Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the edges a bit. Lightly grease the paper so the cake releases cleanly
Make the sponge batter. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed for about 4-5 minutes, until thick, pale, and tripled in volume. This is your aeration step—don’t rush it. Beat in the vanilla extract
Fold in dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift this over the egg mixture in three additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula after each addition. Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Then stir in the milk gently
Bake the sponge. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly to the edges. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched and the edges are just starting to pull away from the pan. Do not overbake—dry sponge = cracked roll
Roll while warm. Lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and dust it generously with powdered sugar. Invert the hot cake onto the towel, then peel off the parchment paper. Starting at one short end, roll the cake up tightly with the towel inside. Let it cool completely on a wire rack, seam-side down. This can take about 30-40 minutes
Meanwhile, prepare the filling and berries. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently—you want it light and airy
Macerate the strawberries. Toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar (and balsamic if using) in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain off the excess juice—reserve it for drizzling later if you like
Assemble the roll. Unroll the cooled cake gently. Spread the cheesecake filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch border on the short ends. Arrange the drained strawberry slices over the filling. Carefully re-roll the cake (without the towel this time), using the towel to help lift and guide. Place seam-side down on a serving platter
Chill and slice. Refrigerate the roll for at least 1 hour before slicing—this firms up the filling and makes for clean cuts. Use a serrated knife to slice, wiping the blade between cuts