British Steamed Jam Sponge Roll
A classic British steamed sponge cake rolled with jam and served warm with custard. Pure comfort in every slice — soft, pillowy, and deeply nostalgic.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 6g
Ingredients
- 175 g unsalted butter, softened
- 175 g caster sugar
- 3 whole large eggs
- 175 g self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200 g strawberry or raspberry jam
- 15 g unsalted butter, for greasing
- 300 ml ready-made custard or crème anglaise
Instructions
- 1
Fill a large pot with enough water to come halfway up the sides of a 2-litre pudding basin or heatproof bowl. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and place a small upturned saucer or trivet on the bottom — this prevents the basin from sitting directly on the heat. Have the water simmering and ready before you begin the batter.
- 2
Cut a large circle of baking parchment (about 14 inches across) and a matching circle of aluminum foil. Set them aside — you'll use these to cover the pudding during steaming.
- 3
Place 175 g of softened unsalted butter and 175 g of caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and noticeably lighter in color — this incorporates air, which gives the sponge its lift.
- 4
Crack 3 large eggs into a small bowl, lightly beat them with a fork, then add them to the butter mixture a little at a time while mixing on low speed. After each addition, let the mixture come together before adding more egg — this prevents the batter from splitting and looking curdled.
- 5
Sift 175 g of self-raising flour directly into the bowl, add 2 tablespoons of whole milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and fold everything together gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — a few flour streaks are fine; overmixing toughens the sponge.
- 6
Lay a sheet of baking parchment about 14 inches square on a work surface and lightly flour it. Pour the batter onto the parchment and spread it into an even rectangle about 1/4 inch thick using a spatula — the more uniform the thickness, the more evenly it will cook.
- 7
Spread 200 g of jam evenly over the sponge, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides to prevent the filling from leaking out during rolling. If your jam is very thick, you can warm it gently in a small pot for 30 seconds to make it easier to spread.
- 8
Working from one of the long edges, use the parchment to help you roll the sponge into a tight cylinder, peeling the parchment away as you roll. The jam will want to squeeze out slightly — this is normal. Once rolled, gently wrap the roly-poly in a fresh sheet of baking parchment, then wrap that in a sheet of aluminum foil to create a water-tight package.
- 9
Grease a 2-litre pudding basin or heatproof bowl with 15 g of unsalted butter. Coil the roly-poly into the basin (it's okay if it's a tight fit; it will expand slightly as it steams), then place the parchment and foil circles on top, folding the edges down around the rim and securing them with a rubber band or twine.
- 10
Carefully lower the basin into the simmering water — use a large spoon and a cloth or kitchen towel to help you. The water should come about halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pot with a lid and steam for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. The sponge is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, with no wet batter clinging to it.
- 11
Carefully remove the basin from the pot using a cloth or oven mitts. Let it rest for 2 minutes, then remove the foil and parchment. Run a thin knife or palette knife around the inside edge of the basin to loosen the roly-poly, then turn it out onto a warm serving plate — the jam side will face up.
- 12
Slice the warm roly-poly into 1-inch-thick slices using a sharp serrated knife dipped in hot water between cuts. Pour warm custard around or over each slice and serve immediately while the sponge is still steaming.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot
- 2-litre pudding basin or heatproof bowl
- small upturned saucer or trivet
- baking parchment
- aluminum foil
- large mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- small bowl
- fork
- sifter
- spatula
- work surface
- small pot (optional, for warming jam)
- rubber band or kitchen twine
- cloth or kitchen towels
- skewer
- palette knife or thin knife
- serrated knife
- warm serving plate
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