Sponge Roll with Hemp Cream

The sponge roll may seem challenging, but it has only three conditions for success: the sponge must be rolled while hot, the cream must be cold, and the whole must spend at least two hours in the fridge. The hemp cream made from hulled seeds, cottage cheese, and cream provides a fluffy filling with a nutty note that contrasts with the delicate sponge. The seeds remain crunchy for the first day, which distinguishes this roll from the classic cream roll. Below you will find proportions for 10-12 servings, a rolling technique without cracking, and measured nutritional values of hemp seeds. We also show how hemp flour differs from seeds, as these two products are often confused in recipes.

KEY INFORMATION
• Hulled hemp seeds contain an average of 35.9 g of protein per 100 g (House et al., 2010).
• Four tablespoons of seeds in the cream provide about 14 g of protein for the entire roll.
• In seeds of the Fedora variety, 268 mg of magnesium was measured per 100 g (Siano et al., 2018).
• One serving (about 90 g) provides about 220 kcal according to estimates from the ingredient list.

What is hemp cream and why does it work?

It is whipped cream combined with creamy cottage cheese and hulled hemp seeds, flavored with honey and vanilla. The cream provides fluffiness, the cottage cheese stabilizes the structure and adds protein, while the seeds contribute to the texture. Four tablespoons of seeds, or about 40 g, contribute about 14 g of protein to the entire roll.

The basis for this calculation is the work of House and colleagues, who examined 30 commercial hemp samples from western Canada and reported an average of 35.9 g of protein and 46.7 g of fat per 100 g for hulled seeds (House et al., J Agric Food Chem, 2010). The same work cools enthusiasm: lysine is a limiting amino acid in hemp protein, and the PDCAAS score for hulled seeds is 63-66%. Thus, the roll will not become a high-protein dessert.

Taste-wise, hemp seeds behave differently in cream than nuts. They are mild and slightly sweet, do not become bitter, and do not overpower the vanilla. Honey ties it all together, and the crunchiness of the seeds contrasts with the smooth cream just as pieces of fruit do in a classic roll.

How much protein and magnesium is in one serving of the roll?

One serving weighing about 90 g provides about 220 kcal, 6 g of protein, 11 g of fat, and 22 g of carbohydrates. This calculation is from the ingredient list of this recipe, not a laboratory measurement. The same serving without cottage cheese and seeds, i.e., a classic cream roll, comes in a few grams lower in protein.

The seeds also provide minerals, although not much in the context of a dessert. Siano and colleagues measured 268 mg of magnesium per 100 g in whole seeds of the Fedora variety and noted that published mineral values in hemp vary widely (Siano et al., Molecules, 2018). Four tablespoons spread over 10-12 servings provide a few milligrams per serving. The roll is not a source of magnesium and should not be presented as such.

The same work provides a profile of fatty acids. In hemp of the Fedora variety, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 approaches 3:1, which the authors call nutritionally optimal. This is an assessment by the research team, not an official recommendation, and pertains to the seeds themselves, not the finished dessert.

Do the hemp seeds in the cream contain THC?

No, not in amounts that the law treats as a controlled substance. Polish law excludes seeds from the definition of cannabis plant, and the EU has established a separate numerical limit for contamination. Therefore, hemp cream falls into the category of ordinary food.

You can find the definition in Article 4 point 37 of the Act of July 29, 2005 on counteracting drug addiction (Journal of Laws 2023 item 1939), as amended by the Act of March 24, 2022 (Journal of Laws 2022 item 763). The plant includes the above-ground parts of the plant containing more than 0.3% of the sum of delta-9-THC and THCA, while seeds have been explicitly excluded from this definition.

The limit for food is set by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, applicable from May 25, 2023: 3.0 mg/kg for hemp seeds and for products made from ground seeds and 7.5 mg/kg for seed oil. The value is calculated as the sum of delta-9-THC and delta-9-THCA expressed as delta-9-THC, with a coefficient of 0.877 for THCA. The limit covers both forms together, so cooking does not change anything here.

How to make a sponge roll with hemp cream?

Active work takes about 25 minutes, baking 10-12 minutes at 190°C, cooling for a minimum of 2 hours. It yields 10-12 servings. Prepare a 30 x 40 cm baking sheet lined with paper before you start whipping the egg whites, as the sponge mixture will deflate while waiting.

Sponge: 4 eggs size M, 80 g of fine sugar, 80 g of cake flour, a pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for sprinkling the paper when rolling
Cream: 250 ml of cold cream 30-36%, 200 g of creamy cottage cheese or ricotta
4 tablespoons of hulled hemp seeds
3 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
For decoration: a handful of raspberries or blueberries, powdered sugar

The entire outcome depends on one moment. The sponge must be rolled immediately after removing it from the oven while it is hot and flexible. Once cooled, it cracks along the crease, and nothing can fix that.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form, adding sugar tablespoon by tablespoon. Gently fold in the yolks from the bottom up, then sift in the flour in two or three batches.
Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet and spread evenly to the edges. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 190°C. The finished sponge should feel dry to the touch and springy. Longer baking means cracking when rolling.
Immediately after removing, turn the sponge onto a paper sprinkled with powdered sugar and remove the baking paper. Roll it up with the new paper along the shorter side and cool in the roll for about 30 minutes.
Whip the cold cream until stiff. In another bowl, mix the cottage cheese with honey, vanilla, and hemp seeds. Combine both mixtures with a spatula, folding from the bottom up. The cream is ready when it holds the shape of a spoon.
Unroll the cooled sponge, spread the cream, leaving a 2 cm margin at the edge. Roll tightly, wrap in foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut with a sharp knife only after chilling.

What can replace the cream and how to diversify the roll?

Chilled full-fat coconut milk, specifically its thick layer, can be whipped similarly to cream and provides a vegan version. Drained Greek yogurt in the amount of 400 g gives a lighter and distinctly sour cream. Mascarpone can replace both cottage cheese and cream at once if you take as much as they weighed together; the cream will then be significantly thicker. Two tablespoons of cocoa added to the flour create a chocolate sponge: darker but more brittle, so roll it more carefully.

We noticed in tests that the seeds should be mixed into the cottage cheese mixture, not into the whipped cream. If added directly to the foam, they weigh it down and partially settle it. When first combined with the cottage cheese, which has a similar density, they are incorporated into the cream already distributed, keeping the foam fluffy.

Hemp flour is a separate matter, as two different products are sold under this name. One is ground whole seeds, the other is flour from the press cake after oil extraction. Siano and colleagues report 30.7% protein with 13.6% fat for the press cake, compared to 24.8% and 24.5% in whole seeds of the Fedora variety. This matters in the sponge because fat weighs down the whipped egg whites: you can add more press cake flour than flour from ground seeds.

Source: own elaboration based on Siano et al., Molecules, 2018, table 1

This same cream will work in other desserts. A similar cottage cheese mixture is used in protein cheesecake with hemp protein, and hemp flour in baking is shown in carrot cake with hemp flour. For a smaller dessert using the same seeds, chocolate-covered hemp seed truffles are suitable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the sponge roll crack when rolling?

Because it was rolled too late or baked too long. Sponge for rolls is baked for 10-12 minutes at 190°C and rolled immediately after removal while it is hot and flexible. Once cooled, it crumbles along the crease. Powdered sugar on the paper prevents the dough from sticking when unrolling.

How much protein is in the hemp cream roll?

One serving weighing about 90 g provides about 6 g of protein from eggs, cottage cheese, and hemp seeds. Four tablespoons of seeds contribute about 14 g to the entire roll, based on 35.9 g of protein per 100 g of hulled seeds (House et al., 2010). The rest comes from the sponge and cottage cheese.

How to store the sponge roll with hemp cream?

In foil or an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze: the cream made from cream and cottage cheese separates whey and loses its structure after thawing. The hemp seeds remain crunchy for the first day, then soften from the moisture of the cream, although the taste remains unchanged.

Can the sponge for the roll be gluten-free?

Yes, replace 80 g of wheat flour with potato starch, corn starch, or rice flour in the same weight. Such a sponge is more delicate and requires more careful rolling. You can add hemp flour, but in a small amount, as its fat weighs down the whipped egg whites.

What can replace the cream in the hemp cream?

A thick layer of chilled full-fat coconut milk, if you want a vegan version. Drained Greek yogurt in the amount of 400 g gives a lighter and more sour cream. Mascarpone can replace both cottage cheese and cream at once if you take as much as they weighed together, but the cream will then be significantly thicker.

This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult the use of supplements or herbs with a specialist.

Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-06-22 · Updated: 2026-08-16