cake
- cream of tartar: acts as an acid to stabilize the meringue; you can use 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar as a substitute
Topping/filling:
- green onions/scallions: chopped
- seaweed: or nori, cut into small pieces
- sesame seeds: you can use black or white sesame seeds
- pork floss: a light brown, dried sweet and savoury meat product, used in many dishes; you can find it in Chinese or Asian grocery stores
- kewpie mayonnaise: is a Japanese mayo made with egg yolks; or substitute with regular mayonnaise
You can find these ingredients at Asian grocery stores.
How to make the pork floss roll cake
Make the cake
Preheat oven to 400F.
Prepare a baking tray or pan (8" by 10" by 1") with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, avocado oil, milk and salt.
Sift in cake flour and mix until just combined. Set aside.
In a clean stand mixer bowl, add in the egg whites and cream of tartar and whip until foamy.
Gradually add in sugar and whip until egg white meringue reaches soft peaks.
Fold the egg whites into the cake flour mixture in 3 additions, until fully combined.
Pour the cake batter onto the prepared baking pan and level with an offset spatula.
Sprinkle sesame seeds, green onion, pork floss, and seaweed onto the surface of the cake batter.
Tap the tray a few times to release any trapped air bubbles.
Bake the cake at 400F for 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and springy to the touch.
Assemble
Remove the cake from the oven, peel off the edges of the parchment paper and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool for 15 minutes.
Carefully flip the cake over onto a new large piece of parchment paper.
Peel the parchment paper off the cake.
Cut a few shallow lines across (taking care not to cut through) one end of the cake.
Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the surface.
Sprinkle pork floss on the cake.
With the parchment paper, carefully roll the cake from the cut side, into a tight Swiss roll, ending with the seam side facing down.
Wrap the cake and tuck in the parchment paper.
Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
How to serve
Slice the Pork Floss Cake into thick portions and serve at room temperature.
Pair the cake with jasmine milk tea, taro bubble tea, or yuen-yeung coffee tea.
How to store
If there are any leftovers, store the Pork Floss Roll Cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Bring up to room temperature before serving.
Variations
For additional umami flavor, try sprinkling homemade furikake (Japanese rice seasoning) on top of the cake.
Add mochi (kirimochi) for a chewy, bouncy texture.
Swap out the mayonnaise and use peanut butter if you're not a fan of mayo.
Expert tips
Making slits on the cake helps the cake roll up with ease.
Ensure that you don't cut completely through the cake.
Once rolled, let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
Slicing a warm cake can cause it to fall apart.
Other Asian recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Braided Pork Floss Green Onion Buns
Korean Seaweed Rice Snacks (Bugak)
Green Onion Pancakes (Edmonton/Donut-Style)
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Pork Floss Roll Cake
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 egg yolks
- 15 ml avocado oil
- 30 ml whole milk
- 1 g sea salt
- 60 g cake flour
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 26 g granulated sugar
Topping:
- 2 tablespoon green onion chopped
- ½ tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon Chinese pork floss
- 1 small sheet of roasted seaweed cut into tiny pieces
Filling:
- 2 tablespoon kewpie mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise
- ¼ C Chinese pork floss
Instructions
For key visual process photos, refer to the body of the blog post.
Make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 400°F/204°F.
- Prepare a baking tray or pan (8" by 10" by 1") with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, avocado oil, milk and salt.
- Sift in cake flour and mix until just combined. Set aside.
- In a clean stand mixer bowl, add in the egg whites and cream of tartar and whip until foamy.
- Gradually add in sugar and whip until egg white meringue reaches soft peaks.
- Fold the egg whites into the cake flour mixture in 3 additions, until fully combined.
- Pour the cake batter onto the prepared baking pan and level with an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle green onion, sesame seeds, pork floss, and seaweed onto the surface of the cake batter.
- Tap the tray a few times to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake the cake at 400°F/204°F for 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and springy to the touch.
Assemble:
- Remove the cake from the oven, peel off the edges of the parchment paper and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool for 15 minutes.
- Carefully flip the cake over onto a new large piece of parchment paper.
- Peel the parchment paper off the cake.
- Cut a few shallow lines across (taking care not to cut through) one end of the cake.
- Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the surface.
- Sprinkle pork floss on the cake.
- With the parchment paper, carefully roll the cake from the cut side, into a tight Swiss roll, ending with the seam side facing down.
- Wrap the cake and tuck in the parchment paper.
- Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
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.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your pork floss roll turned out so beautifully and I love how little time it takes to prepare. It would make such a fun addition to a party!
Tasia
Such an impressive cake and I love that it's savory!
Raymund | angsarap.net
Pork floss cake sounds like such an interesting and unique creation! I love how it combines the sweetness and saltiness of pork floss with a light and fluffy cake. Yum!
Dawn
What a fun savoury cake! I haven't tried pork floss before but have heard of it. This roll cake looks like a delicious way to try it!!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
I love savoury pastry, pies, and cakes, but this is something truly unique and intriguing to me - never seen or tried anything like this. I'm also intrigued by this pork floss.
David @ Spiced
I must admit that I've never tried pork floss before - this sounds quite unique and tasty, though! Plus, I'm always down to bake something. I'd love to give this a try sometime!