Chocolate Swiss Roll (Chocolate Roll Cake)

chocolate roll cake, swiss roll cake filled with cream and covered in a chocolate ganache glaze

5 from 192 votes

Chocolate Swiss Roll (Chocolate Roll Cake)

Light, tall cocoa sponge made with my family's bakery roll cake method, rolled with whipped cream or cream cheese filling and finished with bittersweet chocolate ganache.

Prep Time40

Cook Time18

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Japanese, Korean

Servings:

Calories: 474kcal

Author: Jamie

Equipment

9 x 13 Rectangular Cake Pan

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

¾ cup cake flour
¼ cup dark cocoa powder
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
6 large eggs whites and yolks separated
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons water
⅓ cup avocado oil

Filling (Choose one of these fillings):

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese softened
1½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup butter
1 Tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Filling:

1¼ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache:

4 oz bittersweet chocolate bar I used 60% cacao
½ cup plus 1.5 Tablespoons of heavy cream

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper cut to fit. Separate the eggs.

Egg Yolk Mixture:

In a medium bowl, combine the 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 pale yellow and ribbons form. Remove from the water bath.

Egg White Meringue:

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high to soft peaks. Add the ⅓ cup sugar in three equal parts, beating after each to incorporate. Beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form

Roll Cake Batter:

Fold half of the meringue into the yolk mixture until mostly combined. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in three additions, folding gently after each.
Microwave the oil until warm to the touch. Stir ¼ cup of the batter completely into the oil, then fold it back into the batter.
Add all of the batter to the remaining meringue and fold gently until combined.

Baking & Filling the Roll Cake:

Pour into the pan, bang it on the counter twice to release large air bubbles, and bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the center springs back and a toothpick comes out clean. Don't overbake, or the cake will be hard to roll and may crack.
Invert the cake onto a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel or another piece of parchment paper and peel off the baking parchment. While it's still warm, roll it up gently from the short side in the towel or parchment. Hold the roll in place with a rolling pin and cool completely.
Once the cake is completely cooled, unroll it and fill it with whipped cream or the cream cheese filling and roll it back up.

Filling (Choose One):

Whipped cream: beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high to stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.
Cream cheese: beat the cream cheese and butter until combined, then add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat until smooth; add more milk if too thick to spread.

Ganache and Serving:

Microwave the chocolate and cream in 20-second intervals until the chocolate starts to melt and the cream is warm. Stir until smooth.
Set the roll on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Slowly pour the ganache over the center so it covers the cake, filling any bare spots with an offset spatula.
Refrigerate about 1 hour to set, then slice. Let slices come toward temperature before serving.

Notes

Pan: A 9 x 13-inch rectangular cake pan or a jelly roll pan will work.
Oil: Any neutral vegetable oil can replace avocado oil.
Rolling: Roll while warm and don't press down, which causes cracks. Rolling in the baking parchment works too.
Filling: Wait until the cake is completely cool so the filling doesn't melt. Roll gently with whipped cream so it doesn't squeeze out.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze, wrapped in plastic and in an airtight container, for up to 1 month.

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