Have you ever made a jelly roll? I have made a few. My first one was for the fair in my home county. I was trying for the Homemaker Award that year in the early '60s. The person who won the most ribbons in the Food and Needlework categories would get the prize. I entered everything I could think of, including a jelly roll. It was my first one. I won the Homemaker Award as well as the silver tray for Best Cake. Guess what? My jelly roll beat out those fancy frosted cakes. Wedding cakes were in a different category.

My simple little jelly roll won! I think my homemade currant jelly did the trick. I made an unassuming little jelly roll that should have offered no competition for those grand cakes. But I won!

When I was first married back In the late '40s, jelly rolls were all the rage. Not every woman could make an acceptable butter cake. Cake mixes weren't widely available yet. Jelly rolls were easier to do. This recipe is from a 1942 cook book. Just a sponge cake with a filling and topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream or frosting. Sometimes they make a chocolate log out of it. I never did that. Who says you only know how to make a box cake? I hope you try this recipe.

JELLY ROLL
3/4 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons water
Filling: jelly, pudding, ice cream, etc.

Warm eggs to room temperature for increased volume. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan. Carefully fit a piece of waxed paper over greased bottom of pan. Sift flour. Measure. Add baking powder and salt. Sift again. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in half the sugar, sprinkling about 2 tablespoons at a time. Then set aside. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Add remaining sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until very thick. Slowly add water, stirring constantly. Gently fold in beaten egg whites. Gradually fold in dry ingredients, sifting about 1/4 cup at a time over the surface. Turn batter into jelly roll pan, spreading batter evenly into corners. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it springs back when lightly touched.

Sprinkle powdered sugar on kitchen towel that is slightly larger than cake. Loosen cake from sides of pan. Flip over onto towel. Remove waxed paper and trim off crisp edges. Roll cake in cloth gently, evenly and firmly,starting at narrow end. Place on cooling rack with loose edge underneath.

When cake is thoroughly cooled, unroll carefully, removing cloth. Spread softened jelly or other filling evenly out all the way out to the edges. Roll again. Trim ends with serrated knife. Place on serving plate. Sift powdered sugar over cake roll. Chill until serving time.