Sushi Roll Cake Recipe

I made a Sushi Roll Cake that looks exactly like a real sushi roll, with stacked cake “rice” and clever decoration that will make you look twice.

I made a Sushi Roll Cake and I still laugh every time someone mistakes it for dinner. The outside looks like a tidy sushi roll but when you slice it, soft mascarpone cheese peeks out and bright strawberries hide like salmon.

Guests lean in all curious, then they bite and their faces change, like wait this is cake? It’s playful, a little cheeky, and perfect for people who love food that tricks you.

I like that it starts conversations and causes double takes, plus it’s somehow better than the real thing when you crave sweet instead of salty.

Ingredients

• Eggs add protein and structure, give richness, a bit of natural fat.
• Mascarpone gives creamy fat and mild tang, makes the filling silky and rich.
• Whipped cream brings volume and sweetness, lots of fat, light mouthfeel.
• Strawberries add fresh sweetness, vitamin C, mild acidity to balance flavors.
• Mango gives tropical sweetness and fiber, bright color and soft texture.
• Black fondant or colored chocolate mimics seaweed, mostly sugar or fat, not healthy.
• Shredded coconut adds chewy texture and tiny healthy fats, white chocolate imitates rice.
• Orange sprinkles or tobiko add crunch and color, real roe gives salty pop.

Ingredient Quantities

• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (90 g) cake flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream, cold
• 8 oz (225 g) mascarpone cheese or cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for filling)
• 1/2 cup (45 g) shredded sweetened coconut or white chocolate shavings to mimic rice
• 8 oz (225 g) black fondant or black modeling chocolate, or 6 oz dark chocolate plus black gel food coloring (to make the “nori”)
• Gel food coloring: orange and green, small amounts
• 6 to 8 strawberries, thinly sliced (for “salmon”)
• 1 mango, thinly sliced (for yellow/orange accents)
• 1 small kiwi or 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced (for green accents)
• 2 tbsp orange sprinkles or tobiko/popping boba (for “roe”)
• 1 to 2 tbsp black sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional garnish)
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment, spray or butter the paper and dust gently with powdered sugar so cake won’t stick.

2. Make the sponge: in a large bowl beat 4 room temp eggs with 2/3 cup granulated sugar until thick, pale and ribbon-like, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Sift together 3/4 cup cake flour and 1/4 tsp salt and gently fold into the egg mixture in 2 additions, folding with a spatula so you dont deflate it. Fold in 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter, cooled, just enough to incorporate.

3. Bake the sponge on the prepared pan for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the top springs back and a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Dont overbake or it will crack when rolled.

4. While still warm, turn the cake out onto a clean kitchen towel or another sheet of parchment dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off the baking parchment, then roll the cake up with the towel from the short end and let cool completely rolled up to set the shape.

5. Make the filling: whip 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream with 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until stiff peaks form. In another bowl loosen 8 oz mascarpone or cream cheese, then fold into the whipped cream gently until smooth. If you want a little color for accents, whisk a tiny bit of orange gel into a small scoop and green gel into another tiny scoop of the filling to use sparingly as garnish or stripes.

6. Unroll the cooled cake carefully, spread an even layer of the mascarpone filling over the surface leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut or white chocolate shavings over the filling to mimic rice, pressing lightly so it sticks.

7. Arrange fillings in a line across the near edge: thinly sliced strawberries for “salmon”, thin mango slices for yellow/orange accents, and thin kiwi or cucumber slices for green. Scatter 2 tbsp orange sprinkles or tobiko/popping boba over the fruit for “roe” and sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp black sesame or poppy seeds if using.

8. Roll the cake tightly back up without the towel, using the parchment to help keep it snug, sealing the seam underneath. Chill the roll at least 30 minutes to set.

9. Make the “nori”: roll out black fondant thinly and trim to a strip to wrap around the chilled roll like seaweed. If using dark chocolate, melt 6 oz plus a little black gel to color, spread thin on parchment into a strip, chill until firm, then wrap. Press the fondant or chocolate gently so it adheres. Use leftover colored filling or gel to paint tiny accents if you want a more playful look.

10. Dust the top with a touch more powdered sugar if desired, press extra coconut on exposed areas to look like rice, slice with a sharp serrated knife chilled between cuts, and serve. It keeps refrigerated up to 3 days, just bring to room temp 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. 10×15 inch jelly roll pan plus parchment paper, cooking spray or butter and powdered sugar for dusting
2. Electric mixer (hand or stand) or a big whisk if you’re feeling brave
3. 2 mixing bowls (one large for the sponge, one for the filling)
4. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for flour and powdered sugar
5. Rubber spatula for folding and an offset spatula or knife for spreading the filling
6. Clean kitchen towel or extra sheet of parchment dusted with powdered sugar for rolling
7. Serrated knife and a cutting board for clean slices
8. Small heatproof bowl or saucepan for melting chocolate and a rolling pin or fondant smoother for the “nori”

FAQ

Sushi Roll Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Heavy cream (1 1/2 cups): swap for full-fat coconut cream, chilled and whipped 1:1 for a dairy free version, or use evaporated milk plus 2 tbsp melted butter to mimic richness.
• Mascarpone or cream cheese (8 oz): use Neufchatel or equal weight of well-drained plain Greek yogurt, whipped until smooth — both give the same tang but lighter texture.
• Cake flour (3/4 cup): make your own from all purpose flour — for each cup, spoon in then level 1 cup AP, remove 2 tbsp and add 2 tbsp cornstarch, sift together, works great.
• Black fondant / modeling chocolate: use roasted nori sheets for an authentic sushi look (watch the taste), or tint melted white chocolate with black gel, or roll out black sesame paste thinly as an edible wrap.

Pro Tips

1) Warm eggs, cold cream: Eggs that are at room temp whip up faster and hold more air, so let them sit 20 to 30 minutes or float the sealed carton in warm water for 5 minutes if you forgot. Keep the heavy cream ice cold until you whip it so it hits stiff peaks quicker. If the mascarpone starts to look grainy, stop and fold in a spoonful of cold cream to smooth it back out.

2) Gentle folding, small batches: When you fold in the flour and the melted butter do it in 2 or 3 small additions and use a roomy figure-8 motion with a spatula. A few streaks are fine, overmixing kills the lift. If the batter seems denser than you expect, don’t panic, a quick gentle fold is better than frantic stirring.

3) Roll smart and fix cracks: Roll the cake while it is still warm to set the curve, but if you get a crack later you can hide it — spread a little extra filling over the seam and press more coconut or shavings on top. Chill the roll thoroughly before you wrap it in fondant or chocolate so the applique doesn’t melt or slide.

4) Nori and slicing hacks: For chocolate “nori” add a teaspoon of neutral oil or a bit melted cocoa butter so it stays pliable and won’t snap when you wrap. If using fondant, press with a tiny dab of water or piping gel to make it stick. For cleaner slices, chill the whole roll well and cut with a sharp serrated knife that you dip in hot water and wipe between cuts.