Rolled Cakes

I remember the first time I followed instructions—from a magazine, I think—to make a rolled cake. There was a step that required rolling up the cake in a towel while it was still warm to “train” it. Of course, compressing the warm cake in a towel did nothing to improve its texture, which was ultimately damp and uninvitingly chewy.

The following recipes include no towels or other unnecessary steps. To make a perfect rolled cake, one thing is important—don’t overbake the layer, which of course would make it dry and difficult to roll. Aside from that, position the cooled layer on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper, fold the close end of the layer over about ½ inch, then lift the paper to roll up the cake. It’s almost automatic. The last step of tightening the roll by squeezing it between the folded-over paper with a board or cookie sheet ensures a tight, cylindrical roll, as in the illustration.