Recipes & Food Styling

Jelly Roll with Carrot Jelly for Easter – and the first day of Spring!

Happy FIRST day of SPRING! My mom taught me about jelly rolls as a child. She told me they were popular in farm kitchens throughout history, because they required just a few basic ingredients that were “always” on hand.

I made my first jelly roll when I was 11 for my dad’s brother’s new wife who had just moved to town. A few years later, I made a jelly roll again for my FIRST Buche de Noel cake that I had just learned to make in French class.

In 2014, Grandma’s Jelly Roll was among the cakes we included in our “Cake of The Month” schedule for the local papers.

For my Jelly Roll today, I made a fabulous CARROT jelly. Turned out so good! 

I have only been going to the store about every three weeks still, so substituted corn starch for pectin to make the jelly and it worked! SO glad I did not have to go back to the store. Here are the recipes: 

Carrot Jelly Roll Cake

Jelly Roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt

1 bag powdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover 1-inch deep cookie sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment paper generously.

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat eggs on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes. Should become thick and look lemon-colored. Very slowly and on low speed, beat sugar in; then water, and then vanilla. Next, slowly beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until just combined. Pour into sheet pan, and spread into corners evenly across.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out from the center clean. Using a butter knife, quickly loosen the edges and bottom and carefully flip onto counter that is generously covered in powdered sugar. Remove paper quickly and gently so you don’t tear paper and leave small pieces behind on cake. Cover cake with hand towel and Immediately roll cake in towel. Let cool at least 45 minutes. Unroll and spread jelly over cake; roll back up and set, seam side down, on cake plate for serving. Top with sprinkle of powdered sugar and sprig of carrot top.

Carrot Jelly

2/3 jar of Carrot, Ginger and Turmeric Juice by R.W. Knudsen

Juice of 6 lemons

1 cup sugar

1 cup corn starch

In medium kettle on stovetop, bring all ingredients except corn starch to boil; then very slowly add in corn starch by stirring with wire whisk.