Rolling on and on

Across Tokyo, roll cakes bearing the names of their local neighbourhoods are popping up in every corner of the city. ‘Shirokane Roll’ (Lettre D’Amour Grande Maison Shirokane), ‘Ebisu Roll’ (Dexee Diner Ebisu), ‘Harajuku Roll’ (Colombin), ‘Toyosu Roll’ (Patisserie Du Cassis), ‘Kagurazaka Roll’ (Woodman’s Cakes), and ‘Shibamata Roll’ (Okashiya Biscuit) are but a few of the players on this long line up of sweets.

Time Out Tokyo asked at sweet shops all over town why roll cakes are so popular at the moment. At one shop we were told that there’s a huge market for them because ‘just about everybody likes roll cakes’. Another reason given is that while decorative cakes don’t usually sell out, shops lose less money on roll cakes that don’t move (which is rare), making them a good item to sell when the economy is bad. To top it off, there’s the simplicity factor: their central ingredients of sponge cake and cream make them easy to whip up and tinker with to create a shop’s own ‘local roll cake’.

Get back to something easy and satisfying with the humble roll cake – though in some cases it’s anything but. Check out our list below for roll cakes of all kinds at a sweet shop near you.

Patissierie Chez Katsuno ‘Egg Roll’

This roll cake has an extremely simple appearance, born from the owner’s desire to make a tasty roll cake under ¥1,000 that could be eaten by one person. Made using plenty of fresh eggs, it melts in your mouth the moment you take a bite. A roll cake fit for one? Indeed.

Egg Roll, ¥950
(Full details & map)

Patissierie Kihachi ‘Black sugar and green tea cream roll’

Available from April 5 for a limited time only, this roll cake with a Japanese twist is made using moist, green tea flavoured sponge cake dusted with kinako (soy bean powder). The centre has rich green tea flavoured cream made from Zuiho cream from Kyoto, and the outer layer is rolled with brown sugar cream (made using brown sugar from Okinawa) together with a generous serving of adzuki beans from Hokkaido. With two types of cream in one roll cake, this is a real treat.

Per slice ¥483, half size (14 cm) ¥1,890, full size (28 cm) ¥3,780
Website: www.kihachi.jp/

Patissierie Satsuki ‘Super Edo Roll’

The Hotel New Otani in Kioicho have launched their new Edo Sweets line up. Made using specifically Japanese ingredients, the first Edo Sweets range was launched in 2003 to mark the 400 year anniversary of the beginning of the Edo period. In creating this range, the hotel – which was built on the remains of the Daimyo’s residence, and one-time home to the Kishu Tokugawa, the Owari Tokugawa and Ii clans – wanted to reflect on Tokyo’s wealth of history and culture, while at the same time bringing new sweets to the world. The sponge cake used in the Super Edo Roll is made from brown rice flour from Minamiuonuma in Niigata Prefecture, and Taiyo brand eggs from Nagasaki Prefecture. In the centre are Dainagon azuki beans from Tanba. Full of fiber and minerals, this is one cake made with a thought towards health. These cakes are on sale until September 30.

¥1,050 per piece
(Hotel New Otani: Full details & map)

Patisserie Francaise Quatre ‘Torikoro-ru’

This pâtisserie makes all of its roll cakes from rice flour and has several flavours to choose from including, plain, matcha (green tea) and café caramel. There is even a sakura (cherry blossom) roll for spring. Made using eggs from Okukuji, these roll cakes are filled with natural goodness. They are light on cream allowing you to really taste the sponge cake. ‘Torikoro-ru’ named so because it seeks to capture (toriko) the heart of the person eating it.

Torikoro-ru roll cake, ¥1,365; also available online
(Full details & map)

La Terre ‘Rice and Tanba Kuromame Rouleau Mizuho’

No white flour in this rouleau – only ultra-fine 100% Niigata rice flour is used to make the sponge in these refreshingly updated cakes. The flavour of the rice is brought out through a tweaking of the subtle sweetness of organically grown sugar made from sugar cane and Chinese milk vetch honey. The cream is mixed with kuromame (black beans) from Tanba, and with a light but thick sponge this is one filling cake.

Rice and Tanba Kuromame Rouleau Mizuho ¥1,050
(Full details & map)