Create a stunning Strawberries and Cream Swiss Roll, bursting with a sweet berry and cream cheese filling, to impress and delight your guests!
Strawberries and Cream Swiss Roll cake is a gorgeous and easy-to-make dessert featuring a light sponge cake with a creamy berry filling. Set out your cake-making pantry staples, Cool Whip, cream cheese, strawberry jam, and powdered sugar to make this light and crowd-pleasing dessert!
Strawberry Swirl
Like most people, I was intimidated to make a Strawberries and Cream Swiss Roll cake for the first time. I thought this cake required a special technique only professional bakers could master. This cake is so simple that I feel like a professional baker! The steps are a snap, just like baking any other cake, so you only need a little patience when rolling and unrolling the cake. The result is a beautiful, fresh-tasting cake loaded with creamy berries that makes the crowd go wild.
Strawberries and cream is such an irresistible combination that there’s always an occasion to whip up a Strawberries and Cream Angel Food Cake or a scrumptious Strawberries and Cream Poke Cake!
Other Recipes to Serve with Strawberries and Cream Swiss Roll
- Creamy and sweet with a touch of vodka and topped with a slice of cake, Boozy Strawberry Shortcake Milkshake is a dessert party!
- Bubbly and fun for everyone of all ages, Fresh Strawberry Soda is a sweet anytime treat!
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients: To make the cake, you will need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Wet Ingredients: To make the cake, set out a few eggs to come to room temperature, along with buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, oil, and vanilla.
For the Filling: To make the filling, you will need Cool Whip, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and strawberry jam. You can use store-bought jam or homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam in this cake.
How to Make Strawberries and Cream Swiss Roll
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-inch pan with non-stick spray. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the pan and spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray as well. Spread a tea towel on a flat surface and cover it with powdered sugar.
STEP TWO: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a stand mixer or a large bowl with beaters, beat the eggs for 3 minutes. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue to beat the eggs and sugar. Once the sugar is mixed in, add the buttermilk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat to combine.
STEP THREE: Pour the batter into the parchment-lined pan and tilt it to even out the batter. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Once out of the oven, immediately turn the cake onto the powdered sugar-covered towel and remove the pan. Peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake in the towel, starting at the short end. Set the cake on a wire rack seam side down to cool completely.
STEP FIVE: Using a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the Cool Whip and mix until creamy and fluffy. Refrigerate the filling while the cake cools.
STEP SIX: Unroll the cake and smooth a layer of strawberry jam over the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Spread a layer of cream cheese filling over the jam, then roll the cake up again. Remove any excess filling that squishes out the sides.
STEP SEVEN: Place the cake seam-side down on a serving platter and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cake for 1-2 hours. Remove the plastic wrap, dust the cake with powdered sugar, and garnish with fresh strawberries before slicing the cake.
Tips for Success
- If you need to substitute 1 cup of buttermilk – add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk, stir it up, and let it sit for 5 minutes before using it.
- If you use strawberry jelly instead of jam, you won’t have the chunkier fruit pieces showing in the slices you would get from using jam. You can add more jelly if desired or even add a layer of thinly sliced strawberries over the jam.
- Be sure to roll the cake in the towel while it is still hot to prevent cracking. If you don’t have a clean towel available, you can use a tea towel, kitchen towel, or even a sheet of parchment paper.
- Store the cake and any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
What’s the difference between a jelly roll and a Swiss roll?
The only difference between a jelly roll and a Swiss roll is where you live! This cake is commonly called a Swiss roll in England, while in the United States, it is often called a jelly roll. The fillings are the same no matter what you call this cake: whipped cream, jam, or icing. Roll cake, Swiss log, roulade, cream log, or Swiss cake are a few other names for this cake.
How do I keep the cake from cracking?
To prevent cracks in your cake, keep an eye on the cake near the end of the baking time. You don’t want the cake to overbake or the edges to turn golden brown. Pull the cake out once the edges start to turn a light golden color, and the cake springs back when lightly poked. After you remove the cake from the oven, invert it onto the towel while still hot and roll it up. If you choose to make this cake a day ahead of time, store the rolled cake in the fridge and when you are ready to fill it, allow it to come to room temperature before unrolling it. This will help prevent the cake from cracking and roll back up nicely.
More Delicious Swiss Roll Cakes to Love!
*This post originally posted on 06/04/2014.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ¼ cup Cool Whip thawed
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup strawberry jam (see note)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (see note) Grease a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Then, cover the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper as well. Set aside.
- Lay a tea towel on a flat work surface and sprinkle a generous layer of powdered sugar over the top. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs on high speed for 3 minutes until they are pale in color. Continue beating as you slowly add in the sugar. Add the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla and beat for 1 more minute. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and tilt to even out the batter. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched.
- When done baking, remove the cake from the oven and immediately invert it onto the towel. Remove the parchment paper and roll the cake in the towel, starting at the short end. Set it on a wire rack, seam side down, and allow the cake to cool completely for about 1 hour.
Filling
- Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Mix in the Cool Whip until creamy and evenly combined. Refrigerate the filling until the cake has cooled and is ready to fill.
- Unroll the cake and spread the jam all over the cake, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the jam. Roll the cake back up and place seam side down on a platter. (Some of the filling will swish out the sides while rolling. Just scrape off and discard whatever comes out.)
- Cover the cake roll with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving. Dust the top with powdered sugar, garnish with fresh strawberries, slice, and serve.
Notes
- If you’re using a darker jelly roll pan, set the oven to 325 degrees F instead.
- If you use strawberry jelly instead of jam, you won’t have the chunkier fruit pieces showing in the slices that you get from using jam. You can add more jelly if desired or even add a layer of thinly sliced strawberries over the jam.
bree z says
Hey there, great recipe! I made it before and used the buttermilk. Unfortunately, with COVID19 I can’t find buttermilk. Going to sub whole milk and cross my fingers!
Julie Kotzbach says
Hi Bree! You can substitute 1 cup of buttermilk with 1 cup of milk + 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir it up and let it sit for 5 minutes before using it. It’s not exactly the same as buttermilk, but it’s a good option when you can’t get your hands on buttermilk.
Terra Olsen says
Lol you said to discard what squeezes out. I think you meant to say eat it as a reward for rolling up this awesome recipe!!
Misty says
Do you have to use a tea towel to roll it, or can you use something else
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Any kitchen towel that’s big enough would work. Tea towels are nice since they’re thin and really let the cake roll up tightly.
Lana says
I don’t see why you’d have to. As long as it won’t damage the cake somehow, you should be fine using something else.
Crissy says
This cake was amazing and so beautiful. I made it for a birthday and everyone loved it! I loved the light, spongy texture and delicate flavor. It was nice to have a light cake with a rich, creamy filling. The jam was a wonderful surprise! I decorated it with the halved strawberries! Can’t wait to make again!
Angela says
Does this roll need to be refrigerated due to the cheese? I ask because I wonder about the cake being stuck in refrigerator! I want to make a train cake for my son’s bday and he has a lactose issue so wouldn’t use the cheese but would either stick to just the jam or add coconut milk whip cream which is quite temperamental if not kept cold!
Julie @Real Housemoms says
You want to keep this cake refrigerated until ready to serve, especially if you’re using whipped cream in it.
Molly says
The recipe is good! I used my arm and a whisk because I don’t have a mixer…but the cake turned out fine. I baked it a minute or so too long i think, causing it to break when I tried to roll it up in the towel. The filling is simple and tasty. I just cut my cake and stacked with the filling.
precious says
ur baking is incredible,…i would love to have videos and recipes sent to me via my email
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Hi Precious! You can sign up to receive the latest Real Housemoms emails here: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=RealHousemoms
Real Housemoms videos can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCOwRGeVuF-peil0wvXqs3Q/featured