Baker Sarah Jenkins - Pastry Specialist
👨‍🍳 Pastry Chef

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 Patisserie Trained ⏰ 12+ Years Baking 🍽️ Dessert Stylist

❤️ My Recipe Story

"This recipe reminds me of summer tea times in the garden. The key to this Swiss roll is the feather-light sponge that bends without breaking, paired with the freshness of seasonal berries. It looks impressive but is surprisingly simple to master."

Sarah specializes in approachable French-inspired pastries and classic desserts. She focuses on techniques that make intimidating bakes, like Swiss rolls and soufflés, accessible for home cooks.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
Sliced strawberry swiss roll on a white plate, filled with cream and strawberries, topped with sauce

The Secret to a Crack-Free Roll

The most intimidating part of making a Swiss roll is the fear of cracking. The secret lies in rolling the cake while it is still hot from the oven. This trains the sponge's 'memory' to hold the spiral shape. Once cooled, it becomes flexible enough to unroll, fill, and re-roll without snapping.

Additionally, not overbaking the sponge is crucial. A dry cake will crack instantly. The sponge should be just set and springy to the touch. Using oil in the batter also helps maintain moisture and flexibility compared to butter-based sponges.

💡 Professional Tip

Do not overfill the roll. While it's tempting to add loads of cream and fruit, too much filling will push out the sides and make the roll difficult to shape tight. Leave a small border at the end of the roll without filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Usually, this happens if the cake was overbaked (too dry) or if you waited too long to roll it. It must be rolled immediately while hot and steamy.

Fresh is best for the filling as frozen berries release too much water, making the cream soggy. You can use frozen berries to make the drizzling sauce, however.

It's best eaten within 24 hours while the sponge is fluffy, but it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can bake and roll the cake in the towel a day ahead. Keep it wrapped at room temperature. Unroll and fill it on the day of serving.

Make sure you whip the cream to stiff peaks. You can also add a teaspoon of stabilizer (like gelatin or cream of tartar) or use mascarpone cheese mixed in for a firmer filling.

A standard 10x15 inch jelly roll pan is ideal. If you use a larger baking sheet, the cake will be too thin and may dry out.

Absolutely! Raspberries, blueberries, sliced peaches, or mangoes work beautifully in this recipe.

Refrigerate the assembled roll for at least an hour to set the cream. Use a sharp serrated knife and wipe the blade clean between every cut.

Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

✅

Sponge is Rubber-like

Problem: The cake texture is tough rather than fluffy

Solution: You likely overmixed the batter after adding the flour. Fold gently just until combined to keep the air bubbles intact.

✅

Skin Peeling Off

Problem: The brown surface peels off onto the towel

Solution: Dust the towel generously with powdered sugar before inverting the cake. This prevents sticking.

✅

Filling Squirting Out

Problem: Cream spills out when re-rolling

Prevention: You rolled it too tightly or overfilled it. Roll gently without excessive pressure and leave the last inch of the cake bare.

✅

Soggy Bottom

Problem: The bottom of the roll is wet

Recovery: Ensure your strawberries are washed and thoroughly dried before chopping. Wet fruit will leak juice into the sponge.

✅

Flat Cake

Problem: The sponge didn't rise properly

Prevention: The eggs weren't beaten enough. They need to reach the 'ribbon stage' where the batter falls in thick trails that sit on the surface.

✅

Flavor Adjustments

Too Sweet: Reduce sugar in the whipped cream filling

Too Salty: Not applicable, but ensure you used unsalted butter/oil

Bland: Increase vanilla extract or add lemon zest to the batter

Baking ingredients including eggs, flour, sugar, fresh strawberries, and heavy cream arranged on a marble counter

Choosing the Best Berries

Since this recipe relies heavily on fresh fruit, the quality of your strawberries matters. Look for berries that are bright red all the way to the stem, firm, and fragrant. Small to medium berries often have better flavor and less water content than massive ones.

If your strawberries are a bit tart, macerate them (toss with a tablespoon of sugar) for 10 minutes before using. Just be sure to drain off the excess liquid before adding them to the cream so the roll doesn't become soggy.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Heavy Cream: Use cream with at least 36% fat content for the most stable whipped filling. Ensure it is very cold before whipping.
  • Cake Flour: Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour, resulting in a much more tender and lighter sponge.
  • Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor, as it is the primary flavoring for the sponge.
Golden sponge cake being rolled in a towel, and the final decorated roll being sliced

Assembly Techniques

When assembling, temperature is key. The cake must be completely cool, or the whipped cream will melt into a puddle. Conversely, the heavy cream should be whipped to stiff peaks—stiffer than you would for a topping—to provide structural support for the roll.

For a bakery-style finish like the photo, reserve some cream to coat the outside or pipe on top. Adding a sprinkle of cookie crumbs or cake crumbs to the exterior cream adds a lovely textural contrast to the soft sponge.

The Ribbon Stage

When beating the eggs and sugar, beat until the mixture is very pale and falls off the whisk in a ribbon that holds its shape for 3 seconds. This incorporates the air needed for the rise.

Fresh Strawberry Cream Swiss Roll

Prep 30 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 8 servings
Level Intermediate

📋 Ingredients

Sponge Cake

  • 300ml Heavy Cream
    Cold, for whipping
  • 40g Powdered Sugar
    To sweeten the cream
  • 300g Strawberries
    Fresh, chopped for filling
  • Strawberry Sauce
    For drizzling on top
  • Graham Crumbs
    Optional, for exterior texture

Filling & Decoration

  • 4 Large Eggs
    Room temperature
  • 100g Granulated Sugar
    For structure and sweetness
  • 90g Cake Flour
    Sifted, for tenderness
  • 30ml Vegetable Oil
    Keeps the cake flexible
  • 45ml Milk
    Whole milk is best
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    Flavor enhancer
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
    Leavening agent

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Sponge

    Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment. Whisk eggs and sugar on high speed for 5-7 minutes until pale and tripled in volume. Fold in dry ingredients gently.

  2. Bake the Cake

    Fold in combined milk and oil. Pour into pan, smooth top, and bake 12-15 minutes until springy. Do not overbake.

  3. Roll the Cake

    Invert hot cake onto a sugar-dusted towel. Peel off parchment. Roll up tightly with the towel from the short end. Let cool completely.

  4. Make Filling

    Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks. Unroll cooled cake. Spread cream and top with chopped strawberries.

  5. Finish and Serve

    Re-roll cake without towel. Top with more cream, whole berries, and sauce. Chill for 1 hour before slicing for clean cuts.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Serving

Serve chilled. Slices look best when cut with a warm knife (dipped in hot water and wiped dry).

Variations

Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the flour for a chocolate version, or use mascarpone cream for a richer filling.

Leftovers

Store in the fridge. The sponge may absorb moisture from the cream by day 2, becoming more like a trifle cake texture, which is still delicious.