Polish Coffee Cake Roll Recipe – Rolada Biszkoptowa

This particular Polish coffee cake recipe was my grandmother’s recipe. I found it handwritten in her cookbook. It feels so great to recreate the cake roll that we had as children and serve it to our children!

Did you know that the Polish coffee cake is also called “Rolada na niedzielę”? Rolada na niedziele means “Sunday cake roll”. It is one of those cakes that is popularly made on the weekend and served at Sunday tea. 

If you’ve been to Poland, you probably know that around 80 percent of the population is Catholic. This means that Sunday is considered a holy day in the household. Most people choose to take it easy on these days and the Polish coffee cake roll recipe is super easy to make which makes it a great choice for lazy weekends.

Why Are Apples Used In This Recipe?

Did you know that apples make up about 80 percent of the annual fruit production in Poland? This means that in the peak season, apples are available in all the markets and are remarkably cheap. Most of Poles choose to use apples in different recipes. 

Polish apples are sweet and fragrant. They retain their shape when baking and add loads of nutrients to every dish. That is why they are so popular in Polish cakes. In addition to this, apples are also a superfood. They are packed with antioxidants and fiber which makes them a healthy treat for people of all ages.

Polish Coffee Cake Roll Recipe – Rolada Biszkoptowa

Prepare The Apples

Part I – Peel And Core The Apples

Use 2 lbs. of apples for this recipe. Peel the skin off the apple. While the skin is packed with nutrients and it does detract from the texture of the Polish coffee cake which is why I remove it. There are some people who do keep it. 

Part II – Cut Them In Quarters And Slice Them

Part III – Mix The Apples With Breadcrumbs And Cinnamon

Mix the cut apples with 1 tbsp. of breadcrumbs and 1 tbsp. of cinnamon. Cinnamon pairs really well with apples and it gives this cake its characteristic flavor. The cinnamon flavor is another reason why this recipe pairs so well with a mug of hot coffee.

Part IV – Line The Cake Pan With Parchment Paper

Lining the cake pan with parchment paper will prevent the cake from sticking to the edges and burning. It also helps remove the cake when it has been baked. All you need to do is grab the edges of the parchment paper and gently tug it out of the cake pan.

Part V – Place The Apples Into The Cake Pan

Place the apple cinnamon mixture into the cake pan. Spread it out across the pan so that it is even.

Make The Sponge Cake

Part I – Preheat The Oven To 356F

Preheating the oven is an important step in baking any cake. This ensures that the oven is at the perfect temperature when the cake is placed in it. Too hot and the cake will burn without cooking. Too cold and the cake will not rise. This will give you a thick and chewy texture instead of a light fluffy texture.

Part II – Separate The Egg Yolks From Egg Whites

For this recipe, you will need five eggs. Gently separate the egg yolks and the egg whites. The eggs should be at room temperature when you use them.

Part III – Add A Pinch Of Salt To The Egg Whites And Whisk

Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites. Now whisk the egg whites till you get the consistency of whipped cream. The trick is to start out at a low speed and gradually increase the speed. This will help to combine the egg white with air and make it nice and fluffy. This texture of the egg whites is what gives the Polish coffee roll cake its characteristic texture.

Part IV – Slowly Add Sugar

Add 1 cup of sugar slowly to the mixture. Continue whisking it while you add the sugar. This is to ensure that the sugar combines well. Continue whisking the egg white mixture till the sugar has dissolved.

Part V – Add The Egg Yolks

Reduce the speed of the whisking and add in the egg yolks. Whisk till it combines.

Part VI – Add Flour And Baking Powder

Once the egg yolks have been combined add in 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1 tbsp. baking powder. Combine well. Your cake dough is now ready to be baked.

Bake And Roll The Cake

Part I – Pour The Batter Onto The Cake Pan

Pour the batter gently onto the parchment lined cake pan. Make sure it covers the apple pieces evenly.

Part II – Bake The Cake For 30 – 35 Minutes

Part III – Sprinkle Ground Walnuts Onto A Clean Kitchen Cloth

Use a clean kitchen cloth for this step. Lay it down onto the kitchen platform. Sprinkle ground walnuts evenly across it.

Part IV – Transfer The Hot Cake Onto The Kitchen Cloth

For this next step, gently transfer the hot cake onto the kitchen cloth that you have prepared. This will make the ground walnuts stick to it.

Part V – Roll The Cake

Use the kitchen cloth to gently roll the cake into a roll. This will give the cake its characteristic shape.

Part VI – Allow To Cool

Once you have shaped the cake, allow it to cool. If the Polish coffee cake roll  is not sweet enough, you can sprinkle icing sugar just before serving.

FAQ About Polish Coffee Cake Roll

Why Is The Temperature Of The Eggs Important?

It is important to use room temperature eggs for this recipe. This is because the egg white of the eggs fluffs up really well at this temperature. The better the egg white fluffs, the more spongy the cake will be. 

If the eggs are not at room temperature when you start prepping for the Polish coffee cake roll, you can always place them in warm water so that they warm up. Note that it is important to place them in warm water and not hot water.

Can I Substitute Walnuts With Other Nuts?

While apples pair extremely well with walnuts. You can also get creative and pair it with other nuts. Cashew nuts and almonds are great options. You can also use a mix of different nuts and dried fruits.

Should I Wait For The Cake To Cool Before Rolling It?

No. It is important to roll the cake while it is still hot. This is because the cake is still malleable at this point. Once the cake cools, it retains the shape and it will crack when you try to roll it.

Yield: 1 large roll

Polish Coffee Cake Roll Recipe - Rolada Biszkoptowa

Print

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

• 5 eggs (in room temperature)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp of baking powder

Filling

• 2 lbs (1kg) of apples
• 1 tbsp of breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp of cinnamon

Others

• 4-6 tbsps of ground/chopped nuts

Instructions

Prepare The Apples

1. Peel and core the apples.
2. Cut them in quarters, then slice them.
3. Mix apples with breadcrumbs and cinnamon.
4. Line the cake pan with parchment paper.
5. Place the apples onto the cake pan.

Make The Sponge Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
2. Separate egg yolks from egg whites.
3. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk until you will get the consistency of the whipped cream. Start with the low speed, then slowly increase it.
4. Slowly start adding the sugar, whisking all the time. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Reduce the speed and slowly start adding the egg yolks.
6. Next, slowly add the flour and baking powder.

Bake And Roll The Cake

1. Pour the batter onto the cakes.
2. Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes.
3. Sprinkle ground walnuts onto clean kitchen cloth.
4. Throw hot cake onto it right after you take it out from the oven.
5. Roll the cake through the kitchen cloth.
6. Allow to cool. If the cake is not sweet enough, you may sprinkle it with icing sugar before serving.

Notes

1. Use warm eggs, they should be at room temperature! If you didn't take it out from the fridge, you can quickly heat them up in the bowl with warm water.
2. The salt will help to whisk the egg whites.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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  Honeycrisp Apple - Jabłko
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  Ground Walnuts - Mielone orzechy
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  Breadcrumbs - Bułka tarta
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  Cinnamon - Cynamon
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  Powdered Sugar - Cukier puder
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  Sugar - Cukier
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  Eggs Organic Cage-Free
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  Baking Powder - Proszek do pieczenia
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  All Purpose Flour

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 127Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 101mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 4g

These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix