Lemon Blueberry Jelly Cake Roll
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A fresh summer take on a classic jelly cake roll, today’s Blueberry Lemon Cake Roll features a soft lemon-vanilla sponge cake rolled with lemon whipped cream and fresh blueberries. It’s deceptively easy to make and perfect for special summer occasions when lemons and blueberries are at their peak.
Lemon Roll Cake Recipe
I don’t know when my tastebuds changed, but now if given the choice of an indulgent chocolate dessert or a fresh lemon treat, I’m going to opt for lemon nearly every time.
While we have many lemon cakes on the site (from my daughter’s Royal Wedding-inspired Lemon Elderflower Cake, to a classic Lemon Layer Cake, our recent Lemon Sheet Cake and a few half dozen more), I can’t believe I left out one of my favorite cake formats: a Simple Lemon Jelly Roll Cake!
My first time making a jelly roll cake was a bit messy and resulted in a couple cracks in cake layer (due to not rolling it fast enough after removing from the oven), but once you’ve made one or two, you’ll be shocked at how easy these elegant desserts are to make at home.
This easy lemon jelly roll cake results in a light and spongy lemon-vanilla cake layer that wraps around a fluffy lemon cream with a gentle tang studded with bursts of juicy, tart blueberries that help cut through the richness of the filling. It’s delicate and lightly sweet with a gorgeous presentation that makes it look way more intricate that it really is.
Our blueberry lemon cake roll features a soft vanilla sponge filled with lemon whipped cream and fresh blueberries, creating a light, citrus-forward dessert perfect for spring and summer entertaining. Easy to make ahead and slice, it is a visually impressive jelly roll cake with bright flavor and a tender crumb.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Jelly Roll Cake Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Jelly Roll Cake Recipe- Light sponge and creamy filling create a balanced texture that is not overly heavy, perfect for a light summer dessert.
- Bright lemon flavor complements sweet blueberries without overpowering them.
- Elegant presentation with minimal decorating effort – once you make one jelly cake, they will be super easy to whip up whenever you want an elegant dessert that looks fancy while being low-fuss.
Snackable History Fact: Despite the name “Swiss Roll,” jelly rolls actually have no roots in Switzerland but rather Central Europe (Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Germany) – the English gave it the “Swiss Roll” moniker. In the mid-1800s, the cake made it’s way to America where by the end of the century it became a staple of Southern baking.
Recipe FAQs
The cake was likely overbaked or cooled too long before rolling. Roll it while still warm to set the shape.
Yes, prepare and roll the cake up to 24 hours in advance and keep it chilled.
Fresh is best for texture, but thawed and well-drained frozen berries can work if excess moisture is removed. (They might not be as pretty for scattering over the finished cake, but you can alternatively cook them down to a blueberry topping and drizzle over top.)
Do not overmix the whipped cream with lemon curd, and avoid overly juicy berries.
A standard jelly roll pan, about 10 x 15 inches, ensures proper thickness for rolling.
If you don’t have a jelly roll pan, a rimmed half-sheet pan is a great swap.
A 9″ x 13″ pan is not ideal, but can work in a pinch if you watch the bake closely and expect a thicker, more delicate cake layer. If the batter is spread thinner than usual, start checking early so it does not overbake and crack when rolled.
Yes, you can freeze the cake layer. The best approach is to freeze it after baking and rolling the sponge (before adding the filling), wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it for up to 1 month. I do not recommend freezing the filled cake as it will be soggy once thawed.
Homemade Jelly Cake Roll Recipe Video
Check out our quick recipe video to see just how easy it is to make a jelly cake roll for yourself (this video is from our Pecan Pie Cake Roll recipe) – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe card:
Lemon Cake Roll Ingredients
Lemon Cake Roll IngredientsVanilla Sponge Cake Ingredients:
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Hot water
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon Zest, optional
- All-purpose flour, sifted
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Powdered confectioner’s sugar
Lemon Whipped Filling Ingredients:
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered confectioner’s sugar
- Lemon curd <– grab our homemade lemon curd recipe here
- Blueberries, divided
Optional Garnish Ingredients:
- Powdered confectioner’s sugar
- Blueberries, as desired to decorate
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: swap out the blueberries for any favorite fruit or leave out for a plain lemon jelly cake roll.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Jelly Roll Pan
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Sifter
- Parchment Paper
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty
How to Make a Lemon Jelly Cake Roll
How to Make a Lemon Jelly Cake RollPreheat oven to 375F. Line a jelly roll pan with buttered foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, gradually adding a cup of granulated sugar. Beat until they are pale and thick, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in water, vanilla extract and optional lemon zest.
Sift in flour, baking powder and salt and fold batter together. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan.
Bake for 15 minutes. Cake will be springy to the touch and start to shrink away from the sides of the pan.
Lay out a sheet of parchment paper slightly longer than the cake and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Remove the foil or parchment paper from the baked cake and trim away any overly baked, crusty edges of the cake (be careful not to trim too much).
Roll the cake up in the parchment paper (or a kitchen towel) sprinkled with powder sugar. Allow to cool as you prepare the filling.
Using an electric mixer, whip heavy whipping cream on high until cream is thick, about 4-5 minutes. Use a spatula to fold in powdered sugar and lemon curd until well combined.
Unroll cake and spread the lemon cream filling over the cake. Add blueberries over the top of the filling. (You can reserve a bit of the filling to spread over the finished cake, as we did, or add all of it as filling.)
Re-coat the parchment paper or kitchen towel with powdered sugar and tightly roll the cake back up in it, then refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake to garnish (or slather with remaining filling, if desired). Add blueberries to the top, again, if desired.
To cleanly slice the cake, run hot water over a knife and wipe dry before slicing straight through. Rinse in hot water and dry knife in between cutting each slice. This allows for a cleaner slice.
Lemon Jelly Cake Roll Recipe Variations:
- Swap blueberries for raspberries or blackberries for a tart flavor profile or based on your personal preferences.
- Add finely grated lemon zest to the sponge for a more pronounced citrus aroma and flavor. (This is an optional step in the recipe but really helps bring the lemon flavor throughout.) You can also add 1 teaspoon of lemon flavor extract to enhance the lemon flavor.
- Fold 1/4 cup of mascarpone into the whipped cream for a slightly richer, more stable filling.
- Brush the sponge lightly with a lemon simple syrup before filling to boost moisture and flavor.
- Create a vanilla almond version by adding 1/4 teaspoon almond extract to the batter and topping with sliced almonds.
Tips for the Perfect Lemon Jelly Roll Cake
- Use room temperature eggs for better volume when beating, which improves sponge structure.
- Sift the flour after measuring to avoid adding too much and making the cake dense.
- Whip cream to medium peaks before folding in lemon curd to maintain a light texture.
- Pat blueberries dry before adding to prevent excess moisture in the filling.
- Trim only minimal edges from the cake to avoid losing too much structure for rolling.
- Be sure to roll the cake while still warm to create the rolled shape and ensure the parchment paper or clean kitchen towel you use to roll it is covered well with powdered sugar to stop it from sticking to the cake. I find that a towel gives me more control over the shape than parchment paper.
More Jelly Cake Roll Recipes:
Pin this Lemon Cream and Blueberry Cake Roll Recipe:
Pin this Lemon Cream and Blueberry Cake Roll Recipe:
Printable Recipe Card:
Printable Recipe Card:Grab your free printable recipe card for our Blueberry Lemon Jelly Cake Roll recipe.
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Blueberry Lemon Jelly Roll Cake
Ingredients
Vanilla Sponge Cake Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup powdered confectioner's sugar
Lemon Whipped Filling Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup powdered confectioner's sugar
- ½ cup lemon curd
- 1/2 cup blueberries, divided
Optional Garnish Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon powdered confectioner's sugar
- Blueberries, as desired to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a jelly roll pan with buttered foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, gradually adding a cup of granulated sugar. Beat until they are pale and thick, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in water, vanilla extract and optional lemon zest.
- Sift in flour, baking powder and salt and fold batter together. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Cake will be springy to the touch and start to shrink away from the sides of the pan.
- Lay out a sheet of parchment paper slightly longer than the cake and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Remove the foil or parchment paper from the baked cake and trim away any overly baked, crusty edges of the cake (be careful not to trim too much).
- Roll the cake up in the parchment paper (or a kitchen towel) sprinkled with powder sugar. Allow to cool as you prepare the filling.
- Using an electric mixer, whip heavy whipping cream on high until cream is thick, about 4-5 minutes. Use a spatula to fold in powdered sugar and lemon curd until well combined.
- Unroll cake and spread the lemon cream filling over the cake. Add blueberries over the top of the filling. (You can reserve a bit of the filling to spread over the finished cake, as we did, or add all of it as filling.)
- Re-coat the parchment paper or kitchen towel with powdered sugar and tightly roll the cake back up in it, then refrigerate for an hour before serving.
- Sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake to garnish (or slather with remaining filling, if desired). Add blueberries to the top, again, if desired.
- To cleanly slice the cake, run hot water over a knife and wipe dry before slicing straight through. Rinse in hot water and dry knife in between cutting each slice. This allows for a cleaner slice.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 338Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 139mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 1gSugar: 40gProtein: 5g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
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