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This lemon berry cake roll is a light, fluffy sponge cake filled with tangy berry jam and a luscious lemon cream filling. It’s a show-stopping dessert that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make. Whether you’re using lingonberry jam or your favorite berry preserves, this cake is the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and creamy.
And if you love cake rolls, be sure to check out my old fashioned pumpkin roll recipe!
This post was originally published in April 2017 but has been updated with additional information to help you recreate this recipe in your own kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This Cake
This isn’t just any cake; it’s a rolled cake that combines zesty lemon flavor with a burst of berry goodness. Here’s why it’s a must-try!
- Light & airy sponge cake – The batter is made with whipped egg whites, giving it a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Tangy berry jam – Lingonberry jam is slightly tart, but raspberry, strawberry, or blackberry jam would work beautifully too.
- Decadent lemon cream filling – A touch of lemon curd mixed into whipped cream makes the filling extra rich and flavorful.
- Perfect for any occasion – This cake is ideal for spring gatherings, Easter, or any time you want a fresh and elegant dessert.
Variations & Substitutions
- Switch up the jam – Raspberry, strawberry, or blueberry jam all pair beautifully with lemon.
- Make it extra citrusy – Add more lemon zest to the cake batter for an extra burst of flavor.
- Sweeten up the filling – You can add some powdered sugar to the heavy cream if you like things a bit sweeter.
Step-by-Step Process
Making a cake roll is easier than you think! Always refer to the recipe card below, but here’s the basic process:
1. Make the Sponge Cake
- Whisk the egg yolks with sugar, oil, and lemon extract.
- Beat the egg whites until glossy peaks form, then fold into the yolk mixture.
- Gently fold in flour, baking powder, and salt to keep the batter light.
- Bake in a 15×10-inch pan at 375°F for 10–12 minutes.
2. Roll & Cool the Cake
- Lay out a parchment-lined towel dusted with powdered sugar.
- Flip the warm cake onto the towel, peel off the baking parchment, and roll it up while warm.
- Let it cool completely – this helps it hold its shape without cracking.
3. Prepare the Filling
- Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form, then fold in lemon curd for a creamy citrus filling.
4. Fill & Roll
- Gently unroll the cooled cake and spread on a layer of berry jam, followed by lemon cream.
- Carefully roll it back up, removing any excess filling that squeezes out.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Learn From Me: Tips for Success
I’ve made homemade cake rolls several times and they can be frustrating if you don’t know what you’re doing. Here are some tips that work well.
- Use a clean kitchen towel for rolling – This prevents the cake from sticking and helps it keep its shape.
- Be gentle when folding in the flour – Overmixing can deflate the airy batter.
- Don’t skip the cooling process – Rolling the cake while warm sets its shape, but let it fully cool before adding the filling.
- Chill before slicing – This makes it easier to cut clean slices without the filling spilling out.
Storage Tips
This cake is definitely best enjoyed fresh, but will still taste great as long as all of the air is prevented from drying it out.
- Freeze for longer storage – Wrap any leftover cake or slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Lemon Dessert Ideas
I absolutely love homemade lemon desserts. There’s just something extraordinary about that sweet tart flavor. Here are a few favorites I thought you might enjoy.
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Ingredients
To make the cake
- 4 eggs separated
- 3/4 cup sugar divided
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
For the filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon curd
- 10 ounces lingonberry jam can use any kind of berry jam
Instructions
- Line a 15 inch x 10 inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease the paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F
- Using a stand mixer and the whisk attachment, beat the yolks from the 4 eggs until lemon-colored. With the mixer running, gradually beat in less than half of the 3/4 cup sugar, reserving the rest for the next step. Scrape sides and stir in 1 tablespoon canola oil and 1 teaspoon lemon extract. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer and the whisk attachment again, beat remaining egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add the remaining sugar in a slow steady stream. Continue to beat until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gently fold into egg yolk mixture.
- In separate bowl, combine the 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt; fold into egg mixture.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. It will puff up a great deal while baking but will fall during cooling process.
- While cake is cooking, lay out a long piece of parchment paper, covered in a clean kitchen town, topped with another piece of parchment. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
- After you remove cake from oven, allow cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn cake onto the parchment paper that's dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off the parchment paper the cake was cooked on. Roll up cake in parchment paper covered towel, starting with a short side, adding more Confectioners’ sugar as you roll. Cool completely on a wire rack. The reason for having the towel embedded is to allow the cake to cool in the rolled shape with room for the filling.
- For the filling, use stand mixer with whisk attachment to whip 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Mix in 1 tablespoon lemon curd.
- Gently unroll cake. Cover with 10 ounces lingonberry jam, then cover with the lemon cream you made. Roll back into shape removing any excess filling that might squeeze out as your roll.
- Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family is from Europe so I grew up with desserts that are less sweet than what we often have in the US. This is the perfect combination of sweet and tart, creamy and moist.. Cake rolls can be tricky but the instructions are excellent! Wrapping in plastic wrap after it was done was a great suggestion. The cake stayed super moist in the fridge for a few days. For those poor souls who can’t find Lingonberries, I suspect other jams will do. But do search for them- such a great flavor! Thanks so much.
This was amazing and will be my go to summer dessert. You instructions were great. Cake rolls are best to be made with ample time as the whipping of the eggs and the cream can sometimes go slowly (or sometimes not- one never knows!), but I find the process enjoyable. I just make sure to not try to rush it.
I got so many compliments on this! Thanks for posting and for promoting the mighty Lingonberry.
I like anything with fruit. That includes jam of course. I’ve never tried lingonberries but your cake roll looks delicious.
I have company coming for dinner on Monday. Now all I have to do is find this jam.
This looks yummy! I just used lingonberry jam on some potato dumplings I made! It’s so good! Love how it’s not overly sweet!