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Monstera Cake Roll with Pandan Whipped Cream & Kaya

This springy, spongy, stunningly stenciled cake roll is filled with a layer of rich kaya (coconut jam) and fluffy pandan whipped cream.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
3 hrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Filipino

Ingredients

For Paste:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (softer than room temp, but not melted)
  • 2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup cake flour sifted
  • 1 large egg white
  • Food Coloring
For Cake:
  • 3 large eggs separated
  • ⅜ cup granulated sugar divided
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup cake flour sifted
  • Food Coloring
  • powdered sugar for dusting
For Filling:
  • ⅓ cup kaya coconut jam
  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon pandan extract

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter or grease the bottom and sides of a 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Trace the outline of the pan onto a slightly larger piece of parchment paper; flip so the pencil side is down. Tape your stencil in place on the parchment.
  2. To make design paste, mix butter and sugar together until you get a smooth paste. Add sifted flour and mix until mostly incorporated, then add egg white and mix until smooth. Paste should have a buttercream-like consistency. Mix in a scant 1/4 teaspoon of pandan extract; your paste should be the color of mint chip ice cream.
  3. Divide paste into 3 bowls and add additional food coloring as desired. (I used 1 drop Leaf Green and 1 drop Mint Green in one bowl; 1 drop Teal in the second; and 1 drop Electric Green with a toothpick or so of Mint Green in the third).
  4. Using an offset spatula, smear bits of colored paste onto your stencil area, alternating between the three colors. You will probably only need about half of the paste here. Once most of the surface of the stencil is covered, spread out paste into a thin, even layer, scraping off any excess. Carefully peel off stencil to reveal design. Cut out along the traced border, then gently transfer to your buttered jellyroll pan. Place pan in freezer to allow the design to set while you prepare the rest of the batter.
  5. To make cake batter, place egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved and yolks are lightened in color. Drizzle in vegetable oil, whisking constantly, until incorporated. Whisk in milk, vanilla and salt. Add food coloring as desired (I used 1 large drop of Electric Pink gel coloring.)
  6. Sprinkle sifted cake flour over batter and fold until incorporated.
  7. In a clean mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until frothy. Reduce speed, slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, then beat on high speed until whites hold medium-stiff peaks.
  8. Fold a third of egg whites into batter to lighten it, then add the remaining egg whites and fold until just incorporated.
  9. Pour batter over top of frozen design, spreading the batter into an even layer using a large offset spatula. Bang the pan a few times on the countertop to remove any air bubbles and level out the top.
  10. Bake for about 10 to 11 minutes or until top is springy and edges are just barely starting to brown.
  11. Remove from oven. Dust evenly with powdered sugar, then carefully invert warm cake onto a piece of parchment backed by a solid surface like a large cutting board. Peel off parchment paper backing, revealing the design. Dust the top of the cake with a thin layer of powdered sugar and lay a clean tea towel on top. Flip cake over again so the design is facing down.
  12. Starting with the side of the cake without the design, carefully roll up the warm cake in the towel. Doing this while the cake is still warm will give the cake a 'muscle memory' and allow you to roll it up later with the filling without it cracking.
  13. Let rolled cake cool for about 1 hour or until completely cool to the touch.
  14. Meanwhile, to make filling, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon cool water and let soften for 5 minutes. Microwave the mixture in short, 5 second increments until the gelatin is completely dissolved and liquefied. Let cool slightly (but don't let it firm up, if it does, microwave it again).
  15. Place whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until frothy, then add powdered sugar, increase to medium high and beat until the paddle starts to leave trails in the cream.
  16. Mix a spoonful of the partially-whipped cream into the bowl with the melted gelatin until completely incorporated, then, with the mixer running on low, add this back to the bowl with the rest of the cream. Add pandan extract and increase speed to medium high, beating until cream holds medium-stiff peaks (take care not to overbeat).
  17. Carefully unroll cake and remove towel. You may need to hold it with your hand as it will try to roll back up (see, muscle memory!) Spread a very thin layer of kaya over the entire surface of the cake, followed by a thin even layer of whipped cream, leaving about 1/2 inch bare at the end. You may not need all of the filling, depending on how thick a layer you want.
  18. Gently roll up the cake, taking care not to use too much pressure lest the filling squeeze out the sides. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, until filling is set. If you happen to have a 3.5 to 4-inch diameter cardboard tube lying around, place your cake roll in the tube to keep the bottom from flattening out as it chills.
  19. To serve, cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife (the design bits are harder than the cake itself. The slices will look best if you cut using a sharp serrated knife, pulling the knife gently towards you, letting the weight of the knife do the cutting; it may take a few strokes to get through the firmer design parts. Try not to saw back and forth or press down or the design will compress into the cake).
  20. Cake roll will keep, tightly wrapped and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.