Blackberry Lemon Cake Roll with Whipped Cream
A blackberry lemon cake roll brings fruit and whipped cream into a thin sponge rather than a tall layer cake.
A blackberry lemon cake roll brings fruit and whipped cream into a thin sponge rather than a tall layer cake. Lemon zest flavours the cake itself, and halved blackberries provide small pockets of fruit throughout the spiral. Rolling the sponge while warm teaches it the shape it will hold once filled. Let it cool completely before adding cream. Wet berries can stain and loosen the filling, so dry them carefully after washing.
Recipe at a glance
Yield: 10 slices. Prep: 35 minutes. Cook: 12 minutes. Total: 137 minutes, including 90 minutes of additional resting, cooling, chilling or draining where stated. Times are estimates; follow the doneness checks.
Equipment
25 × 35 cm Swiss roll tin, mixer, baking paper, clean towel, refrigerator.
Ingredients and directions
Recipe card
Blackberry Lemon Cake Roll with Whipped Cream
Equipment: 25 × 35 cm Swiss roll tin, mixer, baking paper, clean towel, refrigerator.
Ingredients
Instructions
Whip the sponge
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 25 × 35 cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper. Beat eggs and caster sugar for 7–9 minutes until thick ribbons remain briefly on the surface.
Fold and bake
Sift flour and salt over the foam in two additions. Fold gently with lemon zest. Spread evenly in the tin and bake 10–12 minutes until pale golden and springy.
Roll warm
Dust a clean towel with 2 tablespoons icing sugar. Turn the warm sponge onto it, remove the paper and roll from a short edge with the towel inside. Cool for 30 minutes.
Fill
Whip cream with 25 g icing sugar to medium peaks. Carefully unroll the cooled sponge, spread cream leaving a 2 cm border and scatter dried blackberries. Roll up without the towel.
Chill and slice
Place seam-side down, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Trim the ends if desired and cut ten slices with a sharp knife.
Doneness checks
Sponge springs back lightly and has no wet batter; chilled filling forms a visible spiral.
Helpful tips
- Fold flour from the bottom of the bowl to find hidden pockets.
- Spread batter right into the tin corners.
- Roll the cake while warm before its edges stiffen.
- Dry the blackberries before adding them to cream.
Troubleshooting
- Overbaking makes a thin sponge dry. Roll it promptly while warm, and stop baking when it springs back.
- Fold flour from the bottom of the bowl to find hidden pockets.
Serving ideas
- Serve cold in spiral slices.
- Offer extra berries in a separate bowl.
- Pair with plain tea.
- Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.
Substitutions
Raspberries can replace blackberries. Keep the fruit weight unchanged and handle soft berries gently.
Variation
Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream for a softer flavour beside the lemon.
Make ahead
Bake and pre-roll the sponge earlier in the day. Fill and chill at least an hour before serving.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate covered and use within 2 days for best texture. Do not leave the cream-filled roll at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Food safety
Use clean utensils and wash produce. Keep perishable ingredients refrigerated at 4°C (40°F) or below. Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly, within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C (90°F).
Frequently asked questions
Why did the cake crack?
Overbaking makes a thin sponge dry. Roll it promptly while warm, and stop baking when it springs back.
Can I fill it while warm?
No. Warm sponge melts whipped cream; let the rolled cake cool completely first.
How to tell when it is ready
Sponge springs back lightly and has no wet batter; chilled filling forms a visible spiral.
Tips
- Fold flour from the bottom of the bowl to find hidden pockets.
- Spread batter right into the tin corners.
- Roll the cake while warm before its edges stiffen.
- Dry the blackberries before adding them to cream.
Troubleshooting
- Overbaking makes a thin sponge dry. Roll it promptly while warm, and stop baking when it springs back.
- Fold flour from the bottom of the bowl to find hidden pockets.
Substitutions
- Raspberries can replace blackberries. Keep the fruit weight unchanged and handle soft berries gently.
Variations
- Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cream for a softer flavour beside the lemon.
Serving suggestions
- Serve cold in spiral slices.
- Offer extra berries in a separate bowl.
- Pair with plain tea.
- Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.
Make ahead
Bake and pre-roll the sponge earlier in the day. Fill and chill at least an hour before serving.
Storage
Refrigerate covered and use within 2 days for best texture. Do not leave the cream-filled roll at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Food safety
Use clean utensils and wash produce. Keep perishable ingredients refrigerated at 4°C (40°F) or below. Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly, within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C (90°F).
Frequently asked questions
Why did the cake crack?
Overbaking makes a thin sponge dry. Roll it promptly while warm, and stop baking when it springs back.
Can I fill it while warm?
No. Warm sponge melts whipped cream; let the rolled cake cool completely first.
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