Strawberry Swiss Roll with White Chocolate Mascarpone
A showstopping spiral cake featuring a light almond-flour sponge sheet rolled with macerated strawberries and fluffy white chocolate-mascarpone cream, finished with a white chocolate glaze. The combination of fresh strawberries, rich mascarpone, and delicate sponge creates elegant layers of flavor and texture. Serve this impressive dessert at special occasions, dinner parties, or celebrations where presentation matters. This version uses both all-purpose and almond flour for a tender crumb while the whipped mascarpone filling stays stable enough to hold the roll's shape without becoming dense.
Ingredients
- 6 eggs, large
- ¾ cups sugar, granulated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cups all-purpose flourcake flour120g (reduce slightly)more tender crumb
medium
- ⅓ cups almond flourhazelnut flour or finely ground blanched almonds1:1nut-free alternativeadds tree_nuts
low
Full guide → - 1 tsp baking powder
- confectioner's sugar, for sprinkling
- 1 lb strawberries, fresh, chopped
- ¼ cups sugar, granulated
- 8 oz mascarpone, room temperature
- 3 ¼ oz white chocolate chips, melted
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- ⅓ cups sugar, granulated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 9 ½ oz white chocolate melts, melteddark or milk chocolate melts1:1different flavor profileadds dairy
high
- ½ cup whipped cream(optional)
- 8 strawberries, sliced(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350 F and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper
- 2
Whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla in stand mixer on high until pale and tripled, about 7 to 8 minutes
- 3
Whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, and baking powder in separate bowl
- 4
Gently fold flour mixture into eggs in batches until combined
- 5
Spread batter into sheet pan and bake 20 to 22 minutes
- 6
Loosen cake sides from pan with sharp knife
- 7
Sprinkle confectioner's sugar on cake top, cover with tea towel, place wire rack on top, flip entire assembly, remove pan and parchment
- 8
Using towel as guide, roll cake into spiral and cool about 45 minutes
- 9
Mash strawberries with sugar using potato masher
- 10
Whip together mascarpone and melted white chocolate until fluffy
- 11
Whisk cold heavy cream to stiff peaks with electric mixer
- 12
Add mascarpone mixture to cream and whisk on high one minute
- 13
Unroll cooled cake within 60 minutes and spread strawberry mixture over surface, leaving 1 inch borders
- 14
Spread mascarpone cream over strawberries
- 15
Gently roll up cake completely
- 16
Pour melted white chocolate over rolled cake and spread with offset spatula
- 17
Cool before serving and optionally top with sliced strawberries and whipped cream
Tips
Whip eggs and sugar until volume truly triples; under-whipping results in dense cake that won't roll cleanly without cracking.
Unroll cake within 60 minutes of cooling while still pliable; waiting longer risks breakage as sponge sets permanently.
Fold flour gently in batches to preserve air bubbles beaten into eggs; overworking collapses structure.
Good to Know
Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days. The glaze sets as cake chills, creating protective shell. Slice with sharp warm knife dipped in hot water between cuts.
Bake sponge and cool completely one day ahead. Prepare filling mixture and macerated strawberries up to 8 hours prior. Assemble and glaze within 2 hours of serving for best texture.
Chill at least 2 hours after glazing so white chocolate sets completely. Slice into 8-10 portions. Garnish with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Serve cold or at room temperature; white chocolate coating prevents drying.
Common Mistakes
Skip the folding step to avoid deflating eggs and creating dense, rubbery cake
Don't wait longer than 60 minutes to unroll cake to avoid cracking from excessive cooling and setting
Avoid under-whipping the cream-mascarpone mixture to prevent filling from being too thin and seeping from roll during slicing
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Nut-Free Alternatives
low
Full guide →General Alternatives
high
FAQ
Can I make this cake dairy-free?
Partially. Replace mascarpone with dairy-free cream cheese (slightly different texture) and use non-dairy whipped topping. White chocolate is challenging to substitute effectively while maintaining the signature glaze and filling richness.
What if I don't have a stand mixer?
Whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla by hand vigorously for 10-12 minutes until thick and pale (this requires sustained effort). Use electric hand mixer for whipping cream. Hand whisking risks underbeating the egg base, resulting in a denser cake.
Can I freeze the finished roll?
Yes, up to one month. Wrap cooled glazed roll tightly in plastic wrap then foil. Thaw in refrigerator 6-8 hours before serving. Slice while partially frozen for cleaner cuts; fully thawed roll may be fragile.