Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake

Cracks usually mean the sponge was too dry, too cool, or rolled too tightly. Roll the cake while it is still warm into a sugared tea towel to “train” it, avoid overbaking, and don’t roll it back up too tight when you fill it. Using a flexible sponge method such as a foamed egg sponge or a chiffon style with some oil also helps prevent cracking.

A sponge made by whipping the whole eggs and sugar or using a chiffon method gives the lightest, bendiest cake. Using some oil rather than only butter keeps the crumb more elastic because oil stays liquid at room temperature; mixing a small amount of butter with oil gives flavour plus flexibility.

Create a thin barrier between sponge and fruit by spreading a light layer of jam or a very thin coating of the strawberry cream first, and always pat fruit dry. Keep fresh strawberry slices in a single layer and avoid heavy maceration that creates extra juice. These steps protect the sponge without hiding the fruit flavour.

Stabilise the cream by folding in a little mascarpone or cream cheese, or by whisking in a small amount of instant pudding mix or softened gelatin if you need longer stability. Chill the filled roll well before slicing so the filling firms and the spiral keeps its shape.

A fresh cream filled roll is best within one to two days in the fridge, especially with fresh fruit. You can freeze a well wrapped roll or individual slices for longer storage and thaw in the fridge before serving, but very juicy fruit can change texture after freezing so consider using jam as part of the filling if you plan to freeze.

Do not overbake the sponge, do not overfill, and do not roll too tightly when filling. Cool the initially rolled sponge fully before unrolling and filling, spread filling evenly leaving a small edge, re roll gently, chill well, and trim the ends cleanly with a sharp knife for tidy slices. These simple steps make the difference between messy slices and a neat spiral.