100th post, and a cake to celebrate

This is my 100th post - I can't quite believe it. I'm not sure whether to be pleased or embarrassed to have inflicted so many words on anyone who reads this. Either way I moved swiftly on from self-reflection to selecting a cake to make in celebration. I've been really good about only baking when I have an immediate outlet recently - and the freezer does not count as an outlet, sadly. I've had a yen to make a swiss roll for absolutely ages, but with no outlet, no roll. Tonight, however, we're going for dinner at Vicki and Paul's house, and I thought probably they wouldn't mind if I turned up with a dessert :)



There are several reasons I've been wanting to make a swiss roll. Firstly, they are absurdly easy and taste extremely nice. Secondly, they look fun. Thirdly, Munchkin Granny went through a phase of making them for us when we were little so they have nice memories attached to them (she had a chocolate version and a plain one). Fourthly, you can jazz them up to the heavens with fruit and cream, or you can keep them simple. Fifthly (and most importantly), I wanted to use up the last of my heavenly rhubarb and vanilla jam before it headed off to the great preserves cupboard in the sky.

I used a fatless whisked sponge cake recipe for my cake just because that was the one I'd found most recently, but you can just as successfully use your favourite Victoria sponge cake recipe and bake it in a Swiss roll tin. I actually meant to add chopped strawberries to the jammy filling as well,but clean forgot until the cake was all rolled up. I tried out baking the cake on my reusable silicone baking sheet thing (part of my obsession with not using disposable items if I can avoid it) and it was very easy to peel off. Unfortunately you still need another sheet to invert the cake onto, but I will work at making that stage environmentally friendly too next time.

I haven't tried the cake yet as I thought turning up with a partially-eaten cake was a bit less classy. Happily though, one of the stages in the recipe involves trimming the cake, and The Scientist reported that the trimmings were very good. I was too busy licking the jam spoon. Happy 100th post, Munchkin Mail!

Jammy swiss roll (from Martha Day's Complete Baking)

Serves 6-8
3 eggs
115g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
75g plain flour, sifted
1 tbsp boiling water
6 tbsps jam (the original recipe was for peach, but I used rhubarb this time and I'm sure any
other would work beautifully too. Mind you, I haven't tasted it yet]
icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to Gas 6/200 C. Grease a 12x8 Swiss roll tin and line with non stick baking paper. Combine the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until thick and mousse like (when the whisk is lifted, a trail should remain on the surface of the mixture for 15 seconds [I have to admit that I didn't get it quite to this stage, though probably beat for about 5 mins. It was still quite thick though, and turned out fine]

Carefully fold in the flour with a large metal spoon, then add the boiling water in the same way.

Spoon into the prepared tin, spread evenly to the edges and bake for about 10-12 mins until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Spread a sheet of greaseproof paper on a flat surface, sprinkle it with caster sugar, then invert the cake on top. Peel off the paper.

Neatly trim the edges of the cake [and feed to appreciative boyfriend]. Make a cut two-third of the way through the cake, about 1cm from the short edge nearest you [presumably this makes it easier to start rolling]

Spread the cake with the jam and roll up quickly from the partially cut edge. Hold in position for a minute, making sure the join is underneath [I forgot - no ill consequences]. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.