Strawberry Rolled Layer Cake

1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 33×43 cm (13″×17″) baking tray with a sheet of baking parchment.

2. Whisk the Egg Whites

You will need two large mixing bowls: one for the egg whites and one for the yolks. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of the sugar and whisk until glossy and firm. Set it aside.

3. Make the Batter

Whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until light and very thick. It may take around 5 minutes. Sift 90 grams of cake flour over the mixture, and mix very gently at low speed until the flour is incorporated.

Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture in batches. Be careful not to knock the air out of the batter you incorporated by whisking.

4. Bake the Sponge Base

Pour the mixture onto the lined baking tray and smooth it out until evenly distributed. Bake the cake base for 10–12 minutes, until lightly golden and just set. It bakes very quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Once baked, remove the sponge from the oven and let it cool completely in the tray.

Do not roll the sponge while warm — flexibility matters more than elasticity here.

5. Roast the Strawberries

Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C.

Place the halved strawberries in a baking dish and toss with 30 grams of caster sugar and 1–2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Roast them for 20–25 minutes, until soft, glossy, and slightly jammy.

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

Roasting concentrates flavour and removes excess moisture, keeping the cake stable.

6. Prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream

Pour 500 millilitres of milk into a saucepan. Cut the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds.

Heat the milk with the vanilla pod and seeds until just below boiling.

In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks, 100 grams of caster sugar, 40 grams of cornstarch, and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously.

Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth.

Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl.

Cover the surface directly with parchment or plastic wrap to prevent a skin.

Allow the pastry cream to cool completely, then briefly whisk to smooth before use.

The cream should be spreadable but firm — not airy.

7. Prepare the Sponge for Assembly

Once fully cooled, lift the sponge out of the tray. Trim the edges if needed.

Slice the sponge into even strips, approximately 6–8 cm (2”–3”) wide.

Keep the strips flat and intact.

8. Assemble the Rolled Layer Cake

Spread a thin, even layer of pastry cream over each sponge strip. Then distribute roasted strawberries evenly over the cream.

Roll the first strip into a tight coil to form the centre of the cake.

Wrap the next strip around the coil, continuing until all strips are used.

Place the cake seam-side inward on a serving plate or inside a cake ring. An adjustable cake ring helps keep the shape.

The layered rolling creates structure without pressure — small cracks disappear.

9. Chill & Finish

Chill the cake for at least 2 hours to allow the pastry cream to set fully.

Before serving, dust lightly with icing sugar and decorate with fresh strawberries if desired.

Baker’s Note

This Strawberry Rolled Layer Cake uses the same sponge technique as a Swiss roll, but the handling is different.

Instead of rolling the cake warm, the sponge is cooled, cut into strips, and rolled cold. This allows for clean layers, a stable structure, and a more refined presentation.

Roasting the strawberries may feel unfamiliar, but it’s a deliberate choice: it concentrates flavour and removes excess moisture, keeping the pastry cream smooth and the layers defined.

This is a cake that rewards patience — chill time matters here.

Tips for Success

Room Temperature Eggs: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before you start. This helps achieve maximum volume when whipping.

Gently Folding: Be careful and gentle when folding in the egg whites to keep the batter airy and avoid deflating the mixture.

Do Not Overbake: A dry sponge will crack once cooled.

Cool Components: Let all components cool completely before assembly.

Sharp Knife: Use a sharp knife when slicing for clean, visible layers.

Variations to Try

Fruit swaps

• Roasted raspberries (reduce sugar slightly)
• Strawberries + rhubarb
• Apricots or peaches in summer

Cream alternatives

• Lightened Mascarpone pastry cream
• Vanilla diplomat cream (pastry cream + softly whipped cream)
• Lemon pastry cream for a sharper contrast

Flavour additions

• Finely grated lemon zest in the sponge
• A splash of orange blossom water in the pastry cream
• Toasted almond flakes between layers

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Sponge: bake 1 day ahead, wrap well, store at room temperature
• Roasted Strawberries: up to 2 days ahead, refrigerated
• Pastry Cream: up to 2 days ahead, tightly covered
• Assembled Cake: best after 2–4 hours chilling, keeps up to 2 days

Avoid freezing — the pastry cream will lose its texture.

Looking for more delicious treats with strawberries? Check out the following recipes:

Strawberry Crumble Cake Bars

Strawberry Spinach Cake

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Final Thoughts

Instead of stacking layers, this cake uses a rolled assembly method that creates structure from within. The result is a strawberry cake that feels light yet precise, with even filling and beautifully defined slices.