Ring in Spring with this light, fresh, and sweet dessert recipe! For tips and to bake-along live, just follow along with the video.
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 12-15 minutes
Cooling: 1 hour
Assembly: 20 minutes
Strawberries & Cream Roll Cake Ingredients:
5 eggs, separated
2 T vegetable oil
3 T half & half
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 t vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour*
1 & 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 lb strawberries
Whipped Cream:
2 & 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 t vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Tools:
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Off-set spatula
Kitchen towel that is as larger or larger than your cake pan (your towel will get dirty!)
Line a large baking sheet (I used a half sheet which is 18 in x 13 in) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and then add a light coating of grease.
Sift together your cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl. If you don't have a sifter feel free to whisk until it is combined and smooth.
Separate your eggs, putting your whites into the bowl of your stand mixer (or any bowl if you're using a hand mixer), and your yolks into a large bowl.
Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar to your egg yolks and whisk together until well-combined.
Next add in your half & half, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to your egg yolks and whisk to combine.
Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients in two inclusions.
Next make your French meringue: whip your egg whites until very foamy, almost to soft peaks. Then gradually add in your remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar with the mixer running. Beat until the meringue is stiff.
Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.
Fold your meringue into your batter in two inclusions, just until combined. Head to the 7:26 mark to see the folding process.
To see my final batter texture head to the 9:05 mark.
Using an off-set spatula spread your batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through. You're looking for a lightly golden color and for the cake to spring back when pressed upon. To see my baked cake check out the 10:53 mark.
Lay your kitchen towel on a surface large enough for the towel to lay completely flat. Keep the short side towards you. Generously sift powdered sugar all over your kitchen towel. You want the powdered sugar to cover an area that is at least the size of your cake.
Run a knife around the edge of your pan to encourage the cake to loosen from the pan. Next you are going to unmold your cake by inverting it onto your kitchen towel, short side towards you (no fear! You've got this!). Then remove your parchment from the back of the cake. To see my process head to the 13:19 mark.
Sift more powdered sugar onto the back side of the cake (this is so that the back side of the kitchen towel doesn't stick to the back of the cake once your roll it).
Roll the cake up in the tea towel by rolling the cake away from you. You want to do this as tightly as your dare. This prepares the cake to be rolled up later and prevents it from cracking after you've filled it and re-roll it. Watch my rolling process at the 15:53 mark.
Allow the cake to cool completely (I recommend giving it at least an hour).
While your cake cools prepare your filling by whipping you cream until very stiff and by chopping up 1/2-3/4 of your strawberries (reserve some for decorating on top of your cake).
After your cake has cooled gently unroll towards you.
Spread an even layer of whipped cream on top of the cake and then sprinkle on chopped strawberries (you want a strawberry in at least every column of your cake, that way every cross section shows some strawberry, which makes this cake a showstopper!).
Leaving the kitchen towel behind, gently roll your cake around the fillings, once again going as tight as you dare (this ensures a nice shape). You don't want your filling squeezing out the sides. You may need to peel your towel off the back of your cake, don't worry that's okay! A little residue is normal.
After your cake is rolled up transfer it to your serving platter, seam-side down, before decorating.
You can dust with more powdered sugar, pipe more whipped cream down the center, or slather the entire cake in whipped cream (that's what I did!). I also added some strawberry halves to the top for extra style points. The decoration is totally up to you. To see my entire assembly process start at the 17:01 mark.
I recommend you cut off the ends so your guests can see the nice cross section of your cake (but those ends will taste just as good!).
Refrigerate any leftovers, you can keep slicing off pieces for 3-5 days before the cake gets a little soggy from whipped cream contact!
Most of all: enjoy every light bite!
Notes:
*You can use 1 cup + 2 T all-purpose flour + 2 T cornstarch if you don't have cake flour.
If your cake falls apart on any of the rolls, I have a tip for you at the 12:06 mark! All is not lost! Grab a clear dish and turn your roll cake into a trifle instead!
