Chocolate Covered Strawberry Roll Cake
Ingredients:
**For the Cake:**
– 4 large eggs, separated
– 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
– 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
– 1/4 tsp salt
– 1/2 tsp baking powder
– 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted and cooled
– Red food coloring (optional)
– Powdered sugar, for dusting
**For the Cheesecake Filling:**
– 8 oz cream cheese, softened
– 1/2 cup powdered sugar
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 cup heavy cream
**For the Strawberry Topping:**
– 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
– 2 tbsp granulated sugar
– 1 tbsp lemon juice
– 1 tbsp water
– 1 tsp cornstarch
Directions:
1. **Prepare the Cake:**
– Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
– In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar and vanilla extract until thick and pale.
– Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder, then fold this into the egg mixture until well combined.
– Gently fold the melted milk chocolate chips into the batter. For a fun twist, add a few drops of red food coloring if desired.
– In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter.
– Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
– Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
2. **Roll the Cake:**
– Once baked, remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
– Carefully invert the cake onto a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake up in the towel, starting from the short end. Let cool completely.
3. **Make the Cheesecake Filling:**
– In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
– In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture until well blended.
4. **Prepare the Strawberry Topping:**
– In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, water, and cornstarch. Stir gently until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat and let it cool.
5. **Assemble the Cake:**
– Unroll the cooled cake carefully and spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the surface.
– Roll the cake back up without the towel, placing the seam side down. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
– Before serving, top the cake with the cooled strawberry mixture and dust with powdered sugar for a lovely finish.
Your mouthwatering Chocolate Covered Strawberry Roll Cake is ready to impress! Dig in and savor every delightful bite!
