This bakery Swiss roll cake recipe is direct from my family’s three generations of professional bakers. Light and fluffy, this will be the best Swiss roll cake you’ll ever taste!
This Swiss roll cake is made with a light and fluffy sponge cake base, a thin layer of jam or jelly, then rolled into a gorgeous roll cake. It's perfect for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other holiday!
The Swiss roll is made with cake flour, eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil. It's light, airy, and surprisingly dairy free!
Swiss Roll Cake Recipe Tips:
Start with room temperature egg whites as they whip up better and create more volume. The first thing I do before preparing any other ingredients is separate the whites and yolks and leave them at room temperature. By the time I'm done preparing the other ingredients, the whites should be at room temperature.
When creating the meringue, whip the egg whites to a soft peak before adding any sugar. This allows the meringue to keep its volume and not deflate when adding the sugar. I always split the sugar into three equal parts. Never add all the sugar at once when creating a meringue.
For the egg yolk mixture, beat everything over a warm bowl of water. This helps the sugar melt and incorporate with the other ingredients to give you a very airy, fluffy egg yolk batter. The fluffier the batter, the fluffier the cake. The egg yolk batter should be pale yellow in color and light and fluffy.
Test for the ribbon stage: Lift the whisk and let the batter fall back into the bowl. It should fall slowly and form thick ribbons that leave a trail before slowly disappearing.
Next, sift the dry ingredients into the mixture in three equal parts. Gently fold it in each time before adding more.
Prepare the Baking Pan
Cut out your parchment paper so that it fits your pan to ensure a flat, even surface for the cake batter. This ensures that the cake bakes and browns evenly and makes the Swiss roll cake easy to roll up.
I used a 9 x 13 inch pan. When pouring the batter into the pan, pour it from a height of about 8 inches above the baking pan. This helps pop any large air bubbles in your batter. Be sure to smooth the batter into the corners.
Roll up the Cake
After taking out your cake from the oven, invert it onto a clean, slightly dampened kitchen towel and peel off the parchment paper. Gently roll up your cake and hold it in place so that it doesn't unravel. A rolling pin is perfect for this. Be sure not to squeeze the cake or roll it up too tightly as this can cause cracks to form.
Add the Filling
Unroll the cake once it's slightly warm and add your favorite jelly or jam. I filled it with some leftover homemade cranberry sauce which turned out to be a great way to use leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving or Christmas.
If filling with cream or custard, wait for the cake to completely cool. Roll it back up, top with powdered sugar and berries, and enjoy this bakery Swiss roll cake!
More Dessert Recipes:
- Easy Sponge Cake
- Light and Fluffy Chiffon Cake
- Japanese Strawberry Shortcake
- Custard Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
- Chocolate Roll Cake - Swiss Roll
- Strawberry Cheesecake
- Soft and Fluffy Japanese Milk Bread
Recipe
Bakery Swiss Roll Cake Recipe
Equipment
☑ Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup cake flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup white sugar - for egg yolk mixture
- ⅓ cup white sugar - for egg white meringue
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons corn syrup - or agave/honey
- 6 eggs - whites and yolks separated
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste - or vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Filling:
- ¾ cup homemade cranberry sauce - or other filling of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then separate the egg whites and egg yolks in separate bowls.6 eggs
Egg Yolk Mixture:
- In a medium bowl, add together the egg yolks, sugar (for egg yolk mixture), salt, corn syrup, vanilla, and water. Set this bowl inside a larger bowl filled with warm water and beat on high until pale yellow with ribbons form. Remove from the warm water bath and set aside.¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup white sugar, 2 teaspoons corn syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 2 Tablespoons water
Egg White Meringue:
- In a large bowl, add the egg whites and beat on high until soft peaks form. Start adding the sugar for the egg whites in three equal parts, beating each time to incorporate. Beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form.⅓ cup white sugar
Roll Cake Batter:
- Add ½ of the egg white meringue to the egg yolk mixture and gently fold it in until it's mostly mixed in. The batter should be light and airy. Next, sift the flour and baking powder together and add this into the batter in three equal parts, gently folding after each time.1 cup cake flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- In a small bowl, microwave the oil until it's warm to the touch. Take out ¼ cup of the combined batter from the previous step and mix this fully into the warm oil. Fold this back into the combined batter. Next, add the entire batter to the remaining egg white meringue and fold it in gently.⅓ cup vegetable oil
Baking & Filling the Roll Cake:
- Pour the batter into a parchment lined pan. Bang the pan twice to remove large air bubbles and bake for 15 - 20 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when it's done. Note: It took me 18 minutes but timing will vary according to your oven.
- Take out the cake, invert the pan onto a clean, slightly damp kitchen cloth, and remove the parchment paper from the bottom. Roll up the cake and hold it in place.
- Once the cake is slightly warm to the touch, unroll the cake and spread with your jam or jelly filling. If filling with custard or cream, wait until the cake is completely cooled so the filling doesn't melt. Top with powdered sugar and berries. Serve and enjoy!
✎ Recipe Notes
- Cake pan: I used a 9 x 13 inch rectangular cake pan but you can also use a jelly roll pan. Linked above are two cake pans that I use and recommend for this recipe.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
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Tulsi
I've made this recipe 3 times and it is very good. I just have a problem getting the cake not to stick to the towel. I love the golden brown color but it keeps peeling off on the towel. Any suggestions please.
Katie Youngs
This is the perfect addition to a special brunch with friends & family.
Mary
This is a delicious cake, worth the little extra prep. Can it be made ahead? How is it stored?
Amanda
I felt a little in over my head a few times making this. I should have gotten a bit more organized. 😬 But in the end it all made sense and came together perfectly. I’m thrilled. Thank you for this recipe. It’s a winner.
Jamie
I'm glad to hear that Amanda! The results are definitely worth it! 🙂
Chris
What does "until pale yellow with ribbons form" mean? I don't know what consistency to beat it too 😳
Emma
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve used it so many times over the past few years ☺️ can’t thank you enough for sharing! Do you think this could be made gluten free with a 1-1 flour? I’m sure the texture wouldn’t be quite the same, but was wondering if you’ve ever tried or had thoughts?
Sharon
I’m absolutely thrilled to have found your Bakery Swiss Roll recipe; the roll tastes exactly like the ones found at my favorite bakery in San Francisco, Chinatown. Thank you so very much Jamie for sharing this recipe. I’m looking forward to trying out your other desserts!
Jamie
Aww thank you Sharon! That makes me so happy! 🙂
Brittany
I doubled this recipe and used everything mentioned! I made a Bûche de Noël that I am serving tomorrow for Christmas. The flavor and texture is spectacular. The detailed recipe and structure of this blog is A++. My Swiss Roll Cake looked professional!!
Thank you!! I wish I could hug this Recipe author!
I made it on the USA pan full baking sheet pan. 20.25" x 14.25" x 1"
I baked it for 40mins and rotated halfway through baking. Did not use convention setting. I measured by grams. This cake and Mocha Swiss meringue buttercream is delicious! Sending love from Texas!
Jamie
You're so welcome Brittany!! This makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for trying the recipe and hope you have a wonderful Christmas! 🙂
Toni
My kids couldn't resist getting another slice! It was so good and amazing!
Sue
This is a lovely roll cake recipe and a great basic recipe to create new flavors.
Haley
How do you keep the darker brown skin in tact? Mine keeps peeling off when I unroll. What’s your trick?
Violet
Hello,
I made this cake and that was sooo fluffy.
Thank you so much for the recipe.
I have a question, can I bake this cake in the 8” pan and frost it?
Jamie
Thank you Violet! I'm so glad you enjoyed this roll cake. Yes, you can definitely bake this in a cake pan and frost it. 🙂 Happy baking!
Viyona
I love this recipe,
I made this and was so fluffy and delicious,
Thank you.
I have one question
How do I make a chocolate roll?
Can I replace half of the flour with cocoa powder?
Jamie
Thank you! I'm so happy you loved it. For a chocolate roll cake you can use this recipe: https://drivemehungry.com/chocolate-roll-cake-swiss-roll/
Ginny
This cake was a so delicious, soft and moist. The texture is beautiful as it didn't shrink down when cooling. Can't wait to try it again with various flavours (orange, lemon, etc)
Sasha
My cake cracked and broke apart when I tried to unroll it in order to spread the filling on. I followed your instructions, where did I go wrong?
Jamie
Hi Sasha, it can crack for several reasons but the most common reason is if it's overbaked. You may want to try adjusting the baking time next time. Hope that helps, let me know!
Vah
Can I use AP flour?
Jamie
Hi Vah! I'd recommend using cake flour instead of AP flour to get that light and fluffy texture.
Virginia
I made this for 4th of July. Spread the cake with blueberry preserves then whipped cream. After it was rolled I dusted it with powdered sugar and topped it with sliced strawberries for the red, white and blue theme. Delicious!
Jamie
Thank you so much Virginia! That sounds like a great 4th of July cake with the blueberries and strawberries! 🙂
Natalie
Beautiful roll cake. The texture is amazing and the colors are stunning. Such a perfect dessert for summer. I'm definitely saving the recipe to make again.
Astrid
What can i substitute for corn syrup? I have honey, glucose, maple syrup - can I use any of these an what ratio?
Jamie
Hi Astrid! You can substitute honey or agave for the same amount. Hope that helps!
Ishariy
Hi
love to try this out. Could you please tell me the pan size
thanks
Jamie
Sure! I used a 9 x 13 inch rectangular cake pan but you can also use a jelly roll pan. I linked to the one I used in the recipe card under Equipment. Hope that helps!
Elaine
The light and fluffy texture is my favorite thing about this roll cake - it is perfect! Definitely the recipe to try over the weekend (and keep some for the next week LOL)!
Niyati
Hi here in India we don't have access to cake flour and only AP flour is available
Could I make my own CF using Cornstarch or should I completely skip trying out this recipe ?
Jamie
Hi Niyati! You can certainly try this recipe by making your own cake flour. I don't see why that wouldn't work. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Chichi
This Swiss roll recipe is so light and fluffy. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing your family recipe with us.