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With plump blueberries and raspberries appearing in the market, it was time to resurrect this Dorie Greenspan Berry Mascarpone Roulade recipe!

This French Cake Roll is a sponge cake rolled around a sweet, delectable mascarpone cream dotted with fresh, plump berries.

Berry Roulade | A jellyroll made with a sponge cake rolled around mascarpone cream and fresh berries.
Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Must Make
2 Ingredient Notes
3 How to Make a Sponge Cake Roll
4 Frequently Asked Questions
5 You May Also Like:
6 Berry Roulade Recipe

Why You Must Make

  • This recipe is from Dorie Greenspan, one of my favorite cookbook authors.
  • When sliced, it makes a beautiful presentation, worthy of company.
  • The combination of tender spongecake, sweet, creamy filling and plump ripe berries is fabulous!!

When I moved my blog from Blogger to Wordpress a few years ago, there were a few casualties. A couple of my posts disappeared and by the time I realized the problem, I only had the photos and vague memories of the process.

Blame it on old age! So after a lackluster brownie recipe attempt this week, I decided to scour the market for some sweet, ripe berries and remake this Dorie Greenspan jelly roll recipe.

Berry Roulade on a white serving tray with a garnish of fresh berries.

Ingredient Notes

  • Kitchen Staples – Flour, Cornstarch, Salt, Sugar, Powdered Sugar
  • Eggs – Use large eggs and separate when cold to minimize the chance of the yolks breaking. Let both the yolks and whites come to room temperature for easy incorporation along with more volume when whipping the whites.
  • Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla extract, not imitation. I recommend the Nielsen-Massey brand.
  • Mascarpone Cheese – A rich, buttery double or triple cream cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy.
  • Whipping Cream or Heavy Cream – Should have milkfat of 36-40%. It doubles in volume when whipped.
  • Fresh Blueberries or Raspberries – A pint of either or half a pint of both.

How to Make a Sponge Cake Roll 

  • This cake is a simple sponge, like what’s used to make ladyfingers.
  • Whipped, sweetened egg whites are folded into the yolks along with sifted flour and cornstarch.
  • Baked in a sheet pan, the cake is then rolled in a powdered sugar-sprinkled towel to set the shape while still warm from the oven.
  • When I made this berry roulade for our French Fridays with Dorie group, I filled the cake with the mascarpone cream and sprinkled the filling with raspberries on one side and blueberries on the other before rolling up this jelly roll cake.
  • There is one, to be nameless member of my household that won’t eat blueberries unless they’re cooked in pie, so accommodations must be made. Dorie’s recipe for this sponge cake roll called to poach the berries, but fresh berries worked swimmingly. And the one who doesn’t like blueberries thought his raspberry slice was just peachy! I think you will, too!
Slices of Berry Roulade on a square white plate with fresh berries to garnish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Roulade?

Roulade is a French term for a thin slice of meat rolled around a savory filling. It also refers to a souffle-type batter baked in a jelly roll pan, then topped with a filling before being rolled up “jelly-roll fashion.”

Is a Jelly Roll the same as a Roulade?

Jelly rolls were first made in the 1800s by topping a thin sponge cake with jam, jelly, whipped cream or frosting before rolling into a cylinder. They are typically sprinkled with powdered sugar instead of being frosted. The British call a jelly roll a Swiss roll. A roulade can be sweet or savory. A jelly roll is a type of roulade, but roulades also include meat rolled around filling, which is then baked or braised in a flavorful liquid like wine or stock.

How Do You Store a Roulade?

When a roulade has a perishable filling, it shouldn’t be left out at room temperature for longer than two hours. To store, cover well with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out, then keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cake may start to absorb some liquid from the filling if kept longer.

You May Also Like:

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Berry Roulade Recipe
The Recipe:

Berry Roulade Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 10 servings

This jellyroll cake, or roulade, is a sponge rolled around mascarpone cream and fresh berries.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ⅛ teaspoon of salt
  • 6 eggs, separated, at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

For the filling:

  • ½ cup mascarpone
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup whipping cream

To assemble:

  • 1-pint blueberries or raspberries, or half of each

Instructions

  1. To make the roulade, preheat the oven to 400. Line a 12×17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Sift the flour, cornstarch and salt onto a piece of parchment paper.
  3. Put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the whites until they are just starting to hold their shape. Slowly pour in the sugar and beat on high speed for another couple of minutes till the meringue is very firm.
  4. Put the yolks in a separate bowl with ½ teaspoon of vanilla and whisk until smooth.
  5. Whisk about ¼ of the meringue into the yolks. Scrape the yolks onto the meringue and then put the dry ingredients on top of them. Gently fold all of the ingredients together, but do not overmix. Pour the batter onto the prepared pan and spread evenly.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the sponge is puffed and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack.
  7. Dust a kitchen towel with powdered sugar and invert the cake onto the sugared cloth. Carefully peel away the parchment paper.
  8. Place the cake so that there is a long side closest to you, and roll the cake up in the towel. Allow to cool.
  9. Put the mascarpone in a bowl and sift the powdered sugar over it. Gently whisk the two together and then stir in the vanilla.
  10. Whip the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until it holds firm peaks. Stir a quarter of the cream into the mascarpone to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest.
  11. To assemble the cake, unroll it. Spread the filling evenly over the cake, leaving an inch perimeter without any topping. Evenly disperse the berries over the filling. Use the towel to help you lift and roll the cake, starting with the long side farthest from you and finishing so that the seam is on the bottom. Trim off both ends with a serrated knife. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before slicing.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 162mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 6g

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© Liz Berg
Cuisine: American, French / Category: Cakes