Ok guys...I need y'all to bail me out of a problem this afternoon. I have a Bar Mitzvah cake that I have to deliver tomorrow morning but want to finish this afternoon. I am having major problems with the scrolls. I baked a big sheet of cake and then cut out circles and was gonna "glue" them together with icing to lay on top of the cake to look like scrolls. IT'S NOT WORKING. My cake is falling apart. I have a few options...start over with a new sheet of cake and risk the same problem or I was thinking...crumble all of the cake that I have, mix it with icing and form the scrolls out of that stuff. Is that totally wrong...gross...weird??? Here's the cake that I'm trying to make. So far I have 2 12x18" (WASC) frosted. NO SCROLLS YET...I"M FREAKING!!!

a jelly roll style of cake should work much better.

Ok so jellyroll then. I've never made them. Can I use the same recipe? Do I just make it thinner? What's the secret? How do you keep it from breaking while rolling?

What is the diameter of the scrolls? Looks like 4-5 inches?

Do you need the scrolls for servings? Or can you make the scrolls out of something other than cake? If possible, make a bunch of rice krispie treats without the butter - or, with higher cereal to marshmallow ratio - so they're firmer than usual. Cut your circles out and string them onto a bamboo skewer.

before you cut any cake freeze it or refridgerate it for awhile. This will help a lot with the crumbs and most likely keep the cake from falling apart

If you never done a jelly roll, maybe you could cut a 9x13 in half (long wise), stack them and then carve them round.

edited: Actually, I would probably do one 12x 18 for each, cut it into four sections, stack them and then carve. And I say stack four of them because when you carve you'll take about some of the height and you want the scrolls to be higher than the 'script'.

I made a jelly roll for xmas last year. I did it in a baking sheet with 1" - 2" sides. It was really shallow. To roll it up, you turn it out onto paper towels while the cake is still hot, the roll it up with the papertowels still on to keep the cake from sticking to itself. Then when it cools , you unroll, put frosting all over the top, then reroll. It seems like it would work perfectly for your scrolls.

If you don't need the extra servings, you could just use paper towel rolls and cover them with fondant....... Regular recipe cake will not roll up.... you need a sponge type cake..... they are really quick and easy though...about 12 minutes in the oven.......

I just called my customer and she nixed the rice krispy idea...she's getting on my nerves. But hey...she's paying for it so I'll figure it out. She's hell bent on the scrolls tasting the same as the WASC cake. So I'm wondering...should I alter the WASC recipe and maybe put whole eggs in it instead of just egg whites. Would the whole egg make it a heartier cake?

OKay, I am a dork. I've given this more thought now.

I would make one more 12x18 WASC. Cut that in four section, stack two of them and crave round but w/a flat bottom, ice and stack on one side of the already iced 12 x 18 you got. Do the same w/the other two section of the 12 x 18 and put on the other side.

hate to say it -but my suggestion - re-bake - make narrow rectangular layers the length and width you need and carve down the edges to make it rounded

I vote for the Jelly roll cake. Here's some tips on baking911.com
http://www.baking911.com/cakes/biscuitroulade.htm

Jacqui

I agree with ccr03 bake anther cake and use it to carve scrolls

My suggestion would be if baked all ready or bake a sheet cake.

What is the smallest size round cake pan you have. Even 8" is fine bake some circle cakes. Cut the cakes in half, put on a cardboard the length of the scroll maybe a little smaller. Flat section on board so you have the curve shape. Freeze, carve a little to get the shape.

Put dowel rods in the cake to hold up the scrolls, then finish decorating.

I hope that makes sense.

Good luck on your cake.

Whole eggs will make the cake a little firmer, but freezing the cake before carving is the best advice. Also, you're better off carving a loaf cake or stacked sheets than trying to put cut circles of cake together. Remember, the very bottom of the scroll doesn't have to be rounded. Leave it a little flat for stability.

Make 2 circle templates from whatever you were using to cut out the cake circles and stick one on each end of the loaf cake. These will guide you as you carve. Make sure you slice a little off the bottom of your template so the scrolls will sit flat.

Well...here I am again. I swear...I've never had a cake give me so much trouble. I guess this one just isn't meant to be. So I followed y'all suggestions and baked another sheet cake and stacked and carved...my cake still fell apart. I'm gonna just use rice krispie treats. I know that isn't what she wanted but I added another layer to her cake to ensure she has enough cake. Any suggestions on how to explain this to her? I'm worried she's gonna freak...

Well, none of us can pre-determine how a cake is going to turn out. I mean even the best decorators have trouble. I would just be totally honest. Since you already tried baking another cake...I would do whatever you feel most comfortable with at this point. If that means using rice krispy treats, then so be it. It sounds like you are trying so hard and this silly cake is just not cooperating!!!!! No need in spending more time and using more ingredients to make another cake to only get the same outcome.
Just tell her that you baked the scrolls twice and they just weren't coming out right and so you increased her servings another way since you had to make the scrolls out of rice krispies. If she is in any way an understanding person, then she should be fine with this. If not, no big deal, she should still pay you but then may not call you again. I am not saying she definitely won't call you again....I am just saying that is how most people who are unhappy with products or services will respond. I don't think she is gonna yell and scream. BUT you need to make sure she DOES pay you!!!! You have spent alot of time and money on this cake and if it LOOKS like what she wants and she still has enough servings...then she should definitely pay you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just tell her that you are sorry, but this is the only way you could make it work. Most people are understanding.

Would it be possible to bake the cake in soup cans? I have not done one of these cakes before but, if I had to, is this an option?