Chocolate Roll Cake (Swiss Roll Cake)
Chances are you’ve had a roll cake before—but was it a great one? This chocolate roll cake aims to be exactly that. Technically, it’s a Swiss roll, at times called a jelly or a cream roll—though around the holidays, it’s better known as the dessert that vanishes first. Whatever the name, the structure stays the same: a soft sponge wrapped around sweetened whipped cream, sometimes jam or icing, and always just sweet enough without tipping into holiday-sugar-coma territory.
Roll cakes have been a charming choice for bakers since the 19th century, likely originating in Central Europe. The first British mention of a “Swiss roll” appeared in 1872 in A Voyage from Southampton to Cape Town—an unexpected place to stumble upon a cake recipe mid–sea journal. Coincidentally, an American cookbook published a similar recipe that same year, showing just how quickly good ideas can spread. And of course, the most iconic roll cake of all is the Yule log, or bûche de Noël—the centerpiece of many Christmas tables in France and Quebec, complete with its classic woodland style
Holiday Favorite
Despite its festive looks, this chocolate roll cake is more elegant than heavy. Cocoa and Swiss meringue create a pillowy, flavorful sponge. Instead of a rich buttercream or cream cheese filling, I prefer sweetened whipped cream to keep things light—holiday meals are long enough without a dessert that requires a post-slice recovery period. I finish the outside with a silky coat of bittersweet chocolate, though a dusting of confectioners’ sugar (like fresh winter snow) or a sprinkle of cocoa works beautifully too.
Roll cakes aren’t difficult, but they do ask for a bit of time and patience. Luckily, they’re wonderfully forgiving. Trim away any stubborn edges, pre-roll the warm cake in parchment so it behaves when you fill it, and decide how dramatic you’d like your swirl. Some prefer a tight spiral worthy of a holiday bakery window; I lean toward something more subtle. I hadn’t made one in years, and when I finally did, my husband was thrilled—he even insisted it made an excellent breakfast. ‘Tis the season, so I let it slide.
Chocolate Roll Cake (Swiss Roll Cake)
Ingredients:
For the Roll Cake:
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar (for the egg yolks)
- 1/3 cup sugar (for egg whites)
- 2 teaspoons corn syrup
- 6 eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/3 cup canola oil
For the Whipped Cream Filling:
- Whipped Cream Filling:
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1/4-1/3 cup Confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate chunks or equivalent, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup plus heavy cream
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13 rectangular baking pan with parchment paper and set near your work station.
- For the Roll Cake: Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, and gently fold to blend. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the egg yolks, 1/2 cup of sugar, salt, corn syrup, vanilla, and water. Set this bowl inside a larger bowl filled with warm water and, using a whisk, beat until pale yellow in color, about 2 minutes. Remove the mixing bowl from the warm water bath and set aside.
- For the Meringue: In the bowl of a kitchen mixer, such as a KitchenAid, fitted with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites and beat on medium high until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, slowly add the 1/3 cup of sugar in a steady stream. Continue to beat the egg whites on until stiff glossy peaks form, about 1-2 minutes.
- For the Roll Cake: Using a large rubber tip spatula, gently fold in 1/2 of the meringue mixture into the yolk mixture and mix until mostly incorporated. Note: the batter should be light and airy at this point.
- In a small microwave bowl, add the oil and heat in 20-second increments until warm to the touch. Add 1/4 cup of the roll cake batter the warm oil and mix well to blend. Fold the oil-batter mixture back into the larger mixing bowl with the rest of the roll cake batter. Now fold in the remaining meringue until just incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Gently tap the pan on the counter1-2 times to remove any large air bubbles. Place in the oven and bake 12-15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Note: If the cake is overbaked, it will crack when rolling.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and carefully invert the pan onto a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel, and remove the parchment paper from the bottom. Roll up the cake in the towel to help hold it in place.
- While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream filling.
- For the Filling: Clean the bowl of the kitchen mixer and set it back on the base with the whisk attachment. Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until you get soft peaks from, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the sugar and vanilla. Increase the speed and beat until stiff peaks form, about 1 additional minute. Taste and adjust the sweetness as desired. Set near your work station.
- For the Ganache: Place the chocolate and cream in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20-second intervals until the chocolate starts to melt and the cream has warmed up. Whisk to blend until you have a smooth, glossy ganache.
- To assemble the Roll Cake: Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and lay the roll cake on top of the wire rack. Use a rubber tip spatula to evenly spread the whipped cream on the roll cake. Use your hand to carefully roll the now-filled cake back into its rolled shape, seam-side down on the wire rack.
- Using an offset spatula, slowly drizzle and spread the warm ganache on top of the cake so that it's entirely covered. Allow the ganache to set before slicing with a heated slicing or serrated knife.
