This Giraffe Swiss Roll Cake Will Be A Hit At Your Kid's Next Birthday Party

Giraffes have impressive mass — some of them can even reach a height of almost 20 feet and weigh an average of 3,530 pounds. What do they have in common with this recipe? Well, they are both awesome and impressive, and both the animal and this sponge cake roll have the same pattern. To see this Swiss roll up close, however, you don't have to travel to far distant lands, just go for a little safari in your kitchen. 

You'll Need:

For the egg yolk batter:

• 2½ oz flour
• 3 egg yolks
• ½ oz sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1⅓ fl oz vegetable oil
• 2 fl oz milk

For the pattern batter:

• 1 egg white
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp flour

For the egg white batter:

• 3 egg whites
• 1¾ oz sugar
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1⅓ tbsp cocoa powder

For the cream cheese mix:

• 2¾ fl oz whipping cream
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 9 oz cream cheese

For the filling:

• 2 bananas

For the work surface: 

• sugar

Here's How:

First prepare the egg yolk batter by mixing all the ingredients with an electric whisk until they form a fluffy but fluid mixture. Place the bowl to one side.

Now make the small batter portion that you will later use to create the pattern: for this, beat the egg white with the sugar until stiff, sieve in the flour, and then carefully fold in 3 tbsp of the egg yolk mix you prepared before.

Transfer this batter into a piping bag and use it to pipe out a giraffe-print pattern onto a deep baking tray lined with parchment paper. Then bake the whole thing in a preheated oven for just 1 minute at 360°F with the heat coming from above and below.

For the egg white batter, mix the egg white, sugar, and baking powder, then add the rest of the egg yolk batter, as well as the cocoa powder. Stir everything into a smooth batter and distribute it evenly on top of the giraffe pattern. Then bake the cake together for 15 minutes, again at 360°F, heated from above and below.

Sprinkle a clean dish cloth with sugar and turn the cake out on to it. Pull away the parchment paper and cover the cake with a second, damp, dish cloth. Let it cool down and turn it over with the help of the cloths.

Next, take care of the cream cheese and cream: first beat the whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff. Carefully mix in the cream cheese and then spread the mixture evenly over the cake.

Now roll the two peeled bananas up in the cake. 

Your wonder roll is complete!

Now you have a cream-filled cake which really does remind you of a real giraffe. Maybe it'll even inspire you to go on a trip to Africa to see the real thing... but if it just inspires you to make more fun party cakes, you could always make our Strawberry Cheesecake Roll next.