This would make a very pretty non-traditional Birthday cake.

Betsy

STRAWBERRY CREAM ROLL

An almond flavored jelly roll filled with strawberries, ricotta cheese
and apricot preserves.

4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
confectioner's sugar for garnish
Strawberry Cream Filling (recipe follows)
1 cup sliced strawberries for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400o. Grease a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan and line
it with wax paper. Grease the paper lining.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until
the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the almond extract.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder and add the dry
ingredients to the batter.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and gently fold them
into the batter.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 10 to 13
minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Turn the cake over onto a towel that has been dusted with confectioner's
sugar. Lift off the pan and let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Remove the
wax paper. Roll the cake with the towel, jelly roll fashion, and let the
cake sit in the rolled position on a rack for 20 minutes while it
continues to cool.
6. When the cake has cooled completely, unroll. Spread the inside with the
cheese mixture. Spoon the 3 cups of sliced strawberries over the cheese
filling. Reroll the cake to form a log and place seam side down on a
platter. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and garnish with the cup
of sliced berries. Chill the cake for 1 hour before serving.

8 portions

Strawberry Cream Filling:
------------------------
1/2 pound ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
3 tablespoons Amaretto
3 cups sliced strawberries

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the ricotta cheese until it is
light and fluffy.
2. Add the apricot preserves and Amaretto and mix thoroughly.

Source: The Uncommon Gourmet by Ellen Helman (ISBN 0-89815-519-3)