There are some cakes that feel like home, and for my family, Biskuitroulade is definitely one of them.

This is the cake that appears when someone comes over for a Kaffeejause, when we have visitors, or when my mother simply wants to bake something that she knows everyone will enjoy. It is light, soft and surprisingly simple to make, although I will admit that the moment when you have to roll the warm sponge can feel slightly nerve-wracking the first time!

My mother has made this roulade more times than I could possibly count, and over the years she has adapted it to suit the people she is baking for. She even worked out how to make the whole thing gluten-free when my in-laws came to visit, so nobody had to miss out.

Traditionally, Biskuitroulade can be filled with all sorts of things, but a simple layer of jam is probably the easiest and most classic version. If you are making it with a cream filling, just make sure the sponge has cooled completely before filling it.

Ingredients

• 125 g caster sugar
• 5 eggs
• 160 g plain flour (or gluten-free blend)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten-free if you want to have it gluten-free)
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• Jam (like Apricot or Strawberry) or your preferred filling (like strawberries and cream)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Beat the eggs and caster sugar together until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder over the egg mixture and gently fold everything together. Be careful not to overmix, as you want to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
4. Spread the batter evenly over the prepared baking paper.
5. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the sponge is lightly golden and cooked through.
6. While the sponge is still warm, turn it out onto a clean tea towel generously dusted with icing sugar. Carefully peel away the baking paper.
7. Immediately roll the sponge up tightly in the tea towel while it is still warm. Rolling it at this stage helps the sponge take on its shape and makes it less likely to crack.
8. If you are using jam as your filling, you can unroll the sponge again straight away, spread it generously with jam and roll it back up. If you are using a cream filling, allow the sponge to cool completely before filling it.

“Some cakes are for special occasions. Biskuitroulade is the cake you make when someone simply comes over for coffee.”