Chatelaine recipe redux circa 1976: Strawberry shortcake roll

Strawberries and cream are a classic combo — a seasonal treat that comes around but once a year. From ice cream to cakes, this easy switch up brings everything together in a quick and easy 15-minute cake that's sure to impress!

Then: Strawberry Shortcake Roll, 1976

Serves 8 – 10.

This is a novel variation of the strawberry shortcake — perfect to keep on hand in the freezer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 pint strawberry or vanilla ice cream, softened
• 2 cups sweetened sliced or halved strawberries
• 2 tbsp brandy (optional)
• 1 cup whipping cream (optional)

Instructions

• LINE a 15 x 9 inch jelly-roll pan with waxed paper. Preheat oven to 350F. Sift flour, baking powder and salt.
• BEAT eggs until thick and creamy. Add vanilla and granulated sugar and continue beating until thick. Stir in water.
• FOLD in the dry ingredients. Pour and spread batter in pan. Bake for 12-15 mins or until cake springs back to the touch. Do not overbake.
• COOL for 2-3 mins. Sift icing sugar onto clean dishtowel. Tip hot cake out of pan onto sugared towel and immediately peel off paper. Cool 2-3 mins. Roll up, towel and all, along the cake’s length. Cool completely.
• COMBINE 1 cup sliced strawberries with softened ice cream. Unroll cake and spread ice cream mixture to within an inch of outer edges. Reroll, wrap in foil and freeze.
• THAW 10 mins before serving. Add brandy to sweetened strawberries and serve as a sauce. Or, as shown in photograph, ice the roll with whipped cream and garnish with sliced or halved berries. 

Now: Strawberry Shortcake Roll, 2013

The verdict from our re-test? As easy as a summer's day, this recipe came together as promised. The one change we would suggest is to substitute parchment paper for the prescribed wax paper as it stuck to the cake.

Tip: To lighten up this decadent dessert, use frozen yogurt instead of ice cream and ditch the whipped cream topper for a dusting of icing sugar.