Oh My Stars! Deco Roll Cake

Roll cakes (or jelly roll cakes) are a traditional dessert that usually makes you think of Grandma but not when it gets a hit of cuteness! Deco roll cakes are très popular in Japan and they're surprisingly not that difficult to make. The key is to keep the pattern simple for the novice deco roller. I created a star-patterned cake for my first try and I must say it turned out pretty kawaii.

Ingredients
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup flour, sifted with 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon water
• a few drops brown food colouring
• whipped cream (about 2 cups)
• star template* (click to download)
*A note about the template: The pattern has been designed as a tiled repeat meaning you can print several pages and tape the edges together without a disruption in the pattern. You may wish to do this if you want to fill your whole cake pan with the pattern.

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a walled 11x17" pan with parchment paper, placing your star template underneath the parchment.  
2. With a mixer, beat the eggs on high speed until foamy. Add in the sugar gradually and continue beating on high until thick and almost doubled in volume. 
3. Slowly add in the flour mixture and incorporate with a spatula. Add in the water once the batter is almost fully incorporated. 
4. Transfer about 3/4 cup of the batter to a smaller bowl and add in your food colouring. Mix gently but mix well. 
5. Using a piping bag fitted with a #5 Wilton round tip, pipe the brown batter onto the parchment paper, following the pattern of the star template. You only need to fill half the pan with the pattern because the rest of it will get hidden inside the roll. 
6. Freeze your piped pattern in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This helps prevent smearing when you add the rest of the batter. (OK I didn't do this part because my pan was too wide for my side-by-side fridge so I skipped it. I was just extra careful when adding my batter.) 
7. Pour the remaining batter in the pan and spread evenly with a spatula. 
8. Bake for 10 minutes, taking care not to overbake as it will make the cake less pliable for rolling. 
9. Remove from the oven and immediately flip over onto a piece of parchment paper that has been laid on a flat surface. Carefully peel off the parchment paper it was baked in. 
10. Flip the cake over a second time so the pattern is facing down on the parchment paper surface. Roll the cake up in the parchment paper and let cool completely. 
11. Carefully unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling evenly. Roll back up and you're done!