Chocolate Strawberry Roll Cake (Easy Birthday Cake Recipe)

It was somebody’s birthday in our house this weekend (guess who!) and so I baked a chocolate strawberry roll cake. I love roll cakes because they are light and airy and look spectacular, and best of all, they’re quick and easy to make.

Here’s the recipe.

Chocolate Strawberry Roll Cake

Cake

• 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a sheet pan and line it with parchment paper. Lightly oil the parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour and cocoa; set aside. Beat the egg whites until foamy in a large bowl. Add cream of tartar and salt, then continue whipping until stiff. Set aside.

Whip the egg yolks and vanilla in a separate bowl until the yolks are pale yellow Add the sugar and beat vigorously until mixture thickens (3 to 5 minutes). Fold the egg whites and cocoa mixture into the yolk mixture by thirds.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 13 minutes, until edges pull away slightly from sides and the middle springs back when touched.

Lay a kitchen towel flat on a dry surface. Sprinkle both the towel and the top of the cake lightly with confectioner’s sugar. Invert the cake onto the towel and peel off the parchment paper. Fold the towel over a short end of the cake and gently roll up. Place cake seam side down, and set aside until cool.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Filling

• 1 cup washed and dried, chopped fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Sprinkle the strawberries with half the sugar (2 tbsp) and set aside to macerate.

Beat the cream until lightly whipped. Add remaining sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff.

Carefully unroll the cake (it will not be absolutely flat). It may crack slightly — don’t worry; it will look pretty anyway! Spread with the whipped cream, then spread the strawberries on top. Gently roll the filled cake back up, place seam side down on a serving platter, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries and Cocoa Garnish

• 6 or 7 nice-looking whole fresh strawberries
• 1 ounce high quality dark chocolate
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa

Chop dark chocolate into small pieces and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir. Add butter and microwave again for 10 seconds. Stir. Keep microwaving briefly and stirring until mixture is completely melted.

Dip strawberries in melted chocolate and place on wax paper. Put in refrigerator until chocolate hardens.

Shortly before serving cake, mix confectioner’s sugar and cocoa together. Using a sieve, sprinkle cocoa over top of cake. Garnish with chocolate dipped strawberries.

(This recipe is an adaptation of the “Chocolate Espresso Roll” recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts, a wonderful dessert cookbook.)