Christmas Gingerbread Roll

• 105g plain flour (3/4 cup)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp each, ground cloves, ground nutmeg and ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large free range eggs, at room temperature
• 145g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
• 50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, packed)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 80ml molasses (1/3 cup)
• 65g icing sugar, sifted (for rolling) (1/2 cup)
• 30g icing sugar, sifted for dusting at the end

• 480ml double cream (whipping or heavy cream, 2 cups)
• 115g good quality lemon curd (about 1/3 cup)

1. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter a 10 by 15 inch Swiss roll tin and line with baking paper. Butter the baking paper.
2. Sift together the flour, spices and salt.  Set aside.
3. Whisk the eggs with an electric whisk, slowly adding the caster sugar until light and fluffy.  Whisk in the brown sugar, vanilla and molasses, continuing to whisk with the electric whisk until the mixture becomes thick and billowy.  This will take about 3 minutes.  Fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until combined and no white streaks remain.  Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking tin. Tap gently on the counter to allow the mixture to settle.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes, until the cake bounces back when lightly touched.
5. While the cake is baking lay out a large clean tea towel on a flat surface. Dust lightly with half of the first amount of icing sugar.
6. Tip the baked cake onto the dusted tea towel as soon as it comes out of the oven and carefully peel off the paper.  Dust with the other half of the first amount of icing sugar. Make a tiny cut along the  width of it at one narrow edge about 1 inch in. Using the tea towel as a lever and beginning at that end  gently roll up the cake tightly. Place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Once the cake is completely cold. Place the whipping cream into a chilled bowl.  Whisk with your electric whisk until it doubles in volume and starts to form soft peaks.  Fold in the lemon curd. It will continue to thicken when you add the lemon curd.
8. Unroll the cake carefully and spread completely with the lemon cream.  Carefully re-roll.  Trim off the ends and place onto a serving plate.  Dust with the remaining icing sugar.  Keep, covered,  in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.   Cut into slices to serve.

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