Strawberry Cream Roll

Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Servings: 15
Yield: 15 servings

Description

A homemade sponge cake is rolled up around a whipped cream-strawberry filling for an elegant dessert. Dust with powdered sugar or top with more whipped cream, if desired.

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a jelly roll pan. Line it with buttered foil or buttered parchment paper.
2 Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add 1 cup white sugar, beating constantly. Stir in water and vanilla extract. Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3 Bake until cake is springy to the touch and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the pan, about 15 minutes.
4 Lay out a tea towel, and sprinkle it with confectioners' sugar. Turn cake out on the towel. Peel off the paper or foil. Cut crusty edges with kitchen shears or a sharp paring knife. Roll cake up in the towel, and leave it to cool.
5 In a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the cold water and set aside. Wash and hull strawberries; if they're large, you may halve or chop them. Melt gelatin in the microwave, checking every 15 seconds. Pour gelatin and 1 tablespoon sugar over strawberries.
6 Whip cream to medium-stiff peaks. Fold in cooled strawberry mixture. Unroll cake, spread with strawberry cream, and roll up again. Chill cake for at least 1 hour.
7 Before serving, dust cake with confectioners' sugar or top with additional whipped cream.