Beetlejuice Sandworm Cake Roll Recipe

Beetlejuice Sandworm Cake Roll

Skill Level: Advanced

Servings: 10

Total Time: 9 hr 30 min (includes drying and cooling)

Active Time: 1 hr 50 min

Our dramatic sandworm-inspired cake roll makes a showstopping centerpiece for a Beetlejuice-themed celebration. The cake features bold black-and-white stripes, a vibrant two-tone purple-and-green buttercream swirl, and a whimsical (and slightly eerie) sandworm topper piped from royal icing using a full-size printable template. The sandworm decorations require at least 6 hours to dry before they can be placed on the cake, so plan ahead.

Sandworm Topper:

2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Black gel food coloring
Red gel food coloring
Yellow gel food coloring
Teal gel food coloring

Black Stencil Paste:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sifted black cocoa powder

Sponge Cake:

1 cup almond flour
2/3 cup sifted confectioners' sugar (plus extra for dusting)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3 large egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Buttercream:

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter (room temperature)
6 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup whole milk (plus more as needed)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Neon bright green gel food coloring
Neon purple gel food coloring

Green Ganache Drip:

3 ounces green candy melting wafers
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Special Equipment:

A Beetlejuice Sandworm Cake Roll Template printed at 100% size
8-by-10-inch food-grade acetate sheet
Painter's tape
5 disposable piping bags
4 small round piping tips (e.g., Wilton #1 or #2)
Large closed star decorator tip (e.g., Ateco #843)
Toothpicks
Offset spatula
17-by-11-inch silicone mat
Cake comb with 3/4-inch spaced teeth
Pastry brush

Sandworm Topper: Print the Beetlejuice Sandworm Cake Roll Template at full size, place it on a flat surface, and cover with an 8-by-10-inch food-grade acetate sheet. Secure the edges with removable painter's tape so the acetate lies flat.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and lemon juice until combined. Gradually add sifted confectioners' sugar on low until smooth. Stir in lemon extract, then thin the royal icing with a few drops of water until it reaches a flooding consistency.
Reserve about 75% of the white flood icing in a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and tint the remaining 25% with black gel coloring for outlining and details.
Outline and flood the white areas on the template with white icing and let set for about 5 minutes until semi-firm. Outline and flood the black areas with the black icing and let dry until nearly set, about 1 hour.
Use leftover white icing tinted with red to fill the larger sandworm eye and create freckles on the smaller sandworm nose. Tint a small portion of white icing yellow to fill the smaller worm's yellow eye and dot the center with black icing.
Mix a tablespoon of white icing with teal gel color and pipe teal along the mouths' edges; drag with a toothpick on the smaller head to simulate teeth.
Allow the sandworm pieces to dry completely until hardat least 6 hours or overnightthen carefully remove them from the acetate using a thin knife tip.
Black Stencil Paste: In a mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add egg whites and mix, then fold in sifted flour and black cocoa powder until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
Spread a thin, even layer of the stencil paste on a 17-by-11-inch silicone mat with an offset spatula. Drag a cake comb with 3/4-inch spaced teeth lengthwise through the paste from one short side to create stripes. Freeze the mat inside a 17-by-11-inch jelly roll pan for at least 10 minutes. (Extra paste may remain.)
Sponge Cake: Preheat the oven to 450F.
Combine almond flour, confectioners' sugar, all-purpose flour, eggs, and egg yolk in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
Whip the 3 egg whites with granulated sugar in a separate bowl until thick and shiny to form a meringue. Gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture, then gently fold in the melted butter to keep the batter light.
Remove the frozen stencil mat from the freezer, pour the batter over the striped paste, and bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the center, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly and loosen the edges with a knife.
Invert the cake onto parchment, peel off the silicone mat, then flip the cake onto a confectioners' sugardusted tea towel and roll the cake from a short end. Let cool about 20 minutes, then refrigerate wrapped until completely chilled.
Buttercream: Beat butter in a stand mixer with the whip attachment until creamy. Add confectioners' sugar and beat on low until crumbly. Mix in milk and vanilla, then beat on high for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time if too stiff to pipe.
Divide the buttercream into two bowls and tint one bright green and the other purple. Cover each with a damp paper towel to prevent drying.
Unwrap and unroll the chilled cake. Spread 1 cup green buttercream evenly, then dollop 1 cup purple buttercream and spread gently to the edges. Re-roll the cake tightly and refrigerate about 30 minutes to set.
Trim both ends with a serrated knife to reveal the two-tone swirl. Lightly dampen a pastry brush and brush the black stripes to remove excess confectioners' sugar dust.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface and pipe a 6-inch-long, 3-inch-thick line of green buttercream. Place an equal amount of purple buttercream next to it so the lines touch. Roll the buttercream inside the plastic, cut one end, and insert into a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip; set aside.
Green Ganache Drip: Finely chop green candy melting wafers. Heat heavy cream until steaming (about 30 seconds in a microwave), add the chopped wafers, and stir until smooth and glossy. Let cool 35 minutes to thicken slightly.
Assembly: Place the filled cake roll seam-side down on a serving platter. Drizzle green ganache over the cake to create drips and refrigerate 15 minutes to set.
Pipe the two-tone buttercream swirl along the top center of the cake using the prepared piping bag, then immediately position the royal icing sandworm topper on the buttercream while the ganache and buttercream are tacky.