I’ve become a little obsessed with this lemon sponge cake and am finding new applications for it weekly. Right now I’m loving using it as a base for this Lemon Sponge Roll + Mascarpone Cream & Strawberries! Cake rolls are the perfect dessert – easy to make, they are even easier to make beautiful. Pipe a little cream on top, add fresh fruit and flowers and you have yourself a fairytale dessert.
The lemon sponge itself is so very tender and is happily enveloped in a whipped cream/mascarpone cheese blend that is studded with bits of fresh strawberry. This is a perfect make ahead dessert as it holds up well in the fridge for a day or two thanks to the mascarpone helping to give the whipped cream a little structural support. Strawberries are perfect for this cake, but really any fruit works beautifully.
ITEMS USED TO MAKE THIS CAKE:
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- FOR THE SPONGE CAKE;
- 8 large eggs, separated
- ⅔ cup + 2 tablespoons + 1½ tablespoons Raw Cane Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- zest of 1 large Lemon
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon All-purpose Flour
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- Powdered Sugar, for dusting
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
- ½ cup Raw Cane Sugar
- 8 ounces Mascarpone Cheese
- 1 cup Strawberries, diced
- Strawberries, cut in fourths, to garnish
- FOR THE SPONGE CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet (1/2 sheet pan) with parchment paper(parchment should hang over the sides).
- Place the egg whites in a large bowl and bead on medium/high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add in 1½ tablespoons of sugar . Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set whipped egg whites aside.
- In another large bowl, using the same beaters you used to beat the egg whites, beat the egg yolks with the remaining ⅔ cup + 2 tablespoons of sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Beat for about 3 minutes, or until the egg yolks have thickened and turned a pale yellow.
- Sift the flour over the egg yolk mixture and fold in until just barely combined.
- Add ⅓ of the beaten egg whites to the yolk mixture and fold in just until incorporated. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until the batter is smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the top of the cake is just golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar and cover the cake completely with a clean tea towel. Flip the cake over so that it is on top of the towel and remove the baking sheet. Carefully peel the parchment paper off of the cake. Trim any edges as needed to keep the cake lines clean and straight. Starting at the shorter edge of the cake, roll up the cake(along with the towel) and set the rolled cake aside to cool(it will be completely enveloped by the towel.
- Once the cake is cool, unroll gently.
- Spread cake evenly with the strawberry studded filling. Starting at the shorter end, carefully roll up into a log shape with the seam of the cake at the bottom. Place on a serving dish. Pipe the remaining cream on top in swirls, top with quartered strawberries, and dust with powdered sugar.
- Keep refrigerated until service.
- Cut into slices and enjoy!
- FOR THE FILLING:
- Place the whipping cream and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add in the mascarpone cheese and beat until combined and smooth. Place ⅓ of the cream in a separate bowl and set aside(for piping on top of roll).
- Fold the strawberries into the remaining ⅔ cup of cream.
