I learned to roll cakes from my mother, who made them every Easter with different fillings depending on the season. This one is for spring: a sponge of eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and salt, baked flat in a jelly roll pan for 12-15 minutes, rolled up in a powdered-sugar-dusted towel while still warm, then unrolled and filled with whipped cream folded with strawberry puree. Rolled back up and topped with toasted sliced almonds.
Rolling the warm cake in a towel is the step most people skip and then wonder why their cake cracks. The warm roll trains the sponge to curve. When you unroll, fill, and re-roll, it holds its shape instead of splitting.
Tips for Making Strawberry Cake Roll
Roll while warm, fill when cool
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, flip it onto a clean towel dusted with powdered sugar. Roll the cake and towel together into a log. Let it cool completely in this position.
When cool, unroll carefully, spread the strawberry whipped cream evenly, and roll back up without the towel.
Whip the cream just to soft peaks
One half cup of heavy cream whipped to soft peaks, not stiff. Fold in a quarter cup of strawberry puree gently.
Over-whipped cream is grainy and does not spread smoothly. Soft peaks fold into the puree easily and stay silky.
Spring Strawberry Cake Roll
- Total Time: 115 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
Slathered with fresh strawberry whipped cream, this Spring Strawberry Cake Roll is perfect for parties and welcoming a new season.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup 80 g self-rising flour
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup 100 g sugar (caster is preferable, but granulated works)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh strawberries (washed and stems removed)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered (icing sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Click the link above for the recipe.
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Make the cake: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a 10×15 jelly roll sheet pan (also known as a Swiss cake roll pan) with parchment paper.
- Sift the flour into a bowl and set aside.
- Pour about 2 inches (4cm) of water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla into a large bowl that fits over the saucepan without touching the water Using a hand-held mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for at least 3 minutes until the mixture is pale, glossy and has increased in volume, with soft peaks forming.
- Remove the bowl from the pan of simmering water and fold in the flour mixture a little bit at a time (at least 4 additions). Pour the batter into the parchment lined baking pan, using a spoon or spatula to gently smooth over the surface of the batter.
- Bake the cake in the oven for around 10 minutes until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, flip it onto a clean towel dusted with powdered sugar. Roll the cake and towel together into a log. Let it cool completely in this position.
- Toast the sliced almonds. Scatter the almonds over a clean, ungreased baking sheet. Slide them in the hot oven for about 5-6 minutes until the almonds are golden brown. Watch them carefully so that they don’t burn. Pull the almonds out of the oven and transfer to a plate to cool completely.
- Make the whipped cream: puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Pour the heavy cream, powdered (icing) sugar and vanilla into a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, then mix in the strawberry puree, a little at a time. Stop adding strawberries if the mixture becomes too runny (you can save the rest of the puree for the strawberry sauce). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
- While the whipped cream is chilling, make the strawberry sauce. Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, making sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and add the strawberries and vanilla (along with any leftover strawberry puree), and then simmer this mixture for about 4-5 minutes until the strawberries are soft. Remove the pan from heat and let cool completely.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size of the baking pan for the cake. Dust the surface with powdered sugar, then gently roll out the cake onto the parchment paper.
- Remove the cream from the refrigerator. Using a spatula, spread a layer of whipped cream over the entire surface of the cake, saving around a cup for frosting the cake later. Drizzle some of the strawberry sauce on top of that whipped cream layer.
- Roll the cake up into a log, using the parchment paper to help you shape the roll as you go. Unpeel the parchment paper from the cake roll and wrap the log in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Remove the cake from the fridge after chilling and transfer it onto a plate. Frost the cake with the remaining strawberry whipped cream. Using a pastry brush, brush more strawberry sauce on the outside of the whipped cream, then use a spatula to create little ripples on the surface of the cake. Top with toasted almonds and more sliced strawberries.
- Chill until ready to serve.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my cake crack?
Usually because it was not rolled while warm, or it was over-baked. Twelve to fifteen minutes is enough. The cake should spring back when touched but not be dry.
Can I make the strawberry puree from frozen berries?
Yes. Thaw and blend. The puree will be slightly more watery. Drain off excess liquid before folding into the whipped cream.
How far ahead can I make this?
Assemble and refrigerate for up to a day. The cream sets in the fridge and the slices are cleaner when cold. Add the almonds just before serving so they stay crunchy.
If You Liked This Recipe, You Might Also Enjoy
Rolling the warm sponge in a powdered-sugar towel was the step I’d been getting wrong for years. Followed it exactly this time and the sponge unrolled clean instead of cracking down the middle. Strawberry whipped cream filling made the kitchen smell like spring.
My mom made cake rolls every Easter when I was growing up, switching the filling with the seasons: strawberry in spring, cranberry around the holidays. The warm-roll-in-a-towel trick was the first thing she drilled into me, and this recipe spells out that step the way she taught it. My cake didn’t crack and came out looking the way it did on her table :)