Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake Recipe (video)

overhead view of strawberry cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream frosting

This light and fruity strawberry swiss roll cake recipe is what cake dreams are made of! It’s so incredible fluffy and simply melts in your mouth! I make this classic cake recipe with my easy Vanilla Sponge Cake recipe and fill the cake with crushed and diced strawberries. For the frosting, I use a creamy and delicious mascarpone whipped cream frosting. It’s so delicious, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon! I garnish my strawberry cake simply with more strawberries for an elegant finish!

My Strawberry Cake Video Tutorial

Watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions on how to make this easy strawberry swiss roll cake! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!

Ingredients for Strawberry Cake

I love how simple and delicious this strawberry swiss roll cake is! Plus, it requires just a few ingredients! Here are the main ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

  • Eggs: for making the vanilla sponge cake. Have the eggs at room temperature for best results. Cold eggs will take longer to whisk.
  • Sugar, Flour, Baking Powder: for making the sponge cake. Use all-purpose flour for best results.
  • Strawberries: while fresh strawberries will work the best, frozen berries will also work. Just thaw the frozen berries first.
  • Heavy Cream: for making the mascarpone whipped cream frosting. Use very well chilled heavy cream for best results.
  • Mascarpone Cheese: soften the cheese for about 15 to 20 minutes prior to using it for the frosting. Don’t let the cheese warm too much, otherwise it can separate. You can also use cream cheese for this recipe.
strawberry swiss roll cake with whipped cream and fresh berries

Easy Vanilla Sponge Cake

This easy strawberry swiss roll cake starts with the cake, of course! Most swiss roll cake recipes use a simple sponge cake recipe since sponge cakes are easier to roll and don’t break very easily. Sponge cake is also on the drier side and will hold its shape well, even after being softened with the crushed strawberry filling. I always use my easy Vanilla Sponge Cake recipe; I simply reduce the amount of ingredients in the original recipe for less cake batter. Make sure to check out my sponge cake video recipe for in-depth instructions.

Here are a few tips for making this Strawberry Swiss Roll cake a success:

  • Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla on high speed for up to 10 minutes, until the eggs are extra fluffy. Gently fold in the flour, in small batches, folding gently! Sponge cakes get all their volume from the eggs so it’s important to mix carefully.
  • Always sift the flour into the eggs! Sift the flour into the eggs in small batches and fold gently after each addition. You want to keep the eggs as light and fluffy as possible.
  • Don’t grease your baking tray with butter or oil, only use a sheet of parchment paper!

Rolling the Sponge Cake

IMPORTANT: roll the sponge cake immediately after removing it from the oven!! Do not let the cake cool flat, otherwise it will be impossible to roll later.

Once I have my sponge cake baked, I remove it from the oven and immediately run a knife along the edges to release it from the sides of the pan. Next, I dust the top with a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar, then I invert the pan, revealing the parchment paper. I remove the parchment paper since it can set into place and it’s harder to remove later. Next, I line the cake with a clean dinner napkin and gently roll the cake. Try not to roll the cake too tightly as this will cause the cake to break and crack. I always allow the sponge cake to cool completely before assembling my strawberry cake!

overhead view of strawberry cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream frosting

Making Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting

You’re going to LOVE my light, fluffy and creamy mascarpone whipped cream frosting! It’s the best frosting ever for this strawberry swiss roll cake! And, it holds its shape well enough to pipe, too!

  1. I make this frosting with softened mascarpone cheese, whisked together with confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. It’s important to cream the cheese with the sugar and vanilla before adding any heavy cream! This step insures that the frosting stays smooth and clump-free!
  2. I add the chilled heavy cream last and then whisk for 4 to 5 minutes, until stiff peaks form. It’s important that the cream is extra cold for best results.
  3. If you are not going to use the frosting right away, store it in the refrigerator. This mascarpone whipped cream works best when it’s chilled!
  4. If the frosting starts to get too soft, place it back into the refrigerator and let it chill for 30 to 45 minutes. Once chilled, whisk it again until stiff peaks form.
slice of strawberry swiss roll with mascarpone cream and diced strawberries

How to Make Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake

You’ll love how easy this strawberry swiss roll cake is to assemble!

  1. Before you start assembling the cake, make sure the sponge cake is completely cooled. A warm cake will instantly melt the filling!!
  2. I gently unroll the cake and then spread a layer of crushed strawberries onto the cake first. The crushed berries will add lots of flavor and make the sponge cake more moist.
  3. Next, it’s time for the mascarpone frosting! I add about two-thirds of the frosting onto the inside and reserve the rest for later. After adding a sprinkling of diced strawberries, it’s time to roll the cake back up.
  4. Always roll the cake the same way it was rolled initially and help it along by supporting the back of the cake roll with your hand. I like to have a tray ready at the end of the cake so I can simply roll the cake onto my serving platter.
  5. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting, garnish with strawberries and then place the cake into the refrigerator to chill.
  6. I recommend chilling for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight for best results.

Troubleshooting Tips

Having trouble making the perfect swiss roll cake? Here are some common mistakes and fixes!

  • Sponge cake cracked and broke when rolling initially: make sure to roll the cake as soon as you take it out of the oven! Even a couple of minutes can make a difference. Once the cake cools, it’s impossible to roll without breaking.
  • Cake roll falls apart after filling: do not overfill your swiss roll cake. Overfilling the cake with too much frosting or berries will also cause it to break. If you want more strawberries, simply serve them on the side with each cake slice.
  • My frosting is too runny: first, is the frosting just soft or separated? If it’s too soft, place it into the refrigerator for up to 1 hour, then whisk again until stiff peaks form. If the frosting is curdled and watery, it’s broken and unfortunately cannot be fixed.

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Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake video recipe

More Recipes!

Enjoyed this incredible strawberry cake recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

Supplies/Tools

Need some supplies to make this recipe? You can get them here (Amazon affiliate links):

  • Large Baking Sheets – I love these aluminum baking pans for so many things: from baking cakes to roasting vegetables, they’re the perfect size!
  • KitchenAid Handheld Mixer – if you need a mixer for small baking jobs, this one is my favorite! So convenient and powerful.
  • Copper KitchenAid Stand Mixer – the mixer I used for the sponge cake is available at Williams Sonoma only. They are sometimes out of stock but keep checking back for availability!
  • Nesting Glass Mixing Bowls – these kitchen bowls are the most used in my kitchen! I love all the different sizes!
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overhead view of strawberry cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream frosting
5 from 3 votes

Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake Recipe (video)

45 minutes prep + 16 minutes cook
10 servings
Easy strawberry swiss roll cake with mascarpone whipped cream frosting and fresh strawberries!

Ingredients 

For Vanilla Sponge Cake:

  • 4 large eggs
  • ¾ cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

For Mascarpone Frosting:

  • 8 oz mascarpone cheese, softened at room temp for 20 mins
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups heavy cream, very chilled
  • 1 cup crushed strawberries
  • 1 ½ cups diced strawberries
  • Extra berries, for garnish

Instructions

Making the Sponge Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Line a large, 13×18-inch (33×46-cm) baking sheet with parchment paper and leave the sides ungreased.
  • Prepare the sponge cake first. Place the eggs, vanilla and sugar into a mixer bowl and whisk on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until the eggs are thick, fluffy and pale creamy in color. If using a hand mixer, increase mixing time by 3 to 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Sift the flour into the egg mixture in small batches, folding it in gently but thoroughly after each addition. Fold from the bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure all the flour gets incorporated.
  • Spread the cake batter evenly to the edges of the prepared baking sheet using a spatula. This cake will not self-level so spreading it evenly is important. Bake the sponge cake in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes, until it’s a light, golden color on the top.
  • Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, run a knife along the edges of the pan to release it and sprinkle the top with confectioner’s sugar. Invert the cake onto a wire rack (watch my video to see how it’s done), then remove the parchment paper. Place a clean kitchen towel or dinner napkin on top of the cake, then gently and loosely roll the cake, lengthwise. Allow the cake to cool completely on the wire rack before assembling.

Making the Frosting:

  • For the mascarpone whipped cream, place the softened cheese, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Whisk for a couple minutes, until the cheese is smooth. Add ½ cup chilled heavy cream and mix for about 30 seconds, to thin out the cheese mixture. Next, add the remaining heavy cream and whisk for 4 to 5 minutes on high speed, until stiff peaks form. Keep the frosting refrigerated if not using right away.
  • If the frosting gets too soft, place it back into the refrigerator and let it chill for 30 to 45 minutes. Once chilled, whisk again to stiff peaks.

Assembling the Cake:

  • To assemble the cake, first gently unroll the cake and remove the dinner napkin. Spread the crushed strawberries onto the sponge cake, evenly to all the edges. Next, add two-thirds of the prepared mascarpone frosting and spread it evenly to the edges using an off-set spatula. Do not over fill the cake, as this can cause it to break. Sprinkle the diced strawberries evenly over the mascarpone cream.
  • Gently roll the cake back up the same way it was roll initially, supporting the back of the cake roll with your hand. Watch my YouTube video to see how I do it.
  • Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting and garnish with dollops of cream. I used French star tip #4 for my cake. Garnish with more fresh strawberries on top.
  • Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 to 6 hours, or overnight for best results. This will allow the frosting to set nicely and the sponge cake will become more moist from the cream and crushed berries.

Nutrition

Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1292IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1mg