Description
This Strawberry Ombre Spiral jelly roll features striking layers of pink and red cake, swirled with fresh strawberry cream, offering a delightful pop of color and flavor. It is a family-friendly dessert that looks intricate but is simple to master.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking powder
- 0.25 teaspoon (1 g) salt
- 1 cup (150 g) fresh ripe strawberries, hulled
- 0.25 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold (or full-fat Greek yogurt)
- A few drops red/pink gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the short sides. Lightly grease the parchment, ensuring it adheres smoothly.
- Make Cake Batter: In a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is very pale, thick, and streams slowly off the whisk. Gently fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and vanilla extract until just combined and smooth.
- Create Ombre Batter: Divide the batter equally into three bowls. Leave one plain, tint the second a light pink, and the third a deeper red using food coloring. Stir gently until the color is uniform in each bowl.
- Bake Layers: Carefully spoon and spread the colored batters in distinct stripes across the prepared pan, side by side, creating the ombre effect. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 12-15 minutes, until the cake springs back lightly when touched and the edges are faintly golden.
- Roll While Warm: Immediately invert the warm cake onto a clean kitchen towel generously dusted with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting from a short end, roll the cake and towel together tightly. Let cool completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.
- Prepare Strawberry Filling: Mash fresh strawberries with powdered sugar until slightly juicy. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the mashed strawberries into the whipped cream until just combined. (If your strawberries are very wet, gently pat them dry with a paper towel before mashing to avoid a runny filling.)
- Assemble Roll: Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Evenly spread the delicious strawberry cream filling over the entire surface, leaving a small border. Re-roll the cake tightly, without the towel, ensuring a snug spiral.
- Chill and Serve: Place the filled jelly roll, seam-side down, on a platter. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set the filling. Dust with extra powdered sugar before slicing and serving, admiring the beautiful ombre effect.
Notes
For busy cooks, use a stand mixer for quick batter and cream whipping, and prepare parchment paper and sugar-dusted towel before starting. Flavor variations include adding lemon zest to the cake batter or almond extract to the filling. For healthier twists, slightly reduce sugar or use pure fruit puree for a fresher strawberry taste in the cream. If strawberries are very wet, pat them dry to prevent a runny filling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (90 g)
- Calories: 300 calories
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: jelly roll, strawberry, ombre, spiral cake, dessert, baking, easy dessert, cream filling, family recipe, special occasion