Our chocolate swiss roll is filled with a creamy buttercream frosting and topped with a decadent chocolate ganache all while using pantry staples. Chocolate lovers will go crazy and it’s a great recipe to show off throughout the holidays.
While cake roll recipes look pretty fancy and may seem a little intimidating when making from scratch, they aren’t too bad as long as you’re using the right recipe! I found this out when I made a carrot cake roll during the spring and knew I wanted to make the perfect Swiss roll cake that resembles those store-bought Little Debbie cakes.
The chocolate ganache frosting mixture really adds another level of flavor and a beautiful glossy finish to the cake. I also like using ganache with brownie cupcakes, no bake eclair cake, and my Baileys brownies.
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🍫 Ingredients:
Cake Ingredients:
- eggs – bring to room temperature then separate. The egg whites gives the cake airiness and helps it to rise.
- sugar and vanilla extract.
- oil – use vegetable or canola oil. It adds moisture and makes it easier to roll the cake.
- strong coffee – you will not taste the coffee through the cake, it just brings out the chocolate flavor and adds moisture to the batter.
- cake flour – it’s really important to use cake flour in the cream roll because it makes the cake pliable compared to using all-purpose which makes it more dense and leads to cracking.
- unsweetened cocoa powder – you’ll also need a little more for dusting.
- salt
Buttercream Filling Ingredients:
- unsalted butter – soften at room temperature.
- powdered sugar – helps with texture and sweetness.
- vanilla extract – adds just a little more flavor and can be swapped for marshmallow extract.
- heavy whipping cream – gives the frosting a richer flavor and helps to thin it out.
Ganache Ingredients:
- heavy cream and chocolate chips – semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips can be used.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
Garnish chocolate swiss rolls with a dusting of powdered sugar before serving instead of or in addition to the chocolate frosting. You can also decorate the swiss roll with any number of confections like meringue mushrooms, sprinkles, chocolate curls, etc.
Substitutions and Variations
- Fluffy whipped cream filling – instead of buttercream, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of instant pudding to heavy cream to help stabilize it. Whip at medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Marshmallow fluff frosting – another filling option is my glossy white mountain frosting or marshmallow cream frosting.
- Espresso – use espresso powder instant of regular coffee. Keep the same measurements.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and grease with non stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites with ¼ cup of sugar using an electric mixer for 5-7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Step 2: Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a separate bowl until thick and pale.
Step 3: Mix in the oil, vanilla, and coffee.
Step 4: Sift the cocoa powder, cake flour, and salt into the egg yolk mixture and stir.
Pro Tip: Sifting the dry ingredients makes for a smoother batter and removes the lumps.
Step 5: Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture using a rubber spatula so that is incorporated.
Step 6: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
Step 7: Remove the chocolate roll cake from the oven and cool for 3-5 minutes. Use a knife to go around the edges to make sure it’s completely loose.
Step 8: Lay out a tea towel on a flat surface and dust with a thin even layer of cocoa powder.
Step 9: Turn the Swiss cake roll over onto the towel and lift off the pan. Peel off the parchment paper gently. Dust the top of the cake with more cocoa powder.
Step 10: Slowly roll the cake from one side to the other. Place on a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Step 11: In a medium bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until combined. Add the vanilla and drizzle in the cream while beating at medium speed until it’s fluffy.
Step 12: Carefully unroll the cooled cake onto plastic wrap or parchment paper. Leave the ends curled.
Step 13: Spread the filling over the cake using an offset spatula. Leave an inch around the right hand short end.
Step 14: Work from the left side to re-roll the cake, tucking it as tight as you can to maintain the filling.
Step 15: Wrap the chocolate cake roll with plastic wrap to hold its shape. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 1 hour or more with the seam side down.
Step 16: Prepare the chocolate ganache glaze by heating the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the simmering cream over the chocolate chips and let it set for 3-5 minutes. Whisk the soft chocolate into the hot cream until a smooth chocolate glaze forms.
Step 17: Pour the ganache over the chocolate sponge cake roll and spread over the tops and sides. Allow it to set for 30 minutes at room temperature or chill for 15 minutes.
SERVE: Slice into 1 inch pieces and serve.
Recipe Tips for a successful Chocolate Swiss Roll cake
- If using a stand mixer, whip the egg whites with the whisk attachment instead of the paddle.
- Sifting the dry ingredients gets all of the lumps out and makes for a smoother batter.
- This cake is similar to a chiffon cake. It’s spongy and light without much fat other than the eggs and a small amount of oil.
- Cake flour keeps the cake tender and pliable, whereas all-purpose would make it dense and likely to crack when rolling.
- Folding the whipped egg whites into batter adds lightness and helps the cake to rise. It also ensured a nice pliable cake that can be rolled without cracking. A stand mixer works the best, but a hand mixer will do the same. It will just take a little longer.
Fun Fact
Rolling log cakes initially helps to keep them from cracking when it’s time to unroll and add the filling.
Recipe FAQs
Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or freeze for 1 month.
The main difference between a Swiss roll and a chocolate roulade lies in their flavor profiles. While both are rolled cakes, a Swiss roll is typically a sponge cake filled with jam or cream, often featuring a light and airy texture. On the other hand, a chocolate roulade is specifically flavored with chocolate and is usually a denser, richer cake. The filling for a chocolate roulade may also include chocolate ganache or whipped cream with a chocolatey twist.
More Decadent Chocolate Cake Recipes
If you tried this Chocolate Swiss Roll Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Chocolate Swiss Roll
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs room temperature, separated
- ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup strong coffee
- ½ cup cake flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon salt
Buttercream Filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Ganache:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- Use a standing mixer or electric hand mixer to combine egg whites and ¼ cup sugar. Whip on high speed until egg whites form stiff peaks (5-7 minutes).
- Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks and remaining ½ cup sugar until pale and thickened (1-2 minutes).
- Whisk in vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and coffee.
- Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt into the egg yolk mixture and stir until combined.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter until most of the white has been incorporated in. Work gently so that you don’t deflate the egg whites too much.
- Spread the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan.
- Bake 13-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to make sure it is completely loose from the pan.
- Lay out a clean linen. Dust with a thin layer of cocoa powder.
- Turn the cake upside down onto the prepared linen and carefully lift off the pan. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Dust the top of the cake with another light layer of cocoa powder.
- Working from one side, slowly roll the cake – the linen will be rolled into the cake. Place the rolled cake on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature – about 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling by beating together the butter and powdered sugar until combined – mixture will be crumbly. Add the vanilla and then slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while beating until a nice fluffy consistency is reached.
- Gently unroll the room temperature cake onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. The two ends will still be curled slightly; it’s best to leave them curled.
- Spread the filling over the cake – leaving about an inch of space at the right-hand short edge (the filling will squish and fill out this space as you re-roll it.
- Working from the left-hand side, re-roll the cake, tucking it as tightly as you can while maintaining that nice layer of cream cheese filling on the inside.
- Wrap the log with plastic wrap, to ensure it holds its shape. Chill in the refrigerator (or the freezer) for at least one hour more, seam side down.
- Prepare the ganache by heating the heavy cream to a simmer. Pour the simmering cream over the chocolate chips and leave to set for 3-5 minutes. Whisk the softened chocolate into the hot cream until a smooth ganache forms.
- Pour the ganache over the chilled roll cake and spread to cover the top and sides. Allow ganache to set (about 30 minutes at room temperature or 15 minutes in the refrigerator).
- When ready to serve, slice into approximately 1” pieces.
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