This tender and light-weight strawberry cake roll is the type of dessert that belongs on each spring and summer time desk. You’ll make a fragile vanilla sponge cake as the bottom. The cake is skinny and versatile sufficient to roll round a fluffy, naturally flavored strawberry cream cheese filling. It’s elegant, sliceable, and ideal for celebrations, holidays, or anytime contemporary strawberries are in season!
I initially revealed this recipe in 2017, and I’ve since up to date it with new pictures, extra success ideas, and a fluffier strawberry filling.
At the moment’s strawberry cake roll recipe makes use of a traditional sponge cake base, which will get its ethereal texture from whipped eggs quite than butter or oil. That makes it naturally mild, versatile, and ultimate for rolling. The filling combines cream cheese, whipped cream, and freeze-dried strawberries for concentrated strawberry taste with out an excessive amount of moisture. (You know the way a lot we love these in strawberry cookies!)
In case you’ve by no means made a cake roll earlier than, don’t be nervous. From whipping the eggs to rolling the nice and cozy cake and including the filling, I’ll stroll you thru each single step so that you’re prepped with confidence earlier than you even start!
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Cake Roll
- Gentle sponge cake: Fluffy texture from whipped eggs
- Actual strawberry taste: Freeze-dried strawberries pack daring taste with out further moisture
- Mushy, versatile cake (no cracking!): Rolling whereas heat helps create a clean spiral with out cracks
- Excellent for spring & summer time: A contemporary, not-too-heavy dessert for gatherings
- Make-ahead pleasant
One reader, Harper, commented: “This recipe is unbelievably good, and so easy it’s virtually too straightforward! My household is already asking when the following model will likely be made—they’re hoping for lemon sponge and blueberry whipped cream filling. Greatest sponge cake ever (and no cracks when rolled)!! ★★★★★“
Strawberry Cake Roll Substances, Defined
- Cake Flour: Cake flour is nearly 30x finer than all-purpose flour. Utilizing it’s a surefire option to obtain a lightweight crumb.
- Baking Powder: For carry.
- Salt: For taste steadiness.
- Eggs: Separate the eggs earlier than you start, after which permit them to come back to room temperature earlier than you employ them within the recipe. (Useful tip: it’s simpler to separate eggs after they’re chilly, however room-temperature egg whites whip higher and into extra quantity.)
- Sugar: We’re utilizing granulated sugar to sweeten the cake. Whip among the sugar with the egg whites to make a fluffy meringue that’s the bottom of the sponge cake, then beat the remaining with the egg yolks and different liquid elements.
- Buttermilk: Both entire or low-fat buttermilk works. In case you can’t discover it, you need to use entire milk or 2%.
- Vanilla & Vanilla Bean: Use each vanilla extract and vanilla bean for pure taste and many attractive vanilla specks. As a substitute of each, you’ll be able to swap in vanilla bean paste.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: It doesn’t really go within the batter; you simply want it for dusting the parchment paper earlier than rolling the cake, to maintain it from sticking. You additionally want it for the filling.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Identical to the frosting on this reader-favorite strawberry cake, we’d like freeze-dried strawberries to naturally taste (and colour!) the fluffy cream filling.
- Heavy Cream: Ensure that it’s chilly. We’re going to whip it by itself first, after which fold the whipped cream into the remainder of the filling.
- Cream Cheese: The opposite key ingredient for the cream filling. Ensure that it’s softened to room temperature earlier than you start, in any other case your filling could have little lumps of cream cheese, which is lower than ultimate!
Why This Recipe Works (Plus My Greatest Success Ideas)
Let’s break down the important thing success factors so that you perceive the why, not simply the how:
- Whipped Eggs Create a Versatile Sponge Cake: As a substitute of counting on butter for carry, the strawberry cake roll will get its construction from whipped eggs. The result’s a lightweight, ethereal sponge cake that’s versatile sufficient to roll with out cracking. This is identical model of sponge used on this champagne cake roll, too.
- Cake Flour Retains the Crumb Mushy: Cake flour provides the sponge a fragile, tender texture. All-purpose flour could make the cake heavier and extra inclined to ripping. For finest outcomes, weigh the flour or spoon and degree it as a substitute of scooping straight from the bag.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries Add Massive Taste: Recent strawberries would add an excessive amount of moisture to the filling, so freeze-dried strawberries are the key right here. They supply concentrated strawberry taste and pure colour with out making the filling watery. They’re additionally the important thing ingredient in my strawberry buttercream.
- Gently Fold the Batter: After combining the moist and dry elements, gently fold within the whipped egg whites. This retains all of the air within the batter, which is what provides the cake its mild texture.
- Line the Pan for Simple Launch: Spray the jelly roll pan earlier than including parchment paper so the parchment stays in place when you unfold the batter. Then spray the parchment, too. This creates a really nonstick floor and helps the cake launch simply after baking. (Sponge muffins are recognized for sticking!)
- Roll the Cake Whereas It’s Heat: As quickly because the cake comes out of the oven, roll it up in parchment paper dusted with confectioners’ sugar. This step “trains” the cake into its spiral form whereas it’s nonetheless heat and versatile, making it a lot much less prone to crack later.
- Chill Earlier than Slicing: After filling and rolling the cake, refrigerate it earlier than slicing. Chilling helps the filling set and provides you cleaner, neater slices.
Strawberry Cream Filling
The filling is a lightweight and fluffy whipped strawberry cream filling—lighter than strawberry frosting and ideal with this delicate sponge cake.
- Made with actual strawberry taste
- Easy, spreadable, and pipeable texture
- Thick sufficient to carry its form within the roll (and never spill out!)
In case you love a beneficiant swirl of filling, this recipe delivers! There’s sufficient filling for the cake roll plus further for piping or spreading on high. In case you plan to only fill the cake roll (not add any on high), you’ll be able to halve the filling ingredient quantities.
I like so as to add some contemporary strawberries to the filling, as nicely. You’ll want to use very skinny slices:
Re-roll the cake, with out the parchment this time, and chill earlier than slicing. You may maintain the cake roll plain on the skin, or pipe some filling on high and garnish with contemporary strawberries like I did in these pictures!
This strawberry cake roll is a kind of recipes that builds confidence quick. It teaches approach, delivers lovely outcomes, and tastes like one thing straight from a bakery case. You may completely do that. See the detailed recipe beneath after which… do this chocolate cake roll subsequent!
Description
This strawberry cake roll includes a mild, vanilla bean-speckled sponge cake, fluffy strawberry cream cheese filling, and loads of actual strawberry taste from freeze-dried strawberries. You’ll want to learn the recipe rigorously earlier than starting, as a result of each timing and approach are keys to success!
Cake
Strawberry Cream Filling & Topping
- Learn the recipe via earlier than starting. Be ready to maneuver rapidly as quickly because the cake comes out of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter, then line it with parchment paper so the cake releases simply in step 8. Spray or grease the parchment paper as nicely. (Sponge muffins are recognized for sticking, so we would like an additional nonstick floor right here.)
- Make the cake: Utilizing a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar collectively on excessive pace till stiff peaks type, about 4 minutes. Switch to a different bowl.
- Utilizing the identical mixing bowl (no want to scrub it), add the egg yolks, remaining sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds. Beat on excessive pace till mild in colour and barely thickened, about 3–4 minutes. The combination will likely be skinny and a bit bubbly on high. Add half of the whipped egg whites to the egg yolk combination and beat on low pace for five–10 seconds to softly mix. Add the remaining egg whites and beat on low pace for an additional 5–10 seconds. Don’t over-mix.
- Utilizing a high-quality mesh sieve, sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt over the batter. Utilizing a silicone spatula, gently fold every part collectively till simply mixed. Don’t over-mix. The batter will likely be mild and fluffy.
- Unfold the batter evenly into the ready pan. I discover a small offset spatula useful for this. Gently faucet or shake the pan so the batter reaches the corners and smooths into a good layer.
- Bake for 14–16 minutes, or till the highest evenly springs again when touched. Don’t over-bake.
- In the meantime, put together to roll the cake: Place a big piece of parchment paper or a skinny kitchen towel flat on the counter and mud it evenly with the confectioners’ sugar. As quickly because the cake comes out of the oven, instantly run a knife across the edges to loosen it from the pan. Fastidiously invert the nice and cozy cake onto the ready parchment/towel, then slowly peel off the parchment paper it baked on. Beginning with a brief finish, gently however tightly roll the nice and cozy cake up with the parchment/towel. The cake will nonetheless be heat.
- Enable the cake to chill fully whereas rolled up. This takes about 3 hours at room temperature, or you’ll be able to refrigerate it for about 2 hours to hurry issues up. As soon as cooled, you’ll be able to maintain the rolled cake lined within the fridge for as much as 1 day earlier than filling.
- Take away the cake from the fridge and let it sit for a couple of minutes when you put together the filling.
- Make the filling: Utilizing a blender or meals processor, pulse the freeze-dried strawberries right into a high-quality powder. It is best to have about 1/2 cup. Put aside.
- Utilizing a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the chilly heavy cream on medium-high pace till stiff peaks type, about 4 minutes. Switch to a different bowl. Utilizing the identical mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese on excessive pace till fully clean and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, and vanilla and beat till mixed and creamy. Gently fold within the whipped cream. The filling will likely be mild and fluffy. You’ll have sufficient to each fill and enhance the cake.
- Fill the cake: Slowly unroll the cooled cake. Unfold about half of the filling evenly on high, leaving a couple of 1/2-inch border across the edges. I exploit a small offset spatula for this. High with sliced strawberries, if utilizing. Gently roll the cake again up, this time with out the parchment/towel. Cowl loosely and refrigerate for no less than 20 minutes and as much as 1 day earlier than slicing and serving. Cowl and refrigerate the remaining filling as nicely to make use of for topping in step 15.
- Pipe or unfold the remaining filling on high earlier than slicing and serving. Garnish with contemporary strawberries, if desired. I used Wilton 1M piping tip on the pictured cake roll.
- Cowl leftover cake roll tightly and retailer within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Notes
- Make Forward Directions: You may put together the cake via step 9, then cowl and refrigerate the rolled-up cake for as much as 1 day earlier than filling and assembling. The assembled cake roll additionally freezes nicely for as much as 2–3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than topping, slicing, and serving.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 10×15-inch Baking Pan | Superb Mesh Sieve | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Linen Towels | Meals Processor | Small Offset Spatula | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip
- Pan Dimension: I strongly advocate utilizing a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan for this recipe. Totally different pan sizes create a cake that’s both too thick or too skinny, which might result in cracking, under- or over-baking, or problem rolling.
- Cake Flour: I strongly advocate utilizing cake flour on this recipe. You may normally discover it subsequent to the all-purpose flour within the baking aisle. In a pinch, you need to use this home made cake flour substitute.
- Buttermilk: I like to recommend buttermilk for taste, however you need to use entire milk or 2% milk in a pinch. For finest style and texture, I don’t advocate nonfat or nondairy milk.
- Vanilla Beans: In case you can’t get your fingers on vanilla beans, substitute each the vanilla extract and vanilla beans for two teaspoons of vanilla bean paste. In case you don’t have vanilla bean paste or a vanilla bean, enhance the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons.
- The place to Purchase Freeze-Dried Strawberries: I normally discover them at main grocery shops within the dried fruit part or at Goal, Dealer Joe’s, Aldi, Walmart, or on-line right here or right here. They are typically costlier on-line. Don’t use the chewy/gummy dried strawberries. You want FREEZE-dried strawberries, which grind right into a powder. In case you’re nonetheless having hassle discovering them, do this scrumptious strawberry whipped cream from my strawberry shortcake cupcakes because the filling.
- Filling Quantity: There’s sufficient filling for the cake roll plus further for piping or spreading on high. In case you plan to only fill the cake roll (not add any on high), you’ll be able to halve the filling ingredient quantities.
- Replace in 2026: I up to date the filling recipe. The recipe was once this strawberry cream cheese frosting, however I felt it was too heavy. As a substitute, I took out the butter, diminished the sugar, and changed with extra heavy cream, which as a substitute makes a fluffy strawberry whipped cream cheese filling. Good and light-weight paired with the sunshine cake roll!
