Adva Chattler
Managing Director of Engagement and Innovation
Make room for a new dessert at your Shavuot table, right between the cheesecake and blintzes – a Torah Scroll roll cake of milk and honey. This roll cake for Shavuot is as rich in symbolism as it is in flavors!
It’s traditional to enjoy a dairy meal on the holiday. Why? Ah, it depends on whom you ask. Some say it is a nod to a Songs of Songs description of the Torah as being like “honey and milk under your tongue.” Some cite the connection between Sinai and Zion, a land of milk and honey. Others have said that since the Israelites had only just received the Torah, they hadn’t yet learned how to slaughter and prepare kosher meat — so it had to be dairy. Another explanation: the alphanumeric value of the Hebrew word milk, halav, equals 40, the number of days Moses spent on Mt. Sinai.
So, whether it’s reminding you of the Torah, or the land of Israel, this cake’s got plenty of milk and honey (which represents abundance in the land of Israel.)
This is one Torah scroll that you can not only touch but also take many bites out of.
Milk & Honey Torah Roll Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For two cakes:
- (2) Cookie sheet 10X15 inch
- Hand/stand mixer
- Large bowls
- Parchment paper
- Oil spray
- 2 cup (236g) cake flour* (spoon & leveled)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 large eggs, at room temperature and divided
- 1 and 1/2 cup (300g) granulated sugar, divided
- 4 Tablespoons (60ml) heavy whipping cream
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon honey
For rolling the cakes:
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- Clean kitchen towels
- 2 sheets of parchment paper
For the milk and honey frosting (for two cakes):
- 8 oz container sour cream
- 1 container (16oz) heavy whipping cream
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
For decorating:
- Colorful icing/ sprinkles/ sugar/ piping bags etc.
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray your 10×15 inch baking pans with nonstick spray or grease with oil spray, so the parchment paper sticks. Then line them with parchment paper so the cake seamlessly releases in step 6. Spray or grease the parchment paper too. We want an extremely nonstick surface for this cake roll.
2. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar together on high speed for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, add the egg yolks, remaining sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and honey. Beat together on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until light in color.
4. Add half of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Beat on low speed for 10 seconds. Repeat with remaining egg whites and beat on low for 10 seconds. Finally, add the flour mixture and beat on low until the batter is completely combined. Do not overmix.
5. Spread batter evenly into prepared cookie sheets. Give the pan a shake to make sure the batter is level and reaches the corners. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when you poke it with a finger.
6. As the cakes bake, lay two thin kitchen towels flat on the counter. Sprinkle each with 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Once the cakes come out of the oven, immediately invert them onto the towel. Peel off the parchment paper then, starting with the narrow end, begin rolling the cake up with the towel. Do this slowly and gently. The cake will be hot as it just came out of the oven.
7. Allow the cake to cool completely rolled up in the towel in the refrigerator for 2 hours. If you are in a pinch with time: stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes, checking it occasionally – so it won’t freeze!
8. Remove the cake rolls from the refrigerator and allow them to sit on the counter for 15 minutes to warm up as you prepare the frosting.
9. In a large bowl, add all the frosting ingredients and beat with a hand mixer on high speed, until forming nice stiff peaks.
10. Gently and slowly unroll the cake. Flatten it out and spread frosting evenly on top, using ¼ of the mixture for each cake, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Gently and slowly roll the cake back up, without the towel this time. Make sure you’re rolling it tightly. Some frosting may spill out the sides, that’s ok! Use the remaining frosting to coat the top of your roll cakes.
11. Its decorating time! Decorate the cake as you would like, with the Hebrew letters and with any other decorations your heart desire! Loosely cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
