Strawberry Swiss Roll Cake

I want to express, I know it’s still cold out, but I am hoping this strawberry Swiss roll cake brings about a lovely spring. A bite of this and you will be transported to a happier place, where the cold isn’t so, well… cold, and the birds are chirping, the sun is shining and the flowers are just blooming. Is that too much to ask from a cake? Why don’t you try it yourself and tell me whether it reminds you of the spring/ summer.

Preparation Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients

Cake

3/4 cup/ 95 grams flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

3/4 cup/ 150 grams sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons oil

Filling

300 grams strawberries- chopped

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

Icing sugar- for dusting

Whipped cream

Strawberries- to serve

Instructions

1. Prepare cake: Preheat oven to 180c. Line 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

3. In a clean bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3-4 minutes until light and pale.

4. Add oil and mix through again.

5. Sift in the dry ingredients then fold them in until just combined.

6. Pour the mixture into the parchment lined baking tray.

7. Bake at 180c for 12-14 minutes until the cake bounces back and a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Generously dust a tea towel with icing sugar. Once the cake comes out of the oven, immediately flip it onto the tea towel. Remove the parchment paper from the cake and begin rolling the cake tightly, beginning from the narrow end. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature.

9. For the jam: combine all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

10. Place all the ingredients in a pan and bring it to a simmer. Cook it on a low heat for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Continuously stir to prevent it from burning. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

11. Unroll the cake gently and spread the jam over the cake. Top with whipped cream and top that with sliced strawberries. Roll the cake back up again, making sure the seam of the cake is at the bottom. This stops the cake from unrolling again.

12. Wrap the cake in the tea towel again. Chill for 1 hour.

13. Once ready to serve, dust the top with icing sugar and serve with sliced strawberries.