Skip to content

Gypsy Arm of Cream

📍 Spain
⏱️Prep: 30 min
🔥Cook: 12 min
Total: 42 min
🍽️8 servings
Difficulty: Medium

Brazo de gitano — Spanish roulade — is a delicate rolled sponge cake filled with whipped cream and sliced strawberries. The thin sponge must be rolled while still warm using a damp cloth; once cold it will crack. The result is light, not too sweet, and visually striking when sliced. A Spanish pastry staple for spring birthdays and family gatherings.

🛒 Ingredients

8 servings
  • Sponge Cake: 4 eggs, 120g sugar, 120g flour, 1 tsp baking powder
  • Filling: 400ml whipping cream 35%, 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • Fresh strawberry slices
  • Icing sugar for decoration

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

  1. Beat whole eggs with sugar at maximum power for 8 minutes until tripled in volume.

  2. Sift the flour and incorporate with enveloping movements.

  3. Spread on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 180°C for 10-12 minutes.

  4. Unmold onto a damp cloth with sugar. Roll up while hot to take shape.

  5. Whip the cream well chilled with icing sugar until firm.

  6. Unroll the sponge cake. Fill with cream and strawberries. Roll up and refrigerate.

💡 Chef's tip

Rolling the sponge while still hot is the key to preventing cracks. The damp cloth keeps it from sticking and maintains moisture as it cools.

📝 Our take

Swiss roll is the most photographed birthday dessert in Spain, and for good reason: the génoise rolled with cream and strawberries looks spectacular while not actually being difficult to make. The only tense moment is rolling it while still hot; after that, it is all straightforward.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Very cold brut nature Cava or an Italian Moscato d'Asti. The freshness of the sparkling wine balances the sweetness of the cream and strawberries.

Suggested wine: Cava Brut Nature o Moscato d'Asti italiano

⭐ Have you tried this recipe?

Select a rating

🍳 Did it turn out well? Share it in the chat!
Share your version, tips or questions with the cooking community.
Enter chat →