It’s Valentine’s Day week! Whether your feelings about this holiday are for or against its existence, I hope we can all agree that a pretty dessert is always welcome on February 14th. ❤️ For me personally, Valentine’s desserts MUST include strawberries or raspberries. The color and the sweetness just seem to make them the perfect option.
This roll cake was the traditional Rabadan family birthday cake option when I was growing up. My youngest sister Stefanie loved this version, and white cake with white icing is her go to cake to this day. My middle sister Becca loved the chocolate version best. (Stay tuned for that one at a future date!) She doesn’t eat gluten anymore, so my Mom has adapted this to be gluten-free for her, and given how little flour there is in this cake anyway, you honestly can’t tell the difference. I love both versions, so I tended to alternate years, and now I don’t even wait for birthdays to make them. 😂
They key to this cake using a 10 x 15 x 1 inch jelly roll pan. I realized yesterday that my pan is actually only 3/4 inch and it still works, but I just ordered this pan on Amazon (affiliate link) to try it next time. The oven in my old apartment didn’t fit a pan that big, so I have made this successfully as a layer cake using two 9 inch cake pans. It looks more like a strawberry shortcake that way, but it is just as delicious. 🍰
I promise that making this cake isn’t as scary as it may look! If you follow the instructions below, you are rewarded with an impressive dessert that feeds at least 8 people. You don’t need that many ingredients for this cake, either, which is an added bonus when you decide on the spur of the moment that you want to make it like I did this week. 😉
It’s best to take out your eggs an hour or two before to bring them to room temperature. (They come to room temperature more quickly if they are out of the shells.) I forgot, so I placed them in a bowl that was nested in another bowl with lukewarm water. It isn’t perfect, but it does take the chill off of them. Also, preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C) and prepare a baking tray. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and lightly spray it with cooking spray. (You can put the parchment paper over the long sides if you want to make it a bit easier to get the cake out later.)
Next, you are going to beat the eggs with an electric mixer. You really do need an electric mixer to make this cake because the eggs need to be very beaten and fluffy. Mix the eggs alone for at least 5 minutes until they are light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then the confectioner’s (icing) sugar in three batches, mixing another 3-5 minutes in total.
After 5 minutes 
First batch of sugar 
Halfway through with sugar 
Finished batter before flour is added
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour over the batter and gently fold it in to incorporate it with the egg mixture. Make sure to really scrape the bottom of the bowl as the flour tends to collect there. You do not want to have any floury areas in the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading to even it out. I also give it a gentle tap on the counter as well. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and it is lightly brown.
Sifted flour 
Folding 
Finished batter 
Ready for the oven
While the cake is baking, lay a clean dish towel on the counter. Spread about 1/4 cup of granulated sugar evenly in the approximate shape of the pan. When the cake is finished, run a thin spatula around the edges to loosen the cake. Invert the cake onto the sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment paper, and then roll the cake in the dish towel and place it on a wire rack to cool. Note: You can roll the cake either from the long side or the short side depending on whether you want a thin long cake or a short fat one. I rolled the long side for this version.
Prep the dish towel with
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Cake after 20 minutes of baking 
Carefully loosen the edges from the
pan with a thin spatula
Invert onto the dish towel 
Peel off the paper (carefully) 
Starting the roll: Fold the towel over the bottom edge 
Roll the rest of the way 
Cool on a wire rack for at least one hour
While the cake is cooling, place the 1 1/2 cups of cream and 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar in the mixing bowl in the fridge with the beater. (This helps the cream whip faster later. Even 10-15 minutes makes a difference.) When the cake is cool, remove the bowl from the fridge and whip until desired stiffness. I tend to like medium to medium-firm peaks for this cake.
Slice most of the strawberries, reserving some for decorating the top. Carefully unroll the cake on a flat surface. Dollop approximately half of the cream on the cake and spread evenly. Top with strawberries. Carefully re-roll the cake without the towel. (As you can see, my cake stuck to the towel, but since it will be covered in cream later, it is not a huge deal.)
I had to add a bit more
from the previous photo
Oops!
Transfer cake roll carefully to a platter. Spread the remaining cream over the sides. (I leave the ends without cream, but you can cover them if preferred.) Decorate with remaining strawberries and chill until ready to serve. (You can make this cake a day ahead. cover loosely with plastic wrap, using toothpicks to keep the plastic from touching the cream.)
Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕
Strawberry Cream Roll Cake
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1¼ cups confectioner's sugar (divided)
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulate sugar
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound (454 g) strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Spray 10 x 15 x 1 inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. (Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and lightly spray it with cooking spray. You can put the parchment paper over the long sides if you wan to make it easier to get the cake out later.)
- Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then gradually add the confectioner's (icing) sugar in three batches, mixing another 3-5 minutes in total.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour over the batter and gently fold it in to incorporate it with the egg mixture. Make sure to really scrape the bottom of the bowl as the flour tends to collect there. You do not want to have any floury areas in the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading to even it out. Give it a gentle tap on the counter as well. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and it is lightly brown.
- While the cake is baking, lay a clean dish towel on the counter. Spread 1/4 cup of granulated sugar evenly in the approximate shape of the pan. When the cake is finished, run a thin spatula around the edges to loosen the cake. Invert the cake onto the sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment paper, and then roll the cake in the dish towel and place it on a wire rack to cool. Note: You can roll the cake either from the long side or the short side depending on whether you want a thin long cake or a short fat one.
- While the cake is cooling, place the 1 1/2 cups of cream and 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar in the mixing bowl in the fridge with the beater. (This helps the cream whip faster later.) Remove from fridge and whip until desired stiffness. Medium to medium-firm peaks work best.
- Slice most of the strawberries, reserving some for decorating the top. Carefully unroll the cake on a flat surface. Dollop approximately half of the cream on the cake and spread evenly. Top with sliced strawberries. Carefully re-roll the cake without the towel.
- Transfer rolled cake carefully to a platter. Spread the remaining cream over the sides. Decorate with remaining strawberries and chill until ready to serve. (You can make this cake a day ahead. cover loosely with plastic wrap, using toothpicks to keep the plastic from touching the cream.)