Strawberry Cake Roll Recipe

Bursting with fresh berry flavor and wrapped up in the prettiest spiral, this Strawberry Cake Roll combines airy, almond-scented sponge cake with a dreamy strawberry cream filling—and a vibrant, playful design to show off. Each slice is a showstopper, making it the perfect centerpiece for brunch, showers, birthdays, or whenever you need a joyful dessert that wows the crowd as much as it delights your taste buds.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Nothing complicated here—a few pantry classics and some special touches join forces to make this Strawberry Cake Roll truly spectacular. Each ingredient is carefully chosen to create the signature lightness, color, and luscious berry flavor you’ll fall in love with from the first forkful.

• Unsalted Butter: For the decorative paste; its ultra-rich flavor makes your “strawberries” vivid and delicious, plus it helps the design bake into the cake.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens both the design and the sponge, while helping the meringue whip up stable and fluffy.
• Cake Flour: Essential for a tender, airy roll—don’t substitute all-purpose flour here or you’ll lose that soft, spongy texture.
• Eggs (Whole & Whites): Eggs separated for ultimate rise and lightness in the cake while lending structure to the paste.
• Food Coloring: Use gel or liquid—just a few drops bring the whimsical strawberry motif to life!
• Vegetable Oil: Keeps the sponge oh-so-moist without weighing it down.
• Whole Milk: Adds just enough richness and keeps the cake supple for easy rolling.
• Almond Extract: A little goes a long way for that subtle, sweetly aromatic note that pairs beautifully with strawberries.
• Kosher Salt: Balances and brightens the flavors in both cake and filling.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: For the creamy, stable filling that’s not too heavy—just right.
• Unflavored Powdered Gelatin: Sets the cream filling so your roll slices cleanly and holds its swirl shape.
• Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Intensify the berry flavor and add pretty pink speckles to the filling—don’t skip these if you want the real-deal strawberry punch.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and stabilizes the whipped cream, and also keeps the cake from sticking when rolling.

Variations

This Strawberry Cake Roll is endlessly customizable—go classic or let your creativity run wild! If you need to tweak for allergies, availability, or just want a fresh twist, it’s easy to personalize every layer to make it your own signature bake.

• Blueberry or Raspberry Swirl: Swap freeze-dried strawberries for freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries for a new fruity spin (and matching berry-themed design!).
• Vanilla Bean Dream: Replace almond extract with vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla for a sweeter, more classic cake vibe.
• Chocolate Twist: Add 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (reduce cake flour slightly) to the batter for strawberry-chocolate lovers—decorate with chocolate “seeds” instead of dots!
• Gluten-Free Friendly: Use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free cake flour blend and double-check that your gelatin is gluten-free.

How to Make Strawberry Cake Roll

Step 1: Prep the Pan & Design Paste

Start by heating your oven and prepping your jelly roll pan—lining it with parchment is a must, especially if you want to show off that fun strawberry motif. The design paste comes together quickly: just mix soft butter and sugar, stir in flour, then egg white, and add food coloring for your chosen palette. Pipe your strawberry leaves, berries, and dots onto the parchment, then place the pan in the freezer so your artwork holds its shape when you pour in the cake batter later.

Step 2: Mix the Sponge Batter

In one bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until they’re pale and creamy, then drizzle in oil, milk, almond extract, salt, and a hint of food coloring—this gives your cake the perfect shade of blush pink. Next, gently fold in sifted cake flour for that light, delicate crumb.

Step 3: Whip & Fold in Egg Whites

In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks, gradually adding sugar to help stabilize them. Gently fold one-third of the whipped whites into your batter to lighten it up, then fold in the rest until just combined—always take care not to overmix, so your cake bakes up tender and fluffy.

Step 4: Assemble & Bake

Remove the pan from the freezer and carefully spread your sponge batter evenly over the piped design. Give the pan a few firm taps on the counter to release air bubbles, then bake until the cake springs back and edges are barely golden. The transformation from plain to pretty is magic!

Step 5: Roll the Warm Cake

While your cake is still warm, invert it onto a parchment- or sugar-dusted towel (design side down), peel off the parchment, and immediately roll it up with the towel inside. This “muscle memory” makes it possible to roll again later with the cream without any cracks or splitting. Let the cake cool down completely in its roll.

Step 6: Make the Strawberry Cream Filling

Bloom gelatin in water and melt it gently—this makes your whipped cream sliceable! Process freeze-dried strawberries with sugar into a vibrant powder, then whip up the cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Gently whisk a little cream into the melted gelatin and return this to the mixer, then sprinkle in your strawberry-sugar and whip until medium-stiff peaks form. This filling will taste like spring in a spoon.

Step 7: Fill, Roll, & Chill

Unroll the cooled cake (be gentle—it’ll try to curl back up!). Spread your strawberry cream filling evenly, leaving about a half-inch border at the edge so it won’t ooze out. Roll it back up, wrap snugly in plastic, and chill for at least two hours, or overnight—the chilling sets the swirl and makes slicing a breeze.

Step 8: Slice & Serve

When ready to share, use a sharp serrated knife to make clean, beautiful slices—let your knife do the work and avoid pressing too hard. Each piece reveals the strawberry patch design and delicate swirl, inviting everyone to ooh and aah before they take a bite.

How to Serve Strawberry Cake Roll

Garnishes

This beautiful Strawberry Cake Roll is a true stunner all on its own, but a light dusting of powdered sugar, a mound of fresh sliced strawberries, or even a few edible flowers will make each slice extra special. For a little dazzle, drizzle with melted white chocolate or pipe on a few whipped cream rosettes just before serving.

Side Dishes

A slice of Strawberry Cake Roll pairs beautifully with a glass of cold milk, a pot of herbal tea, or fresh-squeezed lemonade, especially if you’re serving at a spring or summer gathering. For brunch, offer alongside fluffy scrambled eggs, a medley of fresh fruit, or a simple green salad to balance the sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

Bring out your fanciest serving platter for this showpiece! Arrange slices on their sides to display the swirl and design, or cut on a gentle diagonal for an elegant spiral effect. For parties, slice into finger-width pieces and serve on a tiered tray—each little round looks like its own pretty pastry shop treat.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

To keep your Strawberry Cake Roll fresh and moist, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. It will stay delicious and picture-perfect for up to 3 days, which makes it a wonderful make-ahead option for events or sweet snacking throughout the week.

Freezing

This cake roll freezes surprisingly well! Once the roll is fully chilled and the cream set, wrap it securely in several layers of plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and slice while still slightly chilled for the sharpest spirals.

Reheating

For best results, serve straight from the refrigerator for a fresh, creamy bite—no reheating needed. If you prefer it softer, simply let it rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to enhance both the texture and flavor.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Baking this Strawberry Cake Roll is a joyful project bursting with color, freshness, and fun. It’s a treat that brings smiles to everyone lucky enough to share a slice—so don’t be shy; give it a try! I promise, the compliments you’ll get for both taste and presentation will make it worth every dreamy, strawberry-filled bite.

Print