Description

A beautifully designed Strawberry Cake Roll featuring a light and fluffy sponge cake with a colorful piped design on the surface. This delicate cake roll is filled with a luscious strawberry whipped cream enriched with freeze-dried strawberries and a hint of almond extract, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and berry flavor. Ideal for special occasions or as an elegant dessert treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Design Paste

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened, softer than room temperature but not melted)
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup cake flour (sifted)
1 large egg white
Food coloring (leaf green, deep pink, red)

Sponge Cake Batter

3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons granulated sugar (divided)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup cake flour (sifted)
Food coloring (deep pink and red as desired)

Filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon cool water
1/2 ounce freeze-dried strawberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or grease a 15 by 10-inch jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper. If using a design template, place the printed design under the parchment or trace it on the backside.
Make the design paste: Mix butter and 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar until smooth. Add 1/3 cup cake flour and mix partially, then add 1 egg white and mix until the paste is smooth and has a buttercream-like texture.
Color the paste: Divide the paste into three portions. Add food coloring as desired to create green, deep pink/red, and lighter pink shades using combinations of the paste and colors.
Pipe the design: Transfer colored pastes to piping bags with small round tips (#1 for green, #3 for light pink dots, #5 for berries). Pipe the design onto the parchment paper in the pan: start with green, then dark pink berries, finishing with lighter pink dots. Freeze the pan to set the design while preparing the batter.
Prepare egg yolk mixture: In a bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar until pale and sugar dissolves. Slowly drizzle in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, whisking constantly. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and food coloring; mix well.
Add flour: Sprinkle 2/3 cup sifted cake flour over the batter and fold until combined.
Beat egg whites: In a clean bowl, beat 3 egg whites until frothy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until medium-stiff peaks form.
Fold egg whites into batter: Gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites carefully until just combined.
Pour batter and bake: Pour the batter over the frozen design in the pan, spreading evenly. Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for about 10 minutes until the top is springy and edges start to brown slightly.
Invert and roll cake: Remove cake from oven and quickly invert onto a clean parchment on a solid surface. Remove the baking parchment carefully to reveal the design. Dust a clean tea towel with powdered sugar and place on cake, then flip cake with design side down onto towel. Roll the cake gently from the side without the design and let cool rolled for about 1 hour.
Prepare gelatin: Soften gelatin by sprinkling it over 1 tablespoon cool water for 5 minutes. Gently microwave in short bursts until dissolved, then cool slightly without letting it firm.
Grind freeze-dried strawberries: In a food processor or spice grinder, pulse freeze-dried strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar until finely ground.
Whip cream: Beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream until frothy. Add powdered sugar and continue beating until medium-stiff peaks form.
Incorporate gelatin into cream: Mix a spoonful of whipped cream into the gelatin until combined, then add back to the main bowl with cream, mixing on low speed. Add the strawberry sugar mixture and whip until medium-stiff peaks form again but do not overbeat.
Unroll and fill cake: Carefully unroll the cooled cake and remove the towel. Spread the strawberry whipped cream evenly over the cake, leaving about 1/2 inch bare at one end.
Roll filled cake: Gently roll up the cake again without pressing too hard to avoid squeezing out the filling. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight to set.
Slice and serve: Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the cake into pieces. Cut with gentle pulling motions to avoid compressing the decorative design. Serve chilled.
Storage: Keep the cake roll tightly wrapped and refrigerated; it will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

Notes

Using a parchment-lined and greased pan helps prevent sticking and preserves the design.
Freezing the piped design before pouring batter ensures clean, vibrant decoration after baking.
Rolling the cake while warm trains it to roll without cracking when filled later.
Be careful not to overbeat the cream to avoid it becoming grainy or separating.
Use a sharp serrated knife and gentle cutting motions to keep design intact when slicing.
A cardboard tube can help maintain the shape during chilling by preventing the cake bottom from flattening.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Strawberry cake roll, jelly roll, sponge cake roll, decorative cake roll, whipped cream filling, freeze-dried strawberries