Raspberry Filled Jelly Roll
This Raspberry Jelly Roll is a visually stunning cake that is easier and quicker to make than cookies or cupcakes! Moist, spongey yellow cake is filled with sweet raspberry jam to create this elegant dessert.
This Raspberry Jelly Roll cake is a delicately moist and tender yellow cake filled with delicious raspberry jam. Although this rolled cake is stunning to look at, it’s quite easy to make and requires no special skills, pans, or ingredients!
This is a great choice for almost any event. Whether you make it for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, or the Fourth of July, it’s sure to be a showstopper!
If you think you’ve never had a jelly roll, you might simply know it by one of its many other names. They’re also called cake rolls, jam rolls, Swiss rolls, sponge rolls, and roulade. Even the famous Buche de Noel, or Yule Log, is simply a rolled cake.
A Southern jelly roll is a thin sponge cake filled with jam, jelly, or preserves which is then rolled and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It’s quick and easy to make, looks impressive on the plate, and kids and adults alike love it! I’ve used raspberry jam for this one, but strawberry is great as well. I would even use blueberry, blackberry, apricot, pineapple, or peach preserves. Whatever you like!
❤️ Why We Love This Recipe
- This is a tender, fluffy cake filled with sweet raspberry jam.
- It’s beautiful to look at and even easier to make and decorate!
- Easy to make ahead of time and serve to a crowd.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“This recipe was splendid! I was very impressed with how it turned out. Moist, sticky, stunning!”
— Lisa
🛒 About the Ingredients
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- Raspberry Jam – Use your favorite raspberry jam for the filling. I typically choose Smucker’s brand seedless jam.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is needed for the cake.
- Confectioner’s Sugar – Plays two roles here. It helps to keep the cake from sticking during the rolling process and is also used to garnish.
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
🔪 How to Make Raspberry Filled Jelly Roll
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Generously butter a 15×10 jelly roll pan. Cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit the inside of the pan. Place the paper in the pan and butter it as well.
- Beat the eggs until very thick and pale yellow colored. This will take about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the water and vanilla. Still on low speed, gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, beating just until blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Be sure to spread the batter into the corners.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare a tea towel with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.
- Remove the cake from the oven, loosen it from the edges of the pan, and immediately invert the hot cake onto the prepared tea towel. Carefully peel away the paper.
- While still hot, carefully roll the cake and towel starting from the narrow end.
- Cool the rolled cake on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
- Unroll the cake and remove the towel. Trim away any stiff edges if necessary. Spread the jam or jelly over the inside surface of the cake.
- Re-roll the cake. Trim the ends lightly if desired.
- Wrap the cake loosely in waxed or parchment paper and refrigerate. When ready to serve, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
🔀 Recipe Variations
- Not a huge fan of raspberries? No problem! Use any jam that you want. Strawberry, blackberry, apricot, cherry, and blueberry are a few of my other favorites.
- If you’re a chocoholic like me, you can make this recipe with a chocolate cake base instead of yellow! Simply add some Dutch process cocoa to the batter.
- Try adding a little texture to the cake with fresh berries, toasted coconut, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, or nuts sprinkled over the filling.
❗ Tips
This cake is very moist and will stick to the jelly roll pan if it’s not properly prepared. To prevent this, be sure to line the pan with buttered parchment paper so that the finished cake can be removed easily.
Be sure to allow time for the cake to rest for several hours in the fridge before serving. This will ensure clean slices.
Rolling the warm cake in a towel immediately after baking helps prevent cracks and tears. Be sure to allow the cake to remain rolled as it cools.
🍚 How to Store Leftover Jelly Roll Cake
Leftovers will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for 5-6 days, and in the freezer for up to one month. Cover the cake with a layer of plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container! I like the texture and flavor of this cake best at room temperature, but it may be served cold or warmed in the microwave.
⏲️ How to Make Ahead
Make ahead and store as directed above but wait until just before serving to add the powdered sugar. You can also prepare the cake layer, store it rolled, and then add the jam filling later on.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this jelly roll with either a sprinkling of fresh raspberries, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or a combination of both. If you’re serving a large crowd, I’d recommend slicing the cake in advance to save time. Otherwise, use it as the centerpiece at your next dinner party or family get-together.
❓ Questions About Raspberry Filled Jelly Roll
They’re actually the same type of cake! In America, it’s typically called a jelly roll while in Britain it’s known as a Swiss roll.
The key is rolling the still-warm cake and allowing it to cool completely while rolled in the towel. The cake takes on the rolled shape as it cools.
This can happen if the batter is overmixed causing over development of the gluten in the flour. To avoid the rubbery texture, make sure to add the flour slowly and mix only until there are no pockets of dry ingredients remaining.
Questions? I’m happy to help!
If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
📖 Recipe
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Raspberry Filled Jelly Roll
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Confectioner’s sugar for rolling and sprinkling
- 1 cup or more raspberry jam or jelly
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Generously butter a 15×10 jelly roll pan. Cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit the inside of the pan. Place the paper in the pan and butter it as well.
- Beat the eggs until very thick and pale yellow colored. This will take about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the water and vanilla. Still on low speed, gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, beating just until blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Be sure to spread the batter into the corners.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare a tea towel with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.
- Remove the cake from the oven, loosen it from the edges of the pan, and immediately invert the hot cake onto the prepared tea towel. Carefully peel away the paper.
- While still hot, carefully roll the cake and towel starting from the narrow end.
- Cool the rolled cake on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
- Unroll the cake and remove the towel. Trim away any stiff edges if necessary. Spread the jam or jelly over the inside surface of the cake.
- Re-roll the cake. Trim the ends lightly if desired.
- Wrap the cake loosely in waxed or parchment paper and refrigerate. When ready to serve, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
Notes
- This cake is very moist and will stick to the pan if it’s not properly prepared. To prevent this, be sure to line the pan with buttered parchment paper.
- Leftovers will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for 5-6 days, and in the freezer for up to one month. Cover the cake with a layer of plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container! I like the texture and flavor of this cake best at room temperature, but it may be served cold or warmed in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on February 4, 2014. It has been updated with additional information.
this jelly roll cake is easy to follow I put lemon filling with cream on it rolled it up pretty good recipe I love it thank you very much
You’re very welcome, Annette. I’m glad you like the recipe!
Lana, your jelly roll is a beauty! And I love all things raspberry!
Thanks so much, Jean! We love raspberry here, too :-)
I always wanted to try this but was intimidated but, this time will actually do this for my family for Valentines. Thanks for your explicit instructions.
Joan M.
Good morning, Lana!
Just wanted to say that your step-by-step instructions are great and your website is too!
This recipe was splendid! I was very impressed with how it turned out. Moist, sticky, stunning! I am making this again today using strawberry rhubarb jelly. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
It’s been too long since I’ve made a jelly roll. Thanks for the reminder how easy and delicious they are.
I always have trouble making the roll look perfect without cracks. I’m going to try your towel trick next time! Doing it freehand doesn’t work that great.
Good luck! Hope it works for you.
That looks great! I always admire your ability to roll those things without it falling apart. Me…. well, let’s just say that it’s not a pretty sight.
Miss P
So pretty! My girls are fascinated with rolled sweets!
My grandmother made these all the time; she had a row of grapes in the back yard and made jelly from them, so grape jellyrolls were the usual kind, but she also would make apricot or peach, also from jelly made from the trees in the back yard.
After bragging on Grandma’s jellrolls, my ex decided she’d make one, too. It was pretty good, but had a strange aftertaste…which we later figured out was from the fabric softener she had used for the tea towel when doing a load of laundry.
I remember one of my grandmothers making them, too. I’m sure she probably used whatever jelly or jam she had on hand. You really can do just about anything. I was actually thinking earlier that it would be good with peanut butter and grape jelly :-)