Lemon Strawberry Jellyroll Cake
Have you ever made a jellyroll cake? It looks very fussy, but is extremly easy. My daughter, home from college for a week, wanted a birthday cake that wasn’t “heavy and gunky like college food”. So I made a Lemon Strawberry Jellyroll cake for her, and it was wonderful if I do say so myself! You will need a jellyroll pan, which everyone should have anyway because you can do so much with it. You can fill this basic sponge cake with whipped cream, custard, curd, or even… um… jelly or jam. You can make a chocolate version with chocolate ganache, or even with pastry cream and mixed candied fruit to follow an Italian meal. I’ve made one with whipped cream and mango. This is the basic Yule Log, too. This recipe is bright with lemon, which is saved from being too much by the fresh strawberries inside, and is very light. Yum!
- For the cake:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 eggs at room temperature, separated
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- and ½ cup granulated sugar
- One cup lemon curd (see recipes)
- 2-3 large ripe strawberries, sliced, then halved
- Sifted powdered sugar
- Sweetened Whipped Cream, Lemon Icing (recipes follow) and Meringue Mushrooms (optional; see 'recipes' on blog)
- For Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- For Sweetened Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Add meringue mushrooms to complement the 'log' if desired (see 'recipes').
- For cake:
- Line a 15x10x1-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper (not waxed paper, it will stick), or grease and lightly flour it.
- In a small bowl stir together flour and baking powder.
- In a medium mixing bowl beat egg yolks and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until frothy.
- Gradually add the ⅓ cup granulated sugar, beating until sugar is almost dissolved.
- In another bowl beat egg whites with very clean, dry beaters on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the ½ cup sugar, turning up the speed and beating until stiff peaks form and stop the mixer.
- Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites.
- Sprinkle flour mixture over the batter and gently fold in until just combined.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake 375 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched and is just golden brown.
- Lay a towel or piece of parchment that is larger than the cake pan on the counter and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.
- Quickly invert the hot cake onto the towel and peel off parchment that was on the bottom of the cake, if used.
- Roll up the towel and cake, making sure the cake doesn't touch itself, starting from the short side.
- Cool rolled cake on a wire rack. You can refrigerate the cake now for a day, slid into a plastic bag.
- When ready to fill (on the same day as being served) bring the cake back to room temperature and carefully unroll. I haven't had a lemon jellyroll that hasn't stuck a little to the towel because it's so moist. If it cracks, its okay. You can cover the cracks with icing.
- Spread with lemon curd leaving one inch around the edges.
- Arrange sliced strawberries across the cake in rows.
- Carefully re-roll cake without the towel.
- Place on serving plate.
- Spoon lemon icing along top of jellyroll cake; it will slowly drip down the sides.
- Spoon sweetened whipped cream on servings or into a frosting bag and pipe rosettes or other decorations around cake.
- Add meringue mushrooms to complement the 'log' if desired.
Lay a towel or piece of parchment that is larger than the cake pan on the counter and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar.
Quickly invert the hot cake onto the towel and peel off parchment that was on the bottom of the cake, if used.
Roll up the towel and cake, making sure the cake doesn’t touch itself, starting from the short side.
Cool rolled cake on a wire rack. You can refrigerate the cake now for a day, slid into a plastic bag.
When ready to fill (on the same day as being served) bring the cake back to room temperature and carefully unroll. I haven’t had a lemon jellyroll that hasn’t stuck a little to the towel because it’s so moist. If it cracks, its okay. You can cover the cracks with icing. Spread with lemon curd leaving one inch around the edges. Arrange sliced strawberries across the cake in rows.
Carefully re-roll cake without the towel. Place on serving plate.
Spoon lemon icing along top of jellyroll cake; it will slowly drip down the sides.
Spoon whipped cream on servings or into a frosting bag and pipe rosettes or other decorations around cake.
Add meringue mushrooms to complement the ‘log’ if desired.
Makes 8-10 servings.