Description
This Lemon Blueberry Cake Roll is a light, fluffy sponge cake filled with a creamy lemon-flavored whipped cream and cream cheese mixture, studded with fresh blueberries. It’s a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness, rolled into an elegant dessert that’s ideal for special occasions or a delightful teatime treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 8 large eggs, separated
- 1½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (or cake flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (for dusting towel)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking pan: Spray a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom, place it in the pan, then lightly spray and dust with flour to prevent sticking.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the sponge cake.
- Beat egg whites: In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat the egg whites, gradually adding 1 cup of granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside carefully.
- Beat egg yolks: In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until foamy. Slowly add ½ cup granulated sugar while continuing to mix until combined and pale.
- Add flavor and oil: Whisk in lemon extract and vegetable oil into the egg yolks mixture until fully incorporated.
- Combine mixtures: Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolks mixture, maintaining the airy texture.
- Mix dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Fold dry ingredients: Carefully fold the dry mix into the egg mixture until just combined, taking care not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, filling it about three-quarters full to avoid cracking when rolled.
- Bake cake: Place the pan on the oven’s center rack and bake for about 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking to keep the cake soft and flexible.
- Roll cake to cool: Once out of the oven, immediately invert the cake onto a clean dishtowel dusted with powdered sugar. Leave the parchment paper attached. Roll the cake with the towel, seam side down, and place on a cooling rack until completely cool.
- Prepare filling: In a bowl, beat cream cheese with ½ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream gently.
- Assemble the roll: Carefully unroll the cooled cake and peel off the parchment paper. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the cake surface. Sprinkle lemon zest and scatter fresh blueberries on top. Roll the cake back up tightly with the seam side down. Refrigerate for at least one hour to set before slicing.
Notes
- Do not overbake the cake to prevent cracking when rolling.
- Filling should be spread evenly but not too thick to avoid squeezing out during rolling.
- Using fresh blueberries adds a nice burst of flavor and texture; frozen can be used but pat dry first.
- Chilling the cake roll helps it hold its shape while slicing.
- You can substitute lemon extract with fresh lemon juice for a more natural lemon flavor, but reduce liquid from other sources.
