Matcha Azuki Roll Cake Recipe

Preheat and prep pan

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 20x30 cm (8x12 in) jelly roll pan with parchment paper, trimming so the paper sits smoothly in the pan. Lightly grease the paper if desired.

Sift dry ingredients

Sift the cake flour and matcha together into a bowl to remove lumps and ensure even color. Add a pinch of salt and mix briefly.

Whisk eggs and sugar

In a heatproof bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 4 large eggs and 100 g granulated sugar. Place over a double boiler (bowl not touching simmering water) and whisk gently until the mixture is warm to the touch (about 40°C / 105°F) and sugar is partially dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whip to ribbon stage

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the warm egg-sugar mixture at medium-high speed until pale, thick, and ribbon-like (when the whisk is lifted, batter falls back forming a ribbon that remains on the surface for a few seconds). This takes about 6–8 minutes.

Incorporate dry ingredients

Sift the matcha-cake flour mixture over the whipped eggs in two additions. Fold gently with a spatula using sweeping motions to avoid deflating the batter. Fold only until no streaks remain.

Finish batter with milk and oil

Combine the 25 ml vegetable oil and 25 ml whole milk. Add a small spoonful of batter to the oil-milk and mix to loosen, then fold this mixture back into the main batter gently and evenly until homogeneous.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool and loosen from pan

Immediately upon removing from the oven, run a knife around the pan edge to loosen. Place a clean tea towel lightly dusted with a little powdered sugar over the cake (or lay another sheet of parchment). Invert the cake onto the towel/parchment, peel off the bottom parchment paper, and let the cake cool completely right-side up. Cooling slightly while rolled helps set the shape and prevent cracks.

If your canned azuki beans are very thick, place the 200 g of sweetened azuki into a small bowl and stir in up to 1 tablespoon of water to loosen slightly so it spreads easily but still holds some texture. If using smooth anko paste, no thinning is needed. Taste and adjust: it should be sweet but not overpowering when combined with cream.

Chill bowl and whip cream

Chill the mixing bowl and beaters for 10 minutes in the fridge for best volume. Pour the 300 ml chilled heavy cream into the cold bowl, add 25 g confectioners' sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whip at medium-high speed until soft-medium peaks form — the cream should hold shape but still be spreadable. Do not overbeat.

Fold cream and azuki

Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the whipped cream for finishing if you wish. Gently fold the azuki beans (or anko) into the remaining whipped cream to create a marbled or lightly mixed azuki cream. Folding should be gentle to keep the cream airy. Adjust proportion so the azuki is evenly distributed without making the cream runny.

Trim edges of the cooled cake so they are even. If the cake has curled edges, level them carefully to create a rectangle for an even roll.

Place the cake right-side up on a sheet of parchment or the towel. Spread a thin, even layer of the reserved plain whipped cream across the cake (this helps the azuki-cream adhere and keeps the layers balanced). Then spread the azuki-whipped cream mixture evenly, leaving a 1.5–2 cm (1/2–3/4 in) border along the long edge farthest from you.

Start from the long edge closest to you and roll the cake tightly but gently using the parchment/towel to guide it. Keep pressure even to form a smooth roll; avoid squeezing out filling. When you finish rolling, place the seam side down on a tray.

Finish the roll by lightly dusting the top with powdered sugar. Use the reserved whipped cream to pipe or spread a small decoration along the top if desired and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate the roll cake for at least 1 hour to set before slicing.

To serve, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts to get clean slices. Slice into 8 even portions.