Mini Cake Rolls

These adorable mini cake rolls are made with a light vanilla sponge, filled with strawberry jam and fluffy mascarpone cream, then topped with cream swirls and fresh strawberries.

Sponge

• 4 eggs

• 100 g caster sugar

• 100 ml milk

• 50 ml vegetable oil

• 70 g plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp vanilla paste

• Pinch of salt

Filling

• Strawberry jam, for spreading

Mascarpone Cream

• 300 g mascarpone

• 100 g icing sugar

• 250 ml whipping cream (33–35%)

• 2 tsp vanilla paste

Decoration

• Remaining mascarpone cream

• Fresh strawberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175c (fan) Line oven baking tray (46 × 37cm) with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar until pale, thick and tripled in volume.

3. In a separate jug, combine the milk, vegetable oil and vanilla paste.

4. Add a few spoonfuls of the whipped egg mixture to the milk mixture and whisk until smooth. This helps the liquids blend more easily into the batter without deflating it.

5. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the remaining egg mixture. Gently fold until almost combined.

6. Pour in the milk mixture and continue folding until the batter is smooth and no streaks of flour remain.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and spread evenly.

8. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until lightly golden and springy to the touch.

9. Remove from the oven and immediately and flip over onto a clean parchment sheet and peel off the paper from the sponge, cover with the old parchment and then cover with a clean damp tea towel. Leave to cool completely. This helps keep the sponge soft and flexible.

10. To make the mascarpone cream, whisk together the mascarpone, icing sugar, whipping cream and vanilla paste until thick and smooth.

11. Once the sponge has cooled, spread a thin layer of strawberry jam over the entire surface.

12. Spread the mascarpone cream thin and evenly over the jam, reserving the remaining cream for decoration.

13. Using a ruler, cut the sponge into strips approximately 4–5 cm wide.

14. Roll each strip up individually to create mini cake rolls and place seam-side down on a serving plate or tray.

15. Transfer the reserved mascarpone cream to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe decorative swirls onto each cake roll.

16. Top with fresh strawberries and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Raspberry jam, mixed berry jam or lemon curd can be used instead of strawberry jam.

• The sponge can be baked a day ahead and kept covered.

• Best served chilled.