Japanese strawberry roll cake

Much like the Japanese fruit sandwiches (fruit sando), and mochi, this strawberry roll embodies Japan’s favourite textures and flavours in a dessert – not too sweet, a pillowy-soft wrapping filled with cream and often, fresh fruit. To ensure the perfect cake, ensure you refrigerate the cake overnight before rolling, then for 30 minutes after filling to help you retain the perfect ‘roll’ shape.

• makes

  2

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

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Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 120 g caster sugar
• 60 g plain flour
• 20 g cornflour
• 3 g baking powder
• 40 g vegetable oil
• 12 well-shaped strawberries, ends trimmed to give uniform shape

For the filling 

• 600 ml thickened cream
• 250 ml mascarpone
• 100 g icing sugar mixture, plus extra to serve

Chilling time: overnight

Instructions

1. Line the base of two 20 cm x 30 cm lamington trays with baking paper. Combine the eggs, yolks and caster sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine. Place the bowl in a bowl of warm water (around 60˚C) and whisk until the eggs loosen (you should be able to pull the whisk out with the eggs flowing relatively smoothly from the wires) and feel warm to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat at medium-high speed with electric beaters, for approximately 10 minutes, or until foamy and holding a ribbon.

2. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (conventional). Sift together the flours and baking powder and gently whisk into the egg mixture in three batches. Heat the vegetable oil to around 40˚C and whisk into the batter. Divide the sponge cake batter between the two trays and smooth the top with a spatula. Drop the trays a few times to remove large bubbles and bake for about 14 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the paper and cakes to a cool baking tray (don’t remove the cakes from the paper). Cool to room temperature, then cover with a sheet of baking paper and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

4. To make the filling, in a large bowl, whisk together the creams and sugar and refrigerate overnight.

5. When ready to assemble, peel the cakes off the paper and spread each peeled side with the cream mixture, thin on one short side of the cake for about 10 cm, then rising in a ramp shape to about 2 cm from the other short side. Place a line of strawberries down the middle, then roll to create two short, thick cakes. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set the cream, then slice and serve dusted with a little icing sugar.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Brilliant Brunch

Watch the full episode here

PG

Watch the full episode here

PG