Mango Strawberry Roulade

Treating ourselves to an easy-peasy Mango Strawberry Roulade right in the middle of the week. That’s just how we roll… get it? 😛

When I was little, Swiss rolls were bought from the store quite often. It was a bit of a ritual; while on a grocery run with our parents, my brother and I would wander off to the chilled aisles and cruise through our options (quickly, before mom finds us!).

What would be our treat for the month – chocolate muffins, packaged cream caramel, berry yogurt, mini Swiss rolls or ice cream? We’d grab a pack of the chosen one, then go find our parents and have this whole discussion about why we absolutely, totally, completely must have it! 😛

Mini Swiss rolls often won. They came in packs of 6 and my brother and I would feast on them; not more than one a day, as per mom’s instructions. I remember thinking I had found a loophole in this rule; I’d sneak into the kitchen when everyone was napping in the afternoon, quickly scarf one down, then get back into my bed to pretend I was asleep the whole time. It never dawned on me then, that they could see there were rolls missing in the pack!

It wasn’t until when I was in 8th grade that I was first introduced to the idea of making a roulade/ Swiss roll/ jelly roll! (So many names, so much awesomeness!) There was a book fair in town (swoon) and my Dad thought it was a good idea to get me a cake decorating book. In it there lay a step-by-step guide on how to fill and roll a roulade and make it pretty with swirls and twirls of frosting.

I was smitten, and I loved reading the book and looking at the pictures. I was fascinated by the things I could do if I only learned how to wield a piping bag. But I thought they made it look easier than it was, so I steered clear, never actually making a roulade.

Until I conjured up an image of this Mango Strawberry Roulade in my head a few nights ago. The next morning, after scouring the internet, this recipe from BBC GoodFood Middle East caught my eye. And then I simply HAD to make it. I love how I’m attempting to create delicacies I never would have if not for the May Mango Mania series. Are you loving it too, Dear Reader? 🙂

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how crazy EASY it is to make this cake? And how much lesser time it takes to come together as compared to layer cakes? (We’re talking about cake, how can I not mention this ultimate Eggless Chocolate Cake that you need in your life?)

Picture this, 15 minutes to put the batter together, during which the oven preheats; 10-12 minutes to bake; 10 minutes of cooling and then the first roll; then 30 minutes till the sponge cools completely, during which you can prep the filling. And just 5 minutes till the roulade is filled, rolled and ready to eat! How cool is that? A filled and prettied-up cake in under 1.5 hours. That sounds pretty great to me!

Without further ado, here’s what you need:

For the Sponge:

• Eggs – 3, large
• Caster Sugar – 80 g
• All Purpose Flour – 85 g
• Baking Powder – 1 tsp
• Vanilla Extract – 2 & 1/2 tsp

For the Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Filling:

• Cream Cheese – 180 g
• Whipping Cream – 100 ml
• Icing Sugar – 3 tbsp
• Vanilla Extract – 1/2 tsp

To assemble:

• Icing Sugar – for dusting
• Mango – 1, large, cubed
• Strawberries – 1/2 cup, diced

Here’s how you make this fabulous Mango Strawberry Roulade:

• Make the Roulade batter: Pre heat the oven to 180 °C/356 °F. Grease and line a 30*24 cm rectangular Swiss roll tin. In a bowl, beat the sugar and eggs for 5-8 minutes, until the mixture is thick, fluffy and of ribbony consistency. Sift in the flour and baking powder and add in the vanilla extract. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined.
• Bake the Roulade: Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and even out the surface with an offset spatula. Pop it into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until just springy to the touch. Leave on the counter to cool for 10 minutes.
• Shape the Roulade: When the roulade has cooled for 10 minutes, dust the surface generously with icing sugar. Place a large sheet of parchment paper on top of the sponge, then carefully but swiftly flip it over. Gently peel off the bottom piece of parchment paper. Beginning with the shorter side, gently start rolling the roulade with the parchment paper away from you, making sure the roll is tight. Roll all the way through, then align the seam at the bottom and leave it to cool rolled up for 30 minutes. (This step helps mold the cake into the shape of a roll and must be done when warm as the cake is still pretty pliable.)
• Make the Filling: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract until the frosting is light and soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Fill the Roulade: Gently unroll the roulade and generously spread the cream cheese whipped cream over it, leaving about an inch at the sides. Scatter the diced mango and strawberries all over the cream.
• Roll the Roulade: Starting with the shorter edge of the sponge, gently lift and roll the roulade tightly away from you. Ensure you lift and roll at every turn as you don’t want the filling to get pushed out at one end. Roll the roulade all the way through, then dust with icing sugar and it’s ready to serve! It can also be served chilled.

This Mango Strawberry Roulade is the textbook definition of delicate; and beautifully, at that! The light and airy sponge cake filled with an ample cream cheese whipped cream and fresh mangoes and strawberries – what could possibly go wrong?

The sponge is soft, melt-in-the-mouth and subtly sweet, holding its own while enveloping the filling between its folds, uniting to make magical mouthfuls. The cream cheese whipped cream is a star all on its own, but pair it with the springy gait of the cake, ripe mango and tart strawberries, and you’re in summer heaven!

What I love most about this Mango Strawberry Roulade is that it does not have to be a Mango Strawberry Roulade; it can be an Anything Roulade for you. This dessert is so versatile and customizable. Use the sponge cake recipe as is, or add some citrus zest or a helping of cocoa to tweak the flavours.

Fill it with anything you like – Nutella, chocolate ganache, whipped cream, buttercream, this knock-your-socks-off lemon curd, passion fruit pulp, this so-amazing-it’s-unbelievable raspberry sauce/jam. Literally ANYTHING that you want to fill it with. Fruits and nuts are great additions too. And there you have it, a showstopper that you’ll be proud to serve up at afternoon tea, a summer soiree or a shindig!  🙂

Tips to make it your own kind of awesome:

• Whipping the eggs and the sugar until the mixture is thick and ribbony is what makes the sponge cake airy, light and flexible. Do not rush at this point. Give it time, the full 5-8 minutes to reach a voluminous, ribbony consistency.
• Gently folding the flour, baking powder and vanilla extract into the wet mixture is very important. Do not beat the batter or mix it quickly. Gently incorporate the dry ingredients, ensuring that you aren’t beating the air out of the batter.
• The sponge cake is eggy. It can be really eggy with an off-putting smell if you don’t use the prescribed amount of vanilla extract. If vanilla’s not your jam, any other flavouring would do, or about 2 tablespoons of lemon/orange zest should do the trick!
• It’s important to stick to the timeline in the recipe in order to roll the roulade perfectly. If you’re still a bit confused about how to roll it, this video by Southern Living featuring Whitney Wright will answer all your questions. I know I’m breaking a cardinal blogging rule here by redirecting you to another site, but hey, I really want you to be able to make a roulade without a hitch and to see how easy it is to do so.

I LOVE a good cake, don’t you, Dear Reader? And this Mango Strawberry Roulade definitely aces the brief! Don’t believe me? Make it yourself and be amazed! ❤

Want to Pin This recipe for later? Here you go…

Psst… If you’d like to, you could come check me out on Pinterest! I pin a tonne of fun stuff – chocolate, lots of dessert, easy weeknight recipes; and home decor (I’m obsessed with home office spaces!)😛

Also, for regular updates on what’s happening in The Foodscape kitchen, follow me on Instagram at @thefoodscape! You’ll love all the deliciousness there, I promise! ❤