Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake (Fresh Strawberries and Cream)

Quick Summary: A strawberry Swiss roll cake is a thin, soft sponge cake baked in a jelly roll pan, spread with sweetened whipped cream and fresh strawberries, then rolled into a spiral. This version uses fresh berries rather than jam, and the whole cake comes together in about 50 minutes, plus chilling.

This strawberry and cream Swiss roll is the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing, and with the ease of preparation, what can be better?

In the end, make the most of the strawberry season with delicious strawberry desserts: Japanese strawberry shortcake, German Erdbeerboden, Swedish Jordgubbstårta, or Korean fresh cream cake.

What is a strawberry Swiss roll?

A strawberry Swiss roll goes by several names: a strawberry sponge roll, a strawberry roll cake, or, in the United States, a jelly roll. Whatever you call it, it is the same idea: a light sponge baked flat, filled, and rolled into a spiral.

What sets this strawberry version apart is the fresh fruit and airy whipped cream inside, rather than the jam that fills a classic jelly roll.

Why this recipe works

• This strawberry Swiss roll recipe is easy and quick and uses fresh, juicy strawberries, not strawberry jam, strawberry filling, or pureed strawberries.
• It is made with a light sponge cake using whole eggs, unlike Japanese Swiss cake, which uses chiffon cake and separates the egg whites from the yolks.
• It is a beautiful cake for birthdays or other special occasions.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Eggs: The recipe calls for large eggs at room temperature. There is no need to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.

• Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar for the cake batter, vanilla sugar for the cake batter, and icing sugar (powdered or confectioner's sugar) for the cream frosting.

• Flour: The recipe uses cake flour. To make your own cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour from 1 cup, and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Alternatively, mix 15 grams of cornstarch with 110 grams of all-purpose flour.

• Milk: Use whole milk.

• Honey: The recipe calls for liquid honey, preferably neutral-flavored. Learn how to liquify crystallized honey if this is the case.

• Oil: Use flavorless grapeseed or vegetable oil for making Genoise cake, but you can replace it with unsalted butter.

• Heavy cream: Choose heavy or heavy whipped cream with at least 30% fat to make a sweetened whipped cream filling.

• Sweetened condensed milk: Use homemade sweetened condensed milk or buy it at the grocery store.

• Strawberry: Choose fresh ripe strawberries of the same size. Frozen berries that are too watery are not suitable for this dessert recipe.

How to make strawberry Swiss roll

Step 1: Prepare a light-colored jelly roll pan measuring 15 x 10 inches (25 x 38 cm). Line it with parchment paper using this tutorial on lining a Swiss roll tin.

Step 2: To make sponge cake, preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C). Pour the grapeseed oil and milk into a small bowl, place it over a large container of hot water, and let the wet ingredients warm to 104°F (40°C).

Step 3: Sift the flour into a clean bowl using a flour sifter, then set aside.

Step 4: Place whole room-temperature eggs, honey, vanilla, and granulated sugar in a heat-resistant bowl, and whisk a few times with a hand whisk.

Step 5: Bring the bowl over a bain-marie or water bath and beat with a hand whisk until the mixture reaches about 104°F (40°C): check it with a cooking thermometer.

Step 6: Remove the bowl from the water bath and use an electric or stand mixer with a whisk attachment to beat at high speed for 6 minutes.

Step 7: When the mixture becomes thick, turns white, triples in volume, and the batter falls like a ribbon from the mixer beaters, lower the speed. Beat at low speed for 2 minutes to adjust the batter's texture (photo 1).

Step 8: Sift the flour over the bowl once again and gently mix with a rubber spatula by lifting the batter from the bottom to the top.

Pro tip: Think of it like a rubber spatula moving from 2 to 8 on a clock, lifting and returning the dough.

Step 9: Scoop a portion of the batter into a bowl with milk and oil preheated to 104°F (40°C), then mix with a spatula. Pour it back over the spatula and gently mix (photo 2).

Step 10: To fill the prepared pan, pour the batter from approximately 8 inches (20 cm) above it. This helps pop large air bubbles.

Step 11: Even the surface with a bent spatula or a dough scraper: avoid excessive smoothing in one spot. Tap the pan on the table to remove large bubbles (photo 3).

Step 12: Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Start watching out for the cake at 7 minutes: the back of the cake should be pale, and the top should be slightly browned (photo 4).

Pro tip: Check for doneness with a toothpick: it should come out dry.

Step 13: Remove the cake from the oven and immediately flip it onto a clean tea towel sprinkled with icing (powdered) sugar. Peel the paper from the bottom of the cake (photo 5).

Pro tip: Using a clean tea or kitchen towel dusted with icing (powdered) sugar to roll the cake up helps prevent it from sticking.

Step 14: Place a clean parchment sheet over the back of the cake. Roll it up in a towel, starting from the short end. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

Step 15: Unroll the sponge and allow it to come to room temperature. Do not worry about curly corners, as they are perfectly okay.

Step 16: To make whipped cream, pour cold heavy cream and condensed milk into a chilled bowl, and whisk until medium peaks.

Pro tip: Consult the sugar-free whipped cream recipe for step-by-step, photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.

Step 17: To assemble the cake, wash and pat dry strawberries. Remove the leafy top, and cut 7-10 strawberries into small pieces.

Step 18: Evenly spread the cream over the cooled cake using an offset spatula. Distribute strawberry pieces over the cream, then roll the cake (photo 6).

Step 19: Start by tightly re-rolling the beginning of the roll to create the cake's core. Then, with the help of the towel, continue rolling the cake as you go.

Step 20: Finish shaping the roll so the end is at the bottom (photo 7). Use a metal ruler or a baking sheet to gently tighten the roll. Push the ruler or baking tray towards the roll, tightening it while pulling away the bottom end of the towel.

Step 21: Keep the cake rolled in the towel, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Then gently remove the tea towel from the cake, and cut the ends with a serrated knife for a neat appearance.

Step 22: Transfer the cake to a serving tray. Sprinkle the top of the cake with icing sugar and decorate with the remaining strawberries (photo 8).

Expert Tips

1. Read more about how to make roll cake for useful tips and tricks. Rolling the cake is the most important step, and mastering it is crucial for achieving perfection in your roll cake.
2. Mix the cake batter gently, avoiding overmixing.
3. Use high-quality parchment paper that is thick enough and wrinkle-free to ensure an evenly baked, pale bottom for the cake.
4. Roll the cake up in a tea towel while it is warm.
5. Make sure the cake is cool before applying the cream.
6. The recipe is designed for a classic jelly-roll pan. Use this simple cake pan calculator to adjust ingredient amounts for a different-sized baking pan. Just enter the length and width of your tray.

Recipe variations

• Cake batter: Replace some of the cake flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to make a strawberry chocolate roll cake.

• Cake roll filling: Use your favorite cream filling, from Chantilly cream to cream cheese frosting.

• Fruits: Swap fresh strawberries for other fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries) or stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, etc.)

• Rolling method: Roll the cake at the short end or lengthwise.

• Decoration: Add powdered sugar to the top of the roll, pipe whipped cream swirls, or decorate with your choice of fresh fruit.

Why does my Swiss roll crack?

A Swiss roll cracks when the sponge dries out or is rolled too late. The two most reliable fixes are rolling the warm cake in a sugar-dusted tea towel as soon as it leaves the oven, so it sets in a curled shape, and not overbaking the thin sponge. A cake baked just until the top springs back stays flexible enough to unroll and re-roll without splitting.

If a few fine cracks still appear along the surface, do not worry: a dusting of icing sugar and a line of strawberries on top hide them completely, and the taste is unaffected.

Storing & freezing

Store strawberry Swiss roll cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Can you freeze a strawberry Swiss roll? You cannot freeze this type of cake roll: whipped cream does not handle freezing, and fresh berries will lose their texture once thawed.

Recipe FAQ

What is a Swiss roll called in America?
In the United States, a Swiss roll is known as a jelly roll.

What is the difference between a Swiss roll and a cake roll?
A Swiss roll cake uses a Genoise sponge and creams such as Chantilly or buttercream. A Japanese-style cake roll is made with chiffon cake, has less sugar, and is filled with fresh whipped cream.

What is the sponge called in a Swiss roll?
A Swiss roll is made primarily with a Genoise sponge cake, which has less flour. This gives the cake the flexibility it needs for rolling, compared with a traditional Genoise cake.

Should a Swiss roll be rolled hot or cold?
Roll the cake while it is warm to set its shape. Once it has cooled, unroll it, fill it with cream and strawberries, then re-roll it.

Why did my strawberry Swiss roll crack?
Cracks form when the sponge is overbaked or rolled while it is already cooled. Roll the warm cake in a sugar-dusted towel straight from the oven, and bake it only until the top springs back, to keep it flexible.

Can you make a strawberry Swiss roll ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the roll and refrigerate it for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Because it uses fresh cream and berries, it does not freeze well, so it is best enjoyed within a couple of days.

Love Swiss rolls? Try these next!

• Vanilla Swiss roll
• Nutella Swiss roll
• Coffee Swiss roll
• Pavlova roll cake
• Pistachio roulade
• Or browse all the cake recipes

Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!

Print

Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.