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Could there be a prettier dessert? It’s a Strawberry Shortcake Cake Roll filled with fresh strawberries and an easy cream cheese whipped cream!

cake roll filled with strawberries and covered with white frosting on a cutting board.

This Strawberry Shortcake Cake Roll was inspired by a birthday party I went to. My friend loves fruit in her dessert, so I did a whole selection of fruity things (including mini fruit crisps). Her cake was a vanilla cake (made with my perfect vanilla cupcake recipe) and I filled with with fresh berries and did a whipped cream frosting. Everyone kept saying how good it was and I was all, whatever, and then I had a slice and I was all, yeah it is.

That cake reminded me of those grocery store cakes my mom used to buy for birthdays when I was a kid. As a general rule, my family hates fruit in dessert but we always made an exception for those strawberry shortcake sheet cakes full of fresh berries, white cake, and fresh whipped cream.

I immediately knew I was going to recreate that cake, but I didn’t want to do a traditional layer cake. Instead, I went the route I always go: a cake roll.

cake roll filled with strawberries and covered with white frosting on a cutting board.

How to make a Strawberry Swiss Roll

  1. This Strawberry Shortcake Swiss Roll recipe is one of my favorite cake rolls to date! It starts with a fluffy vanilla cake made in a jelly roll pan. It’s an easy recipe you can make with a hand or a stand mixer.
  2. Like all my cake roll recipes, I roll it while it’s hot. (Sing to yourself: roll it while it’s hot, yeah, roll it while it’s hot…)
  3. You fill it with fresh chopped strawberries and the BEST WHIPPED CREAM I’ve ever eaten.
  4. You guys, if you remember ONE thing about this recipe, it’s the WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING. This recipe will be good on ANY cake or cupcake or pie. And it’s totally stable – it’ll last for days in your refrigerator in a tupperware.
  5. What’s the secret? Cream cheese and granulated sugar. I know, right? You make the whipped cream like you’re making a no-bake cheesecake, and you mix in the heaving whipping cream in liquid form, and let it beat up to whipped cream after you’ve already mixed in the cream cheese.

Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.

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cake roll filled with strawberries and covered with white frosting on a cutting board.

Storing Strawberry Shortcake Cake Rolls

The whipped cream is a MUST make. It’s a total keeper recipe; you’ll want it on everything! And you can make it ahead and keep it in a sealed container for up to a day or two before making the cake.

You can make the cake up to 1 day ahead and wrap it (rolled in the towel) in plastic wrap. I suggest filling it with berries the day you’re serving it. Strawberries tend to weep after a day or so and the cake might get a bit runny.

Cake Roll Tips from the Expert

  • If you’ve never made a cake roll before, don’t fret. It’s EASY! Check out this post for a video tutorial, this post for a photo tutorial, and this post for my general cake roll rules.
  • In the cake recipe, you’ll notice I mention times for mixing the eggs and sugar. Don’t skip those steps – the eggs need to be mixed for 5 minutes and the eggs and sugar for another 2. This ensures a light and fluffy cake.
  • Roll it while it’s hot.
4.35 from 134 votes

Strawberry Shortcake Cake Roll Recipe

By: Dorothy Kern
Strawberry Shortcake Cake Roll – this easy cake roll recipe is filled with fresh strawberries and cream cheese whipped cream! It’s the perfect cake for any occasion, but especially during strawberry season!
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cool time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
cake roll filled with strawberries and covered with white frosting on a cutting board.
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Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (93g) all purpose flour
  • Powdered sugar, to aid in rolling

For the Filling and Topping:

  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, (softened)
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups (474ml) cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1 pound fresh strawberries, (plus more for topping, if desired)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10×15” or 10.5×15” cake/jelly roll pan with foil and spray with floured nonstick cooking spray.
  • Place eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium speed with mixer for 5 minutes until foamy and yellow. Add sugar and mix for 2 more minutes, until the mixture is thickened slightly. Mix in oil, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, then add flour and mix slowly until just combined. Pour into prepared pan, spreading as needed with a spatula. Tap the pan twice on the counter to release air bubbles, then bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the top is browned and the cake springs back when touched lightly. (Mine took 12 minutes, but all ovens differ.)
  • While the cake is baking, lay out a clean kitchen towel onto the counter. Spread with about 1/4 cup powdered sugar.
  • Remove the hot cake from the oven and carefully, using oven mitts so you don’t burn yourself, flip the cake onto the towel. This might make a mess, but that’s okay. Carefully remove the pan and foil (they’re hot!) and then, using the towel, roll up the cake from the short side. The towel will be rolled into the cake. Let this cool completely before continuing.
  • Note: you can wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and let it sit overnight before finishing.
  • Make the filling: place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Use mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until it’s smooth and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Slowly add the heavy whipping cream, then turn the mixer up to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
  • To fill cake: wash and dry the berries very well. Slice about 3/4 of the pound into small pieces, then pat the pieces dry. Carefully unroll the cake. Spread with some of the whipped cream mixture and top with the chopped strawberries. Carefully roll the cake back up as tight as possible, unsticking it from the towel as you go. Wrap the cake roll in plastic wrap and chill until ready to top and serve.
  • To serve: frost with remaining whipped cream and remaining berries. I used a 1M tip to create roses all over the cake, but you can just frost it if you wish.
  • This cake is best eaten the day it is made, because of the fresh berries. It will last, fully made, overnight in the refrigerator (wrap it loosely) but the berries might weep a bit.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 1113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Step-by-Step Photos

process shot of pumpkin roll being made.
Beat eggs the full time until they’re fluffy.
process shot of strawberry cake roll being made.
Mix in sugar, then other ingredients.
process shot of strawberry cake roll being made.
Bake in a lined jelly roll pan.
process of gingerbread cake roll.
Make the whipped cream frosting.
process shot of strawberry cake roll being made.
Fill the cake roll.

Strawberry Favorites

Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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4.35 from 134 votes (93 ratings without comment)

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171 Comments

  1. This is my go to cake for any event. When I do it. It is gone in 10 mins. It is always asked for me to bring it. This time for Easter at an event I am going to try and make cupcakes with it. Fingers crossed it works the same

    Reply

  2. What a delight this dessert was to serve. Not only was it a feast to the eyes but to tongue as well. My guest would be surprised how easy this “elegant” treat was, to put together. Shhhhh…..

    Reply

  3. Once again this Strawberry Roll Cake was a hit Christmas Day!
    The icing is superb for this cake, if you dry your a strawberries well, you can
    Make day before. The presentation of this cake will make your guests think
    Your a high end baker. I recommend to try this cake, follow the instructions & enjoy! Watch the video too

    Reply

  4. I’ve just made this (not tasted it yet) and I struggled rolling it up again once the filling was in. I’d recommend using a larger cake tin so the sponge is larger and thinner, or using less filling so it’s easier to roll up.

    Reply

  5. I’ve now made this cake 3 times. While it’s delicious, I’ve had the same issue with the icing; it doesn’t thicken. I’ve followed the recipe, what can I do differently?

    Reply

    1. Can you let me know what kind of cream you’re using? (Brand/fat content/ is it heavy?) Another option is to beat the cream cheese with sugar and whip the cream separately then fold it in but you need to be careful not to stir it, so it doesn’t break.

      Reply

    2. I have the same problem. I wonder if using icing sugar instead of granulated. I wonder if it would change the taste.

      Reply