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Swiss roll cake sliced and presented on a white serving platter.
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Swiss Roll Cake

Swiss Roll Cake: A gorgeous presentation of chocolate cake & whipped cream. Notoriously tricky, but I've got all the best tips for success!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Chill Time:5 hours
Total Time5 hours 55 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Swiss cake roll, Swiss roll, Swiss roll cake, Swiss roll recipe
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 429kcal

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge cake

For the whipped cream filling

  • 4 ounces cream cheese cold
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream cold

For the chocolate glaze

Instructions

To make the chocolate sponge cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment, leaving one short end slightly overhanging the edge of the pan.
  • Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whip on medium-high speed until very pale, very fluffy, and tripled in volume (approximately 5 minutes).
  • Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, and fold in gently until almost fully combined.
  • Stir the melted butter, sour cream, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl, then fold the mixture into the batter until incorporated.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake until springy and no longer glistening (approximately 22 to 28 minutes).
  • Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then dust the top of it liberally with powdered sugar and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
  • Gently roll the cake into a cylinder shape, starting at the shorter side that doesn't have the parchment overhang. (You may want to roll it around something small and cylindrical, such as a child's rolling pin.)
  • Allow the cake to cool completely in this shape (approximately 2 hours or overnight).
  • Carefully unroll the cake and spread it with an even layer of filling.
  • Starting at the short side with the parchment overhang, tightly re-roll the cake back into a cylinder shape and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
  • Place the chilled Swiss roll on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and pour the glaze over it, allowing it to fall over the sides and coat the entire roll (you may want to shake or tap it for encouragement).
  • Allow the glaze to set (approximately 1 hour) in the fridge before slicing.

To make the whipped cream filling

  • Place the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat together until smooth.
  • Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then drizzle the cream in a slow, steady stream while continuing to mix on medium speed (stop as needed to scrape again and avoid lumps).
  • When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip until the filling can hold a stiff peak (approx. 2 to 4 minutes).

To make the chocolate glaze

  • Heat the cream (either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove) until steamy.
  • Add the chocolate and corn syrup (if using) and allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes.
  • Stir the mixture until smoothly incorporated.*

Notes

*The glaze will become thicker as it cools.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1028IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg