Chocolate Roll Cake – Swiss Roll

My family’s bakery sponge cake goes chocolate: a cocoa roll cake beaten extra tall, rolled around your choice of two fillings, and finished with a two-ingredient ganache that makes it look like a giant Hostess Swiss roll.

This chocolate Swiss roll is one of my favorite cakes to make when I’m craving chocolate cake. I adapted it from my family’s roll cake recipe, the one that comes from three generations of professional bakers and that we use for Korean and Japanese-style roll cakes.

Every time I pour the ganache over this cake, I think of the Hostess and Little Debbie Swiss rolls I used to snack on as a kid. They were a favorite of mine growing up, and this homemade version looks exactly like a giant one.

The sponge is soft and fluffy, with a deep chocolate flavor from the dark cocoa. The bittersweet ganache balances the sweet, creamy filling, so every slice tastes rich without being overly sweet. Both fillings work well in this cake, so choose whichever you’re in the mood for: whipped cream when you want something light and airy, or cream cheese when you’re craving something richer and a little tangy.

Ingredient Notes for Chocolate Swiss Roll

• Cake flour: Cake flour is lower in protein than all-purpose flour, so it forms less gluten and gives a more tender crumb.
• Eggs, separated: The eggs do almost all of the lifting here. Beating the yolks over warm water and whipping the whites to stiff peaks separately is what makes this sponge taller than a typical roll cake.
• Corn syrup: A spoonful of syrup is a long-standing trick in Asian sponge cakes. Japanese castella gets its famously moist crumb partly from mizuame, a starch syrup added to the sponge for moisture. Liquid sugars help baked goods hold onto moisture and stay soft longer, which matters for a thin sponge that has to stay flexible enough to roll. Agave or honey also work in its place.
• Avocado oil: Oil keeps the sponge soft and moist, and warming it before mixing it with a scoop of batter lets it blend into the airy batter without heavy stirring. Any neutral vegetable oil works if you don’t have avocado oil.
• Vanilla bean paste. Adds vanilla flavor and visible specks. You can use vanilla extract instead.
• Cream cheese and butter (filling). Beating softened cream cheese with butter makes a thick filling that holds its shape when sliced. It’s stiffer than whipped cream, so thin it with milk a little at a time until it spreads easily.
• Heavy whipping cream (filling). Whipped to stiff peaks with sugar and vanilla, it’s softer than the cream cheese filling and can squeeze out if you press while rolling.
• Bittersweet chocolate bar (60% cacao). A bittersweet bar balances the sweet filling. There’s slightly more cream than chocolate by weight in this ganache, which gives a pourable glaze that spreads over the roll and drips down the sides. For a sweeter ganache, use a semisweet bar instead.

How to Make a Chocolate Swiss Roll

1. Line the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper cut to fit snugly. A well-fitted liner helps the sponge bake in an even layer, which makes rolling easier.

2. Beat the yolks over warm water. In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, salt, corn syrup, vanilla, and water. Set the bowl inside a larger bowl of warm water and beat on high until the mixture turns pale yellow and falls in ribbons. The warm water helps the sugar dissolve and the yolks gain volume. Remove from the water bath.

3. Whip the meringue. In a large, clean bowl, beat the egg whites on high to soft peaks. Add the ⅓ cup sugar in three additions, then beat to stiff peaks.

4. Fold in half the meringue, then the dry ingredients. Fold half the meringue into the yolk mixture until mostly combined; it should look light and airy. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder together and fold them in over three additions.

5. Blend in the warm oil. Microwave the oil until warm to the touch. Stir ¼ cup of the batter completely into the oil, then fold that mixture back into the batter.

6. Fold into the rest of the meringue. Pour all of the batter into the remaining meringue and fold gently until no streaks remain.

7. Bake. Pour into the lined pan and bang it on the counter twice to knock out large air bubbles. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the center springs back and a toothpick comes out clean. An overbaked sponge is hard to roll and may crack.

8. Roll it while warm (how to roll a Swiss roll without cracking). Invert the cake onto a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel and peel off the parchment. Once it’s cool enough to handle but still warm, lift the short side with the towel and roll the cake up gently without pressing down, which causes big cracks. You can also roll it on a piece of parchment paper instead of the kitchen towel, though a towel is recommended to prevent cracking. Rest a rolling pin against the end of the towel to keep the roll from unraveling, and let it cool completely.

9. Make the filling. While the cake cools, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla to stiff peaks, about 2 minutes, or beat the cream cheese filling until smooth.

10. Fill and re-roll. When the cake is completely cool, unroll it, spread the filling evenly, and roll it back up. Go gently with whipped cream so it doesn’t squeeze out. A warm cake will melt the filling, so don’t rush this.

11. Make the ganache. Break the chocolate into small pieces and microwave it with the cream in 20-second intervals until the chocolate starts to melt and the cream is warm. Stir until smooth and glossy.

12. Glaze. Set the roll seam side down on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Slowly pour the ganache over the center so it spreads and drips down the sides, then cover any bare spots with an offset spatula.

13. Chill, slice, and serve. Refrigerate about 1 hour so the ganache and filling set and the cake slices cleanly. Let slices come toward room temperature before serving.

How to Store Chocolate Swiss Roll

Fridge: Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because both fillings are dairy, keep it chilled. Let slices sit out briefly before serving so they aren’t fridge-cold.

Freezer: Wrap the roll in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container for up to 1 month. The double layer keeps it from absorbing freezer odors and protects against freezer burn.

Variations

• Filling: whipped cream for a lighter cake, cream cheese for a richer one.
• Plain version: skip the cocoa and use the full cup of cake flour for my bakery Swiss roll cake with jam.
• Holiday version: for a decorated log, see my Yule log cake (Bûche de Noël).

Frequently Asked Questions

I hope this chocolate Swiss roll brings back a little of that childhood snack-cake nostalgia for you too. Once you’ve rolled one, try the plain bakery Swiss roll cake with jam, or dress this sponge up as a Yule log for the holidays. If you make it, let me know which filling you chose in the comments, and leave a rating to help other bakers find it!

More chocolate recipes: Giant Flourless Chocolate Cookies and Rich and Creamy Homemade Hot Chocolate.

Thanks so much for stopping by!