This Chocolate Swiss Roll cake recipe is a classic dessert made with a moist and tender chocolate sponge cake rolled with light and fluffy whipped cream. A homemade Chocolate Swiss Roll made easy with pro tips and tricks!
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Simplifying your life in the kitchen is the name of our game here at The Busy Baker. We love a good easy meal for a busy evening after work or school and we also love to bring you classic desserts that are as simple as they are delicious. Baking recipes like this Chocolate Swiss Roll don’t have to be out of reach – even if they might seem too difficult to try in your own kitchen. We’ve got your back!
This Chocolate Swiss Roll recipe is one of our favourite simple recipes that might appear complicated at first glance, but it’s a simple chocolate sponge with whipped cream filling that’s easy to roll when you follow our no-fail tips!
Trust us – if you’ve never made a Chocolate Swiss Roll cake before, this is the recipe for you!
A Swiss roll, also known as a jelly roll, cake roll, roll cake or cream roll, is a flexible sponge cake filled with a creamy filling and rolled into a tight spiral shape. The cake’s light, airy, and spongy texture, coupled with the rich and decadent filling, makes for a delicious and well-balanced dessert for any occasion.
The Swiss Roll cake originated in Europe and gained its popularity in Switzerland (hence the name “Swiss roll”). Some more traditional Swiss Roll cakes are made with only sponge cake and jam, but different variations like this Chocolate Swiss Roll include a whipped cream filling.
Swiss Roll cakes make a gorgeous addition to a dessert table or special occasion. They are perfect for dessert after a meal and they’re a delicious treat enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon. We love to serve this Swiss Roll with a dusting of cocoa powder and some fresh fruit!
Making a Swiss Roll or Cake Roll at home doesn’t have to be complicated! Here are some issues you might encounter when making a homemade Swiss Roll Cake and how to prevent or solve them:
- Why did my cake roll crack? It’s likely one of three issues: the flour wasn’t measured properly and you added too much flour, the cake was over-baked, or you didn’t roll it right away while it was hot from the oven.
- Why is my cake roll gummy? If your cake is gummy, it could be that the flour hasn’t been measure properly (it contains less flour than it should), the cake was taken out of the oven too soon, or the cake was over-mixed.
- If there’s a blob of cream in front as you roll, or the cream is oozing out the sides, you’re likely rolling too tightly.
- If the cake roll has a flat side or isn’t round, it probably wasn’t rotated as it cooled.
- Do not cool the rolled cake after baking in the fridge to save time – this will cause it to be rubbery and fall apart. Cool it at room temperature and chill it in the fridge only after the cake has been cooled, unrolled, filled with frosting, and rolled up again.
- Don’t use baking paper to roll the cake as it cools – this will cause lines in the cake and trap moisture inside, creating a gummy cake. Using a kitchen towel is ideal because it allows moisture and heat to escape.
- Use a cutting board or cooling rack to help flip the cake after baking. Line it with parchment paper, add it on top of the cake upside down, and then invert onto the prepared kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. It’s easy to break or crack the cake when tipping it out of the pan, so take care!
- Why is my cake too thin? Using the wrong size pan, or a pan that’s too large will cause the cake to be too thin. We suggest using a 10-inch by 15-inch jelly roll pan.
Here’s a list of kitchen items you’ll need to make this Chocolate Swiss Roll Recipe or any Cake Roll at home (paid links):
- a jelly roll pan that’s approximately 10 inches wide by 15 inches long with sides high enough to contain the cake batter (about 1 inch high).
- mixing bowls
- a whisk
- a rubber spatula
- a hand mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
- liquid measuring cups
- a clean kitchen towel
- an offset spatula
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make this Chocolate Swiss Roll recipe (pain links):
- flour
- cornstarch
- baking powder
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- eggs
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- instant espresso powder
- cream of tartar
- salt
Try one of these delicious twists on the classic Chocolate Swiss Roll recipe!
- Coffee: Add 1-2 tablespoons of instant coffee granules or espresso powder to the cake batter to infuse it with a delightful coffee flavour. Add some instant espresso to the cream filling and skip the strawberry jam.
- Double Chocolate: Add some cocoa powder to the cream filling for a double chocolate twist on the classic!
- Raspberry: Spread some raspberry jam over the chocolate cake before adding the cream and rolling for a refreshing raspberry twist!
- Chocolate Orange: Add some orange extract to the cake batter, and add the zest of one orange to the whipped cream for a fragrant and tangy twist.
- Almond: Add almond extract to the cake batter, and add some almond extract to the cream filling too. You can also sprinkle some toasted almond slices on top of the filling for added crunch.
Time needed: 2 hours
Follow our No-Fail Tips for the PERFECT Cake Roll or Swiss Roll Cake!
- Use room temperature ingredients.
Ingredients at room temperature create a smooth cake batter because ingredients that are the same temperature mix together better. This is the key to cakes that turn out perfectly.
- Don’t over-mix the batter.
Cream the butter and sugar together well, but once you add the dry ingredients be sure you mix only until no streaks of flour appear. This will help the cake become spongy and soft instead of dense and rubbery.
- Bake the cake immediately.
Be sure to preheat your oven and bake the cake immediately after mixing. This will help the cake rise properly.
- Smooth out the cake batter well in the pan before baking.
For a cake with a flat top, smooth out the cake batter evenly in the pan before baking.
- Roll the cake while it’s hot.
Roll it up from the narrow end while hot from the oven in a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. The cloth absorbs the moisture from the steam of the cake as it cools and prevents it from sticking to each other. Never roll the cake without a kitchen towel inside the roll.
- Dust the towel with powdered sugar to prevent sticking before rolling.
The powdered sugar helps the cake release from the cloth easily.
- Turn the cake while cooling.
In order to keep the round shape, turn the cake several times while it cools to prevent it from getting flat on one side.
- Be gentle.
As you unroll the cake after it has cooled, be gentle, making sure you don’t force the curled end.
- Spread the frosting evenly.
Spread the frosting about 1/3 inch thick over the whole cake, making sure it’s spread as evenly as possible to avoid air pockets.
- Add extra frosting to the curled end.
Fill the curled end with a little extra frosting. It will get pushed out to the end of the roll as you roll the cake.
- Leave 1/2 inch un-frosted.
Leave the final 1/2 inch of the cake (on the narrow end) unfrosted because some frosting will get pushed to that edge as you roll the cake.
- Roll gently.
Roll the cake very gently and don’t press on it while you roll it – let it roll naturally and don’t tighten it aggressively or the frosting will ooze out. There should be no blob of frosting in front as you roll.
- Chill before slicing.
Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, cool it in fridge for 2 hours or freezer for 30 minutes, turning regularly to keep it round as it chills.
- Slice the ends before serving.
Create clean ends by slicing off about 1/4-inch on both ends. If the cake roll has a topping, pour it over the top and place the roll back in the fridge to allow the topping to set. If it doesn’t require a topping, simply slice and serve.
What is a Swiss roll or cake roll?
A Swiss roll or cake roll is a thin cake that’s covered on one side in cream or jam (or both) and then rolled up into a cylinder shape.
How do you eat a cake roll?
The best way to eat a cake roll is to slice it in thin slices to display the roll.
How long do roll cakes last?
Store your cake roll in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months, in an airtight container.
Why is my Swiss roll dry?
Swiss roll cakes can become dry if they’re over-baked or if they contain too much flour.
Why is my Swiss roll gummy?
Swiss roll cakes can become too moist or gummy if they don’t contain enough flour or if they’re under-baked.
Why should you roll the cake while it is still warm and not later?
Rolling the cake while it’s hot from the oven will prevent it from cracking and it will allow it to cool in the correct shape.
We hope you love this delicious chocolate recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite chocolate treat? We’d love to know!
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Chocolate Swiss Roll
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 1/2 cup flour plus 2 tablespoons, sifted
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs separated, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powered sugar
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 °F (165℃) and prepare a jelly roll pan by greasing it well and lining the bottom with a piece of parchment paper. It's also a good idea to grease the top of the parchment paper.
- Sift the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a bowl and mix them together well.
- Add the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and espresso powder to a separate bowl and mix them on high with a hand mixer until the mixture is light and creamy and the sugar grains have disappeared.
- To another clean and dry bowl, add the egg whites with the salt and whisk them until soft peaks form. Add the cream of tartar and mix very well until you get strong and sturdy hard peaks.
- Over the egg whites, add 1/2 of the egg yolk mixture and 1/2 of the flour mixture and fold them together gently. Repeat the process with the rest of the egg yolk mixture, folding them as gently as possible to avoid deflating the egg whites.
- Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and spread it out to the edges being careful to spread the batter as evenly as possible. Bake at 325℉ (165℃ ) for about 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- As the cake bakes, dust cocoa powder generously over a clean kitchen towel creating a rectangle shape, slightly larger than your jelly roll pan.
- Immediately after taking the cake out of the oven, drag a butter knife between the pan and the edges of the cake to make sure all the edges come loose from the pan. Line a cooling rack with parchment paper and place it upside down on top of the hot cake before inverting. Invert it again so the cake is face down on top the kitchen towel over the powdered sugar. Peel off the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake.
- Roll the cake with the towel inside the roll as well, from the narrow end, while it's hot from the oven. Don't roll it too tightly or aggressively, but the cake should be firmly rolled with no spaces on the inside of the roll.
- Let the cake roll cool, rolled, turning it several times throughout the cooling process so that it keeps a round shape and doesn't flatten on one side. This should take between an hour and an hour and a half.
For the filling
- Whip the heavy cream in a clean bowl on high speed with the powdered sugar until the mixture reaches medium to hard peaks. Be sure to whip the cream right before you're about to fill the cake roll.
Assembly:
- Once the whipped cream has reached the right consistency and the cake has cooled completely, gently unroll the cake (you don't need to flatten it completely – one end will have a small curl). With an offset spatula gently spread the whipped cream out evenly to a thickness of about 1/3-1/2 inch, leaving the last 1/2 inch of the cake on the narrow end (the flat end) free of cream. Add a little bit of extra cream under the curled up end.
- Starting with the curled end, gently roll the cake back up without the towel. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for an hour or pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes to set.
Serving:
- After the cake roll has set, remove the plastic wrap, cut 1/4-inch slices from each raw end of the cake roll.
- Slice the cake roll and serve.
Recipe: Notes
Storage Instructions
You can keep this cake roll in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days.Freezer Instructions
We don’t recommend freezing this cake roll as the whipped cream filling won’t keep its creamy texture once thawed. If you would like to freeze this cake roll, use a conventional stabilized whipped cream substitute that’s able to be frozen, or fill the cake roll with your favourite buttercream.Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
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