Fresh local strawberries are plentiful in your local grocery and farmers market and what better way to showcase them than my Strawberry Shortcake Roll?
Once you get the hang of making this light and delicious sponge cake, you’ll be creating delicious varieties of this recipe in your kitchen throughout the year.
*Updated from original post June 22, 2012
I have been dreaming about Strawberry Shortcake since I started seeing those plump juicy berries appear at the supermarket and just making a traditional strawberry shortcake didn’t seem to do justice to those beautiful strawberries.
What Ingredients do I need to make a Strawberry Shortcake Roll?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Strawberry Shortcake Roll. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How do I make a Strawberry Shortcake Roll?
Start by preheating the oven to 400 (204 C) degrees and lining a 13 x 17 inch pan with parchment paper. Set the pan aside until needed.
Here are the steps to make the sponge cake.
- Combine the milk, butter and vanilla in a small pan and heat just enough to melt the butter, set aside
- In a stand mixer, whip the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar on high speed for 5-7 minutes or until it forms wide bands of ribbons when the beater is lifted out.
- Gently transfer the egg mixture to a bowl large enough to make folding in the other ingredients easy.
- Pour in the butter/milk mixture down the side of the bowl and fold this into the egg mixture using a rubber spatula.
- Sift the flour over the egg mixture, doing this in three batches. After sifting, gently begin to fold the flour into the mixture. (the flour will settle on the bottom, fold more than you think you should, I still wound up with little flour balls in my cake)
- Continue sifting in the flour in the three batches until it has all been folded in. (don’t forget to check the bottom of the bowl for more flour)
- Pour the mixture into the lined sheet pan and using an offset spatula smooth out the mixture evenly. Use your finger to run down the insides of the pan creating a momentary separation of the cake from the pan.
- Place on center rack in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a clean piece of parchment that has been dusted with 10x sugar. (do this quickly so it does not tear)
- Gently peel off the parchment from the bottom of the cake (use a metal spatula if it is hard to remove)
*Making the sponge cake isn’t difficult, but how you handle it after finished baking is the only part of the process that can make you crazy.
- Wash and hull the strawberries and slice
- Add sugar to the strawberries and allow to sit until needed
- Add the whipping cream to your mixing bowl and starting on a lower speed begin to whip your cream, add in the sugar and vanilla.
- gradually increase the speed of the mixer, and continue whipping the cream until it is fully set. This process will take 8-10 and will ensure that your whipped cream holds up.
With cake on the new parchment that has been dusted with confectioners sugar, begin your assembly.
- Spread the whipped cream onto the cake, spreading evenly to the ends of the sides, but leaving 1 inch on either end (short sides)
- place the prepared strawberries on top of the whipped cream, distributing them evenly.
- Begin rolling the cake using the parchment to hold it with, rolling it gently but firmly, trying to keep it as tight as possible without having whipped cream come out of the sides.
- Continue rolling until it has completely rolled up.
- Re-dust the parchment the cake is still on and turning the cake facing the long side of the parchment and roll it up as tightly as possible without losing cream out the ends, twisting the ends of the paper like taffy.
*I rolled my cake in an additional piece of parchment, to make sure it was secure
Place the rolled and sealed cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set up, I left mine in overnight and it was fine.
Before serving, if needed trim the ends of the roll so they are even. Then dust the roll with confectioners sugar.
*You could also make additional whipped cream and cover the roll with whipped cream and garnish with more strawberries.
I promise you smiles at your table when you serve this OMG light and delicious strawberry shortcake roll. It’s perfect for a weekend get together or just to make a family night special.
Not being a trained baker, I had shied away from making any type of cake rolls most of my life, but after seeing so many of my friends making these delicious desserts, I thought I’d give it a try.
The roll itself is really not that difficult, it does have its challenges, but nothing to stop you from trying. I think the most difficult part is finding a recipe that is almost foolproof because if the cake isn’t good, you can forget about getting it to roll properly.
More Strawberry Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
- Italian Strawberry Cream Cake
- Strawberries and Cream Cake
- Individual Strawberry Shortcake
- Mascarpone Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Shortcake Roll
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup milk (or heavy cream) I used whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 whole eggs warmed*
- 3 egg yolks warmed*
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup cake flour *
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Strawberries
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries
- ¼ cup sugar
Assembly
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar for dusting finished cake
- ½ cup sliced strawberries for garnish
Instructions
Sponge Cake
- preheat the oven to 400 (204 C) degrees
- Line a 13 x 17 inch pan with parchment paper
- Combine the milk, butter and vanilla in a small pan and heat just enough to melt the butter, set aside
- In a stand mixer, whip the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar on high speed for 5-7 minutes or until it forms wide bands of ribbons when the beater is lifted out.
- Gently transfer the egg mixture to a bowl large enough to make folding in the other ingredients easy.
- Pour in the butter/milk mixture down the side of the bowl and fold this into the egg mixture using a rubber spatula.
- Sift the flour over the egg mixture, doing this in three batches. After sifting, gently begin to fold the flour into the mixture. (the flour will settle on the bottom, fold more than you think you should, I still wound up with little flour balls in my cake)
- Continue sifting in the flour in the three batches until it has all been folded in. (don’t forget to check the bottom of the bowl for more flour)
- Pour the mixture into the lined sheet pan and using an offset spatula smooth out the mixture evenly. Use your finger to run down the insides of the pan creating a momentary separation of the cake from the pan.
- Place on center rack in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a clean piece of parchment that has been dusted with 10x sugar. (do this quickly so it does not tear)
- Gently peal off the parchment from the bottom of the cake (use a metal spatula if it is hard to remove)
Strawberries
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice the strawberries
- Add sugar to berries and allow to sit until needed
Whipped Cream
- Add whipping cream to your mixing bowl and starting on a lower speed begin to whip your cream, add in the sugar and vanilla.
- gradually increase the speed of the mixer, and continue whipping the cream until it is fully set.*This process will take 8-10 and will ensure that your whipped cream holds up.
With cake on the new parchment that has been dusted with confectioners sugar, begin your assembly.
- Spread the whipped cream onto the cake, spreading evenly to the ends of the sides, but leaving 1 inch on either end (short sides)
- Place your sliced strawberries on top of the whipped cream, distributing them evenly.
- Begin rolling the cake using the parchment to hold it with, rolling it gently but firmly along, trying to keep it as tight as possible without having whipped cream come out of the sides.
- Continue rolling until it has completely rolled up
- Re-dust the parchment the cake is still on and turning the cake facing the long side of the parchment and roll it up as tightly as possible without losing cream out the ends, twisting the ends of the paper like taffy.*I rolled my cake in an additional piece of parchment, to make sure it was secure
- Place the rolled and sealed cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set up, I left mine in overnight and it was fine.
- Before serving, if needed trim the ends of the roll so they are even. Then dust with confectioners sugar and top with sliced strawberries.
Notes
Nutrition
Malia Qury
Very fantastic recipe. I made it at home. I enjoyed it.
Michelle
Fantastic recipe. I have tried many times to make a cake roll, and failed. However this time the sponge roll was superb! I do wish the ingredients were in grams, but I was able to succeed anyway. This recipe does take some skill and effort but it is SO WORTH it! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Chef Dennis Littley
there is a toggle that will change the recipe to metric at the bottom of the recipe card. That will take care of most of the conversions
silvia
Absolutely delicious, who can resist fresh strawberries and cream? Not me. This roll was fairly easy to make. A perfect dessert for a sunny day.
Jamie
What a beautiful dessert to make especially during the summer! I can’t wait until it’s strawberry season here because I know I’ll be making this cake over and over again!
Naiby
It’s like you read my mind. I’ve been seeing strawberry shortcake popping into my head and there you go. I love how you can roll it, how original.
Nicole Washington
This is a perfect recipe for around this time of year as we are approaching strawberry recipe season.
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
Need. Want. HAVE TO HAVE!!! This strawberry shortcake roll is amazing! I love how light and fluffy it is! It’s perfect this time of year and it’ll definitely be a staple dessert all summer!
Aditi Bahl
Shortcake recipes have often disappointed me. But tried yours and it gave me a lovely surprise. They were delicious and just perfect flavor. Also easy to make.
veenaazmanov
This is super delicious and perfect treat for sweet lovers. Strawberry is my favorite fruit too. Love this delicious combination.
Farrukh Aziz
This was perfect for our weeknight dinner! Everyone loved the roll, especially the kids! I need to save this so I can make this again soon!
Brianna
My first time making a roll cake and it turned out perfect. This dessert was a hit and my sister’s baby shower.
Sharon
This shortcake roll is a wonderfully delicious and elegant cake to have for spring and summer.
Lilly
Such a great recipe!
Jere Cassidy
Cake rolls are always a favorite for me, but I rarely make them. Your recipe has inspired me to make yours, especially since it’s strawberry season.
Nora
What an awesome recipe! I love shortcake roll filled with strawberries! Thanks for sharing!
Raquel
So beautiful and easier to make than I thought. Thank you for this lovely summer dessert idea!
Amy Roskelley
This strawberry shortcake roll looks INCREDIBLE! Can you come make it for me! lol
Pam Greer
Perfect for strawberry season!
Alice | SkinnySpatula
This is the best strawberry roll I’ve ever tasted!
Alexandra
We enjoyed this for our Mother’s Day dessert – delicious!
Amy
This look delicious! Nice and easy!
Quida Terry
Your items look SO Good. I’m interested in receiving your recipes. Thank You.
Lana
Hi, Dennis.
I tried your Strawberry Roll today, it’s sitting in the fridge overnight now, but I already can tell you that ones again, the second recipe I’ve tried from you now is in my recipe collection. I definitely will make it again.
So far whatever I try to make from your site is easy. The taste is just right, and the execution is simple. My roll does not look perfect cosmetically ))) because it’s my very first attempt to make the roll in general. The second one will look much better for sure.
It smells and tastes awesome, thanks again for sharing!
Gloria Roa Baker
Absolutely stunning Dennis, love these strawberries !! xo
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks Gloria, I just love using fresh strawberries in my desserts!
Dawn
Can you please tell me how many carbohydrates in a serving of this cake roll? It looks so good.
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m sorry Dawn but I have no idea about the nutritional values of the cake.
JC Marc
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE rolled cakes. I am making this Saturday. My favorite part is having to trim the ends to make it pretty, and what do you do with the end pieces? Hmmmmm . . . Thank you for sharing this delicious-looking strawberry cake roll. Strawberries and cake, my two favorites.
Tara Noland
This looks so fantastic. I am going to add it to my Mouth Water Mondays post tomorrow and would love it if you popped over to see. Come on over to www.noshingwiththenolands.com Cheers, Tara
Mei-i@gastronomic nomad
I’ve always been so scared of making cake rolls too, but you have inspired me to try by making it look so easy! Glad you’re feeling better and hope the rest of the summer is a bit more peaceful for you.
Emily @ Life on Food
This is perfect. I used to make this at the bakery I worked out in Bryn Mawr, PA. It was so delicious and very popular. The last time I had a bite was way back for my graduation garden party.
Jenn and Seth (@HomeSkilletCook)
this sounds fantastic! i’ve never tried a roll before, but i’m inspired to try now – this just sounds perfect for summer
Sandie@afoodieaffair.com
I’m going to have to try this one! Every time I have tried a roulade, it hasn’t turned out so good. I’m trying this one, especially now when the native strawberries are out. Yummy!
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
This is so pretty! I always get a little nervous with rolls like this.
I hope you are feeling better!
Kim Bee
This looks amazing Dennis. I love the idea of doing it in a roll. I might have to try this with rainier cherries.
Cassandra
Why does the combination of whipped cream and strawberries taste so Perfect? If only I wasn’t allergic to them, I’d be eating strawberries right now.
Anyone know other fruits that taste good with whipped cream? Possibly kiwi?
Chef D
Cassandra, all the stone fruits would be great with whipped cream, peaches especially, and any of the berries (as long as your not allergic).
Peggy
I’m always a fan of a lighter cake as opposed to a more dense one. This shortcake roll looks amazing Dennis =)
Chef D
Thanks Peggy it was an exceptional cake!
Keeley @ My Life on a Plate
Fluffy cake + fresh whipped cream + strawberries = heaven! I just pinned this.
ellenbcookery
This looks scrumptious! Sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well!
DB-The Foodie Stuntman
I like the adaptation to the classic dessert!
Suzi
This looks lovely, nice and moist and airy. Too complicated for me. I had enough trouble with the muffins. I ‘ll enjoy looking at yours. I did bake bread today though and it turned out rather well. Hope you are feeling better.
Chef D
do you ever use coconut oil? I’m starting to use that in some of my recipes
Dottie
Hi Dennis, I am new on here and saw your comment. I just ordered a gallon of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil yesterday which I have never ever used coconut oil before but through looking at some recipes and others saying how good it is plus after a little research I decided if I was going to do this I might as well go big…..I mean a gallon plus it’s not cheap. I sure hope it is good and at least good for me! Hope to see your recipes with this ingredient. Just started following you on FB and like what I see! Thanks, Dottie
Chef D
Hi Dottie
thanks for stopping by and for letting me know about your coconut oil, I hear so many great things about it, I can’t wait to start working with it, hopefully my order will be here in the next few days. It’s going to be all new to me using it, and I’m excited to see how I can incorporate it into my creations, although I may need to ask you for some help when I run into problems with it.
I look forward to sharing with you!
Dennis
Anita at Hungry Couple
Wow, this looks good! I love roll cakes, especially the ones filled with lemon curd but this would have to be a close second. I’m also not the most accomplished baker and roll cakes intimidate me. This is so tempting, though, that I may have to reconsider one of these days soon. Feel better, Dennis!
Chef D
thanks Anita! It really was easier than it sounds, give it a try, I felt the same way until just recently, now I see its not as hard as it seems!
ATasteOfMadness
This is such a good idea! Wow, I love this so much, it looks SO good
Jennie @themessybakerblog
I’m so sorry to hear about your virus from hell. I sure do hope you are feeling better. This cake looks divine, and I wouldn’t mind dunking my finger into that cream filling and taking a taste.
RavieNomNoms
Oh Dennis! This is fantastic!! What a great way to change up the standard strawberry shortcake. Perhaps I could add blueberries to this and make it for the 4th!
Chef D
i had actually thought about using raspberries and blackberries too, trying for stripes of different berries, but even just adding blueberries would liven it up!
Kristina
YUM! This looks amazing! I’ve always been a bit intimidated by roll cakes but I really have to give it a shot, this looks incredible! Would so fun to have on the 4th next week 🙂
Chef D
it really was easier than it looks, finding a good cake recipe is the key!
Lara
This is amazing! What a great way to use extra strawberries!
MissMessy
Looks yum, i’m seeing a lot of strawberry shortcake recently, i’ll have to give it a go!
Dara
Yum! I love strawberry shortcake. I applaud your ambition to make a roll. Complicated baking terrifies me.
Chef D
it really was easier than it looks, I was surprised it came out on the first attempt, and I was even rushed when I made it.
Jen @JuanitasCocina
I do so hope you are doing much better.
This sounds and looks divine!
Medeja
Looks so lovely with these fresh strawberries.. 🙂
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious
Fantastic way to deliver a shortcake, I recently made one of these and was not disappointed! Very hard to stop eating at 1 slice though 🙂
Nice job Chef..
Bibi @ Bibi's Culinary Journey
Love this roulade….it looks gorgeous! I can’t wait to try it….I’ve made my share of rouladen in the years and still looking for the “perfect” cake 🙂
Linda in KS
What a unique idea! Reminds me of the strawberry snack cakes we ate as kids. This must be the grown up version!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Hope you’re feeling better, Chef! Beautiful Roulade, I love that it’s bursting with berries!
Kirsten@MyKitcheninthe Rockies
I hope you are already getting better. My best wishes!
I haven’t made shortcake roll in a while. Thanks for the reminder. Yours looks wonderful!