This delicious and fluffy lemon swiss roll with citrus curd is a real treat. The sharpness from the curd goes perfectly with the airy and light sponge, covered with a creamy and silky mascarpone cheese layer. Everything you love about desserts combines in this amazing lemon swiss roll.
I’m already living in spring. The grass is getting greener every day, more and more trees are blossoming, and the recent clock change makes the days even longer. It’s amazing. That’s it. I’m fully in the spring mood.
To embrace this feeling even more, I had to bake something very fragrant and bright. And lemon swiss roll with citrus curd came as an obvious choice. It looks good, tastes great, and brings all the beautiful spring colours.
The balance between sharp and edgy citrus curd made from lemons and limes, combined with a silky mascarpone cheese layer creates a delicious swiss roll. From start to finish, you’ll need around 2-3 hours. But trust me, it’s really worth it!
This dessert can also be the perfect showstopper for your Easter table. You’ll amaze everyone with this brilliant cake. It looks so professional and high-class with just a teensy bit of effort. I’d say it’s a real Easter win.
Tips for the Best Lemon Swiss Roll
It might seem that making a swiss roll is a complicated process. But the reality is completely the opposite. The only tricky thing is rolling the sponge while it’s still warm, but other than that, it’s an easy ride. Follow these tips to achieve the best possible results:
- Use room temperature eggs.
- Beat the eggs and sugar properly. It’ll take some time (5-7 minutes) to achieve the needed texture. The mixture needs to be pale, thick and creamy. By doing this, you’ll create a light and fluffy sponge.
- Sift the dry ingredients. The sponge is very delicate, so any lumps can ruin the cake. By sifting the dry ingredients, you’ll prevent these lumps from forming and ensure a smooth and even batter.
- Spray your baking tray and paper with baking oil. This prevents the cake from sticking to the baking pan and will help you remove the cake once baked.
- Roll the cake while it’s still warm. After the lemon swiss roll is baked, don’t let it cool down completely. Once you can handle the heat, tightly roll the cake.
- Chill the swiss roll before serving. Once the Swiss roll is filled, let the cake chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. This helps set the filling and makes it easier to slice the cake.
Lemon Swiss Roll Filling Ideas
When I baked this cake, I went for my favourite flavour combination – citrus and mascarpone. However, there are endless filling options. Here are some ideas:
- Classic swiss – make this cake very simply and fill your sponge with a delicious vanilla Chantilly cream (whipped double cream with icing sugar and a touch of vanilla essence).
- Berries all the way – elevate this spring dessert to a real summer treat. Make a raspberry and strawberry jam instead of citrus curd.
- Chocolate goodness – make a rich and silky chocolate ganache (melting milk chocolate chips and combining with double cream) for your swiss roll.
- Italian spin – add a touch of coffee to your sponge batter. Layer the cake with mascarpone cheese and dust with cocoa powder.
Check out these delicious citrus desserts:
Tiramisu with Lemon Curd and Limoncello
Lemon and Pistachio Cake with Lemon Curd
Zingy Lemon Bars with Meringue
Blood Orange Upside Down Cake
Recipe
Ingredients
Sponge:
4 large eggs
100g caster sugar
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 lemon zest
1 lime zest
Pinch of salt
Lemon Curd:
3 lemons (use unwaxed fragrant lemons)
2 limes
100g caster sugar
100g butter
1 egg yolk
1 egg
30g cornstarch
Mascarpone Layer:
250ml double cream
250g mascarpone cheese
40g icing sugar
1 teaspoon double cream stabiliser
Method
Make the sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees (fan) or 180 degrees (no fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Whisk the eggs with sugar until they have doubled in size (for around 5-7 minutes).
- Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add the ingredients to the egg mixture together with the citrus zest.
- Gently mix everything together.
- Spread the batter onto the baking tray. Bake the sponge for 8-10 minutes. Always keep an eye on it and don’t overbake it.
- After the cake is baked, take it from the oven and let it cool down for 5 minutes for easier handling.
- The moment you can touch it without burning your fingers, start rolling your cake from the narrow end (roll it with the baking paper you were baking on). Gently press the sponge in order to get the perfect swirl. Let the cake cool completely (around 1 hour).
Make the lemon curd:
- Zest one lemon and one lime.
- Squeeze the juice from the citrus into a saucepan.
- Add the sugar, zest and butter. Heat the mixture until the butter melts.
- Lightly beat the eggs with cornstarch in a large bowl.
- Take the juice mixture off the heat and very slowly, always whisking, pour this mixture into the eggs (this way you’ll avoid scrambled eggs).
- Pour the curd back into a saucepan and heat the curd for 5 minutes, always mixing until it starts firming up.
- Take it from the heat and pour the curd through a sieve to remove any lumps.
- Let it cool completely.
Make the mascarpone layer:
- Gently whisk the double cream with the icing sugar and stabiliser.
- Add the mascarpone cheese. Mix everything.
Assemble the swiss roll:
- Very gently unroll the cake.
- Spread the mascarpone cheese layer on top of the sponge, followed by the citrus curd.
- Carefully roll the cake back up.
- Dust the lemon swiss roll with icing sugar and pipe the remaining mascarpone cheese on top.
- Leave the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
