This Raffaello cake roll is made with moist sponge cake that is bursting at the seams with almond-flavored coconut cream. A Ferrero Raffaello fanatic’s dream!
This Raffaello cake roll is the ultimate birthday cake for coconut lovers. I also find it to be fitting for any season. I’ve made it for everything from casual summer BBQs to Christmas dinners and it’s always been a major crowd pleaser.
There’s something so decadent about the way the wafers soak into the almond-speckled coconut cream. It truly tastes like heaven. If you’re questioning whether or not you have the technical skill to make a cake roll, don’t overthink it. It’s actually much more simple than you think and this recipe will guide you every step of the way!
Where did Raffaello Cake Originate from?
The Raffaello cake doesn’t have a specific origin per se. However, it was born out of a mutual obsession over the beloved Italian Ferrero Raffaello truffle. Typically, you see this candy pop up during the holidays. The combination of creamy white chocolate, coconut, and almond is absolutely to die for. So much so it’s deserved of having a cake dedicated to it!
Are Ferrero Raffaello your favorite candy? Try your hand at making them homemade and using them to decorate your cake roll!
How to Make a Raffaello Cake Roll
Despite its fancy appearance, this cake roll is quite simple to make. Below, find an overview of the process before you strap on your apron.
- Make the Wet Ingredients: First, preheat the oven. Next, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the eggs and a cup of sugar until the mixture triples in volume- roughly 10 minutes, longer if using a hand mixer.
- Fold the Flour into the Wet Ingredients: Using a spatula, slowly fold the flour into the egg mixture. Be extra careful not to over mix the dough!
- Bake the Dough: Spread the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12 minutes.
- Roll the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and cover it with a kitchen towel. Flip the baking sheet over, releasing the cake. Carefully, roll the cake from the shorter side and set it aside to cool at room temperature. Remove the towel and parchment paper.
- Make the Cake Cream: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter with 1 cup of sugar until smooth. Mix in the almond extract. Next, beat in the cream cheese until well-combined.
- Make the Whipped Cream: In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks. In small portions, add the whipped cream to the butter and cream cheese mixture.
- Frost the Cake: Spread the cake cream evenly across one side of the sponge cake. Next, sprinkle on the almonds, half of the shredded coconut, and the chopped wafer pieces. Roll the cake up and frost the outside with the remaining cream.
- Decorate the Cake: Sprinkle the cake with the remaining shredded coconut and top with Ferrero Raffaello candies. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Below, find a collection of tips and tricks to help you make a bakery-worthy Raffaello cake roll.
- Roll the cake while it’s still warm. To get the best cake roll shape, roll the cake in a kitchen towel while it’s still warm and malleable.
- Use extra cold heavy whipping cream. Extra cold cream will make for a super fluffy whipped cream. If you have to, pop it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before whipping it.
- Use ground almond. Instead of using roasted almond slivers, sprinkle on ground almond meal instead if you like a finer texture.
Storing a Raffaello Cake Roll
- Refrigerator: Keep the leftover cake roll stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer: You can freeze the entire cake roll by placing it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and popping it in the freezer uncovered. Once it’s completely frozen, carefully wrap the cake in a of couple layers of plastic wrap. Store it in the freezer for up to a month. To defrost it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight.
FAQ
Ferrero Raffaello candy, which this cake is based on, has the perfect flavor combination of white chocolate, coconut, and almonds.
Can I use salted butter instead?
Yes! It will add a nice, subtle salty flavor to the cream if you’re into that.
Should I use sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes?
You can use either sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes. It really just depends on your individual sweet tooth!
What kind of wafers should I use?
Any vanilla wafer will do the trick. If you can opt for a European-style brand.
Do I need to keep the cake roll refrigerated?
Yes, you need to keep this cake roll refrigerated. The delicate cream will melt if you store it at room temperature.
Other Cake Recipes to Try
Raffaello Cake Roll (Almond Coconut Cake)
This Raffaello cake roll is made with moist sponge cake that is bursting at the seams with almond-flavored coconut cream. A Ferrero Raffaello fanatic’s dream!
- heavy whipping cream
- roasted almond pieces
- Ferrero Raffaello Candies optional for decoration
- Using a spatula, fold the flour into the egg mixture in thirds. Be extra careful not to over mix the dough.
- Spread the dough onto a baking sheet (10″ X 15″ is the perfect side) lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place a kitchen towel over it. Flip the baking sheet over and carefully roll the cake into a spiral starting with the shorter side. Let the roll cool at room temperature. Remove towel and parchment paper.
- Gather your ingredients for the cake cream.
- With a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk the butter with 1 cup of sugar until it’s completely smooth. Add the almond extract and beat to combine.
- Next, add in the cream cheese, continuing to whisk the mixture until it’s perfectly creamy. In a separate dish, whip the heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Little by little, add the whipped cream to the butter and cream cheese mixture.
- Spread the cream on the inside of the sponge cake. Next, sprinkle on the almonds, half of the coconut flakes, and the wafer pieces.
- Roll up the cake as tightly as you can without breaking it. Frost it with the remainder of the cream. Sprinkle the rest of the coconut flakes on top of the roll and decorate the top with Ferrero Raffaello candies as you wish.
- Keep the cake refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it. Slice and enjoy!
Raffaello Cake Roll (Almond Coconut Cake)
Amount Per Serving
% Daily Value*
Saturated Fat 25g
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 12g
Vitamin A 1391IU
Vitamin C 1mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
About Author
Natalya Drozhzhin
Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.
No bake White Chocolate Snowflakes Cookies are the perfect sweet Christmas gift.
We’ve got your wish for delicious Christmas sweet and crunchy chocolate covered desserts. Even Santa won’t be able to resist them! Because everything’s better covered in chocolate and because we all go a little nutty during the holiday season, don’t we?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=8aRFe6xIAy0%3Fstart%3D133%26feature%3Doembed
This is
the season you bake all off the sweets. What if I tell you that these
snowflakes do not require baking? They are easy and fast to make. Feature
these snowflakes your next party or gathering together and your guests will
pick them first.
This recipe is inspired by the snowflakes cookies recipe I received a few years back from Lucy, one of our family friends. The recipe will always stay in our family bringing sweet memories when our daughters danced together. They will always be named Snowflakes by Lucy.
Heating chocolate directly can affect the texture. Therefore, my preferred method is the traditional method of melting the chocolate on a double boiler.
– Melt the chocolate in a double boiler – This method uses indirect heat to avoid burning your chocolate. To use a double boiler correctly, put about 1 to 2 inches of water in the bottom of a saucepan, and put the pan on the stove on low heat. After you bring the water to a simmer then turn off the stove and place the chocolate bowl over the water. When you stack the metal or glass bowl on top of a saucepan, ensure the bowl fits securely over the saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of the top bowl will not be touching the water when it is inserted into the bottom saucepan. After that melt the chocolate in the double boiler, stirring gently until smooth and shiny. When almost all of the chocolate is melted, lift the top bowl from the saucepan and set it on the counter.
– Melt the chocolate in
a microwave – Microwave can melt chocolate more quickly than a double
boiler with minimal effort and mess. Use a microwave-safe bowl, add the
chocolate and melt it on a low power setting, to avoid scorching or
burning it. Stir every 10-15 seconds and microwave again in increments of 10
seconds until completely melted. Microwaving times can vary depending on
microwave wattage, quantity of chocolate, and the cocoa butter content of the
chocolate.
Variations of White Chocolate Snowflakes Cookies
You can also add either crushed candy canes, crushed pretzels or roasted and salted macadamia nuts.
How to store White Chocolate Snowflakes Cookies
Make ahead and store the snowflakes for 2-3 weeks in a cool place or refrigerator in an airtight container so the chocolate doesn’t melt .
More favorite recipes to try
No bake White Chocolate Snowflakes are delicious Christmas sweet and crunchy chocolate covered desserts
- quality white chocolate wafers
- Rice Krispies
- Almonds slivered
- Golden corn flakes
- shredded coconut
- In a large bowl mix Rice Krispies, almond slivers, corn flakes and coconut flakes.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or using double boiler method.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the dry ingredients and mix with a wood spatula, coating the dry ingredients evenly in the chocolate.
- Drop teaspoonful of the mixture in little mounts onto a baking sheet.
- Refrigerate uncovered for at least 10 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
- Gently peel the snowflakes from the tray and set them on a plate.
- Store the snowflakes in a cool place or refrigerator in an airtight container so the chocolate doesn’t melt.
Reader Interactions
“A unique cake for all the special people we hold dear. The tastiest way to show them how much we love them.”
Cooking Time
biscuits – 2 1/2 packets, with butter or milk
milk – 2/3 cup (150 ml) (for soaking the biscuits in)
sour cream – 1 2/3 cups (400 g)
confectionery cream – 4/5 cup (200 ml)
lemon zest – of 1/2 lemon
coconut flakes – 2/5 cup (100 g)
Preparation
Melt the butter and chocolate. Once they cool, add the sour cream to them, spoon by spoon, while stirring carefully so it doesn’t get runny.
Beat the confectionery cream with a mixer until thickened. Add it to the other cream. Next, add the lemon zest, vanilla and coconut flakes. Stir.
Dip each biscuit for a second in the milk.
Smear the bottom of a form with a thin layer of the cream mixture. It’s best if it has a removable ring.
Arrange the wet biscuits on top of the cream mixture. Smear with cream and arrange biscuits again. Finish off with cream.
Put the cake in the fridge for 12 hours.
Before taking it out, slide a knife between the form and cake, to separate them. Sprinkle with coconut flakes on the top and sides. You can decorate with pieces of Bounty chocolate bars or Raffaello bonbons.
Quick, easy and most of all – delicious!
If you have never tried a Ferrero Rocher Coconut Almond Candy known as the Raffaello
You can now have the best of both worlds because here it is in Vegan form and Cake form!
Yes the vegan Raffaello Cake is here!
Complete with knock of copy cat recipe for Raffaello candy to decorate the top of every slice!
For those not familiar with the Raffaello, it is the not so distant cousin of the famous Ferrero Rocher chocolate confection!
Raffaello’s are coconut almond truffles stuffed with a roasted almond and then coated in coconut.
While this may seem like one hefty cake project since not only do we have to make coconut cake layers
But we also have to make layers of almond dacquoise too!
If you want to make your life easier though you can definitely leave that part out
Although it really adds a beautiful and crispy, nutty surprise element to this layer cake.
If you are up for an ultimate advanced pastry challenge I do recommend you make this cake in it’s entirety!
Don’t worry I take you step by step through the process in my video tutorial below
Just take it one recipe at a time and before you know it you will be eating this luscious Vegan Raffaello Cake!
Notes for Success:
You can prepare the coconut cake layers ahead of time and just wrap the layers well and freeze them until you are ready to assemble to cake.
If you don’t have cake flour you can use all ~ all purpose flour in the total amount of 2 cups or 240g weight
Truffles can be made days or even a week in advance but the dacquiose is one recipe I would save for the morning on the day you are making the final cake
If you leave a meringue out exposed to the elements it will attract moisture and lose its characteristic crispness.
If this is not possible, then just be sure to wrap it really well so it is not exposed to the air; I did this and it was fine
Making the dacquoise, or any meringues for that matter can be tricky
I prefer to use a dehydrator for the dacquoise but it can be done in the lowest setting of you oven.
My oven does not go below 170°F and my dehydrator obviously has much lower settings.
Aqauafaba does not like high temperatures and while 170°F technically is not a high temperature, I still like to control it by staying at 155°F and lower.
I have used my oven to “dry” meringues and it does work out fine.
Either way it will take 2 – 3 hours to dry them out.
The cream of tartar is a helpful ingredient that aids in the stability of meringues
If you don’t have it, it’s ok to leave it out.
Addtionally, when using canned aquafaba always try to find NO SALT or at least low sat chickpeas
ALSO: The recipe below for almond dacquoise is definitely more than you will need for the 2 meringue discs for the cake!
You can half the recipe or just make meringue kisses like I did!
In my opinion, after all the trouble to dry out the meringues it is nice to have more to show for all that time!
Afterall who doesn’t like a couple dozen almond meringue kisses!?
Vegan Ferrero Rocher Mousse Cake
Coconut Orange Fudge Cake
Coconut Mango Cream Cake
Vegan Coconut Almond Cake (Raffaello)
4 hours 35 mins
Rafaello Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in very cool temperatures. For longer storage keep refrigerated wrapped to prevent drying for up to 1 week.Cake can be frozen for up to 1 month wrap well