This strawberry Swiss roll is probably one of the easiest and most delicious ways of enjoying strawberries this spring.
A simple yet decadent cream roll filled with strawberries and a luscious heavy cream and cream cheese filling.
Strawberries and cream are a match made in heaven, aren't they? A bowl of fresh, sweet, and juicy strawberries and a small bowl of cream you could just serve as a dessert, and everyone would be happy.
But if you want to make it even better, why not try this easy strawberry Swiss roll? And if you like Swiss rolls, check out The Best Lemon Roll Cake, the Strawberry Basil Cake, or The Easy Raspberry Roulade.
Table of contents
Cake roll, Swiss roll, or roulade?
They are all more or less the same thing, the main difference being that a cake roll or a Swiss roll always consists of cake filled with something sweet, while a roulade can be either sweet or savory. A roulade can also be made of meat, for instance, these German beef roulades.
Swiss rolls or cake rolls are super popular in Germany, there are hundreds of versions of a cake roll. What they all have in common is a simple sponge cake base, but when it comes to the filling, there really are no limits.
But probably the most popular Swiss roll in Germany is the strawberry cream roll, a soft sponge filled with cream and strawberries. The only change to this classic recipe is that I like to add a little cream cheese to the filling; I love the creaminess and extra flavor it adds.
Recipe ingredients
- Strawberries: They should be fresh, ripe, and sweet. Sour, unripe strawberries would ruin the cream roll.
- Dairy: Cream cheese and heavy cream.
- Eggs: Make sure you are using the right size of eggs, which is medium eggs if you live in Germany and large eggs in the US.
- You will also need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, sugar, and some vanilla. And some more strawberries for serving with the roulade.
Tips for making a good sponge
A sponge is probably the easiest cake base you could make. It uses only a few ingredients (no butter or oil), and it doesn't require any special skills or a lot of time. But there are a few things you have to know to make a good sponge.
- First of all, measuring the ingredients correctly is always important when baking. I always use a kitchen scale, but because I've made this sponge like a thousand times, I measure the ingredients with a tablespoon now, the type of tablespoon used for American baking.
- Preheat the oven and prepare the baking tray before you start making the sponge. Mixing the ingredients will be quick, and you don't want to have the batter waiting while your oven reaches the proper temperature, the sponge should be placed in the hot oven as soon as you mix it.
- Eggs: A sponge's main characteristic is that it is light and airy, that is why you have to separate the eggs and beat the egg whites very well. Make sure that the eggs are at room temperature.
- Usually, the sponge doesn't require baking powder, but I like to use just a tiny bit to help the cake reach its airy potential.
- Make sure to sift the mixed flour and cornstarch over the egg mixture; don't skip this step, otherwise, the cake will be too dense. Don't overmix the batter.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Egg whites: Beat them with a pinch of salt until quite stiff. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and beat until glossy and stiff. Set aside (Picture 1).
- Egg yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar until foamy (Picture 2).
- Combine batter: Mix flour and cornstarch and sieve the flour mixture over the yolk-sugar mixture (Picture 3).
- Add ⅓ of the egg whites and incorporate.
- Add the remaining egg whites and fold in gently (Picture 4).
- Bake: Spread batter onto the prepared baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
- Cool: In the meantime, place a clean kitchen towel on the table and sprinkle it with the icing sugar.
- Turn the baked sponge onto the kitchen towel with the baking paper facing up.
- Peel off the baking paper carefully.
- Immediately roll the cake with the help of the towel. Leave it to get completely cool (it will take about 1 hour).
How to make the cream filling?
- Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until nice and creamy.
- Slowly start pouring in the heavy cream while beating all the time.
- Beat for about 1 minute, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cornstarch over the mixture.
- Continue beating until the filling is stiffer and fluffy.
How to assemble the strawberry roll?
- While the sponge is baking, lay a clean kitchen towel on the table and sprinkle it evenly with icing sugar.
- Once the cake is baked, immediately turn it onto this towel with the baking paper facing up. Carefully peel off the baking paper.
- Roll the cake with the towel and leave it rolled in the towel until completely cool. This will not take long, one hour tops.
- Once cooled, make the filling.
- Spread the filling onto the sponge, and cover with the chopped strawberries.
- Roll the strawberry Swiss roll again.
- Wrap the roll into plastic foil/cling film, place it on a platter, and then in the refrigerator. Leave it in there for 2-4 hours until set.
- Remove the wrap, place the cream roll back on the serving platter and decorate with whipped cream or icing sugar, as desired.
- Serve with more strawberries.
Decoration
- Whip heavy cream with a little vanilla and sugar and piped it onto the strawberry cream roll.
- However, this step is totally optional; you can very well skip it if you want to save calories or just feel that the Swiss roll contains enough cream as it is.
- Alternatively, sprinkle the cake roll with icing sugar and serve with more strawberries.
Recipe FAQ
Sure. Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are all great.
You can also make the Swiss roll with canned mandarins, peaches, or apricots.
Not very long.
A cream roll either made with strawberries or any other fruit is best eaten on the day you baked it.
It needs 2-4 hours to set in the refrigerator, so it is preferable to bake it in the morning and eat it in the afternoon.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container until the next day, but preferably not longer than that.
Bake the sponge and keep it wrapped in the towel at room temperature until the next day.
Only make the filling and fill the strawberry roll the day you want to serve it.
More strawberry cakes?
Easy Strawberry Swiss Roll
Equipment
- Baking tray
Ingredients
Sponge:
- 4 eggs Note 1
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2-3 teaspoons icing sugar for the towel
Cream filling:
- ½ cup cream cheese 4.5 oz/ 125 g
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream 7 fl.oz/ 230 ml
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 9 oz strawberries chopped, 250 g, Note 2
Decoration:
- ⅔ cup heavy cream 5 fl.oz/150 ml
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- more strawberries to serve
Instructions
Sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Egg whites: Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until quite stiff. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and beat until glossy and stiff. Set aside.
- Egg yolks: In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar until foamy.
- Combine batter: Mix the flour and cornstarch and sieve everything over the egg yolk-sugar mixture. Add ⅓ of the egg whites and incorporate. Add the remaining egg whites and fold in gently.
- Bake: Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
- Roll cake: In the meantime, place a clean kitchen towel on the table and sprinkle it with the icing sugar. Take the cake out of the oven and turn it onto the kitchen towel with the baking paper facing up. Peel off the baking paper carefully, then immediately roll the cake with the help of the towel.
- Cool completely; it will take about 1 hour.
Filling:
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy.
- Slowly start pouring in the heavy cream while mixing continuously.
- Thicken: After one minute or so, sprinkle the cornstarch over this mixture. Continue beating until the cream is nicely whipped and fluffy.
Assemble the roll:
- Dice the strawberries.
- Fill and roll: Unroll the cake and spread the cream filling evenly onto it. Cover with the strawberries. Carefully roll the cake again.
- Wrap in plastic foil/cling film, place on a platter, and keep refrigerated for 2 to 4 hours or until nicely set. Remove the plastic wrap and place the cake back on the serving platter.
- Decorate: Whip the heavy cream needed for the decoration, adding the sugar and vanilla extract. Pipe the cream onto the Swiss strawberry roll. Alternatively, leave the cream and only sprinkle the cake roll with icing sugar before serving. Serve with more strawberries.
Notes
- Make sure you are using the right size of eggs, which is medium eggs if you live in Germany and large eggs in the US.
- You can sub strawberries with other berries like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries.
grace says
this is so beautiful and it happens to consist of my favorite dessert combo! strawberries and cream are the very best together. 🙂
Adina says
They are indeed a great combination. Thank you, Grace. 🙂 Nice to hear from you again, I hope you are fine.
Donna says
Send me newrecipes