A mouth-watering cake that combines fresh summer fruits with sweet sponge and creamy filling. Seriously moreish and utterly delectable! The basil gives it a bit of oomph that’s unusual in a cake but oh so good! Food writer and recipe developer Ally Mitchell’s strawberry, raspberry and basil roulade is a total winner!
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Ingredients
6 eggs separated
200 g sugar
160 g flour
100 g strawberries hulled
60 g raspberries
100 g mascarpone
1 tbsp sugar
4 basil leaves
100 ml double cream for garnish
Raspberries, strawberries and basil for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F. Line a 23 x 33cm (9 x 13 in) baking tray with baking parchment, making sure there is some paper overhanging the two ends.
Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks. With electric beaters, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick, around 5 minutes.
Fold half of the flour into the egg yolks and sugar mixture then half the egg whites, then repeat. Pour it all gently over the lined baking tray and push it to the corners. Tap the tray against the kitchen counter to release any air, then put it in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
Once risen and golden, remove from the oven and immediately turn the cake out onto a damp tea towel. Remove the tray and peel off the baking paper. Working quickly, gently roll up the roulade, wrapping the towel inside and around the roll. Leave to cool.
Chop the berries into small pieces. In a bowl, beat the mascarpone until smooth. Add the chopped berries, the sugar, and tear the basil leaves into small shreds and add them to the bowl. Fold it all together until the mascarpone is light pink.
Once the roulade is cool, carefully unroll it, keeping it on the tea towel. Spread the filling over the surface, leaving a section at the furthest end of the roll clear so that it doesn’t overflow when rolled up. Gently re-roll, taking care not to push the cream out the sides. Once back in a tight roll, the roulade is ready to garnish.
Whip the double cream into firm peaks. Either fill a piping bag or use a spoon to place dollops down the centre of the roulade. Top the cream with the raspberries, strawberries and basil.
Ally Mitchell is a food blogger and freelance food writer. Rarely thinking about anything else, food is her priority, and since moving from the UK to Toulouse, she has been greedily sampling the delicious cuisine of the region. Her stories of life in France and easy fuss-free recipes can be found on her Substack newsletter From France, With Love. Find her free recipe book ‘Easy Elevenses: Bakes to See You Through Until Lunchtime’ here.
