Strawberries & Cream Swiss Roll Cake
This fatless sponge is perfect for Swiss rolls—it doesn’t spread when piped, holds clean lines, and rolls up without tearing. Adding gelatine to the whipped cream makes all the difference: it sets the cream, helps the cake hold its shape, and makes it travel-friendly. The sponge and filling are light and not overly sweet, so the serving size might be optimistic—it’s easy for two (or one) to polish it off.
Serves 4-6
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 6 hours
Baking Time 8-10 minutes
Ingredients
6 tbsp caster sugar
3 large eggs
Red food colouring (liquid gel recommended)
9 tbsp self-raising flour
1 tsp gelatine powder
3 tbsp water
200ml whipping cream
6-10 strawberries
Equipment
Baking sheet or roasting tray (approx. 25cm x 35cm)
Baking parchment
2 mixing bowls
Electric whisk
Spatula
Sieve
2 piping bags
Clean tea towel
Microwaveable bowl
Microwave
Plate
Sharp knife
Kitchen paper
Palette knife
Method
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C (fan)/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
Line the baking sheet with parchment.
2. Make the Sponge Batter
In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs on medium-high speed for 10 minutes until thick and meringue-like.
Divide the mixture into two bowls. Add a few drops of red food colouring to one bowl and fold gently until evenly coloured.
Sieve 4½ tbsp of flour into each bowl and fold gently until no flour specks remain.
3. Pipe and Bake the Sponge
Transfer the mixtures into piping bags. Pipe alternating lines of plain and red batter onto the prepared tray, creating a striped pattern.
Bake on the middle shelf for 8-10 minutes until light golden.
4. Roll the Sponge
Dampen a tea towel and lay it on a worktop. Slide the baked sponge onto the towel, parchment-side up.
Roll the sponge widthwise in the tea towel and let it cool completely.
5. Prepare the Filling
Dissolve the gelatine in water by microwaving in 10-second bursts, stirring between each, until fully dissolved.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add the gelatine mixture and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
Chop the strawberries and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
6. Assemble the Swiss Roll
Unroll the cooled sponge and peel away the parchment.
Spread the whipped cream evenly over the sponge, leaving a small border around the edges.
Scatter the chopped strawberries over the cream.
Carefully roll the sponge back up, using the parchment to help. Tuck in any escaping filling and tidy the edges with a clean finger.
7. Chill and Serve
Wrap the roll in parchment and refrigerate for 6 hours to set.
Enjoy!
