This recipe for Perfect Swiss Roll Cake yields a light, fluffy and spongy cake that is not too sweet. This chiffon-style cake is very versatile — fill it with whipped cream, jam, or ganache, and is simple to make with my tips below.
When I was young, I remember visiting my grandparents and they would have an assortment of Chinese bakery goodies on the dining table.
The treats ranged from wife cakes, bbq pork buns, steamed red bean paste buns, egg tarts, and lastly, a whole swiss roll cake.
One of my favourite cakes to make and eat is this Perfect Swiss Roll Cake.
I personally love the lightness of a chiffon cake.
Swiss roll cakes sound intimidating to make, but they’re really quite straightforward as long as you follow my tips below.
What is a Swiss roll cake?
Swiss roll cake is also known as a jelly roll, cream roll, roll cake, or Swiss log cake. (“Buche du Noel” or yuletide log is a version that appears frequently at Christmas time).
Essentially, it is a sponge cake that is rolled up with a filling of whipped cream, chocolate ganache or jelly.
The origin of the name “swiss roll” appears to be unclear, as it is believed the cake originated somewhere in Europe.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This recipe has been a staple in our home for years; it has been tried and tested.
The cake is light and fluffy, and not too sweet.
It requires minimal ingredients, and an equal number off egg yolks and egg whites. (Many recipes require more egg whites than egg yolks).
Ingredients you’ll need
This swiss roll cake is based on a chiffon cake, which is a sponge cake with the addition of vegetable oil.
The ingredients in a swiss roll cake include:
- eggs: yolks and whites are separated and beaten at different times; the egg whites provide leavening for the cake. The eggs should be separated first, and then left at room temperature to warm up.
- cream of tartar: is an acid that helps to stabilize the whipped egg whites. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can use a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar instead.
- oil: I use avocado, but you can you use any light vegetable oil. This provides moisture and flexibility to the cake
- whole milk: you can use any type of milk you have on hand
- granulated cane sugar: divided half for the egg white mixture and half for the egg yolk mixture.
- vanilla extract: or you can sub in any flavour to change it up
- cake/pastry flour: this type of flour has less protein and gluten which helps to keep the cake tender
How to make the cake
Preparing the eggs
As mentioned above, the first thing to do is to remove the eggs from the fridge, and separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.
Why? It’s easier to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks when they’re cold.
However, the egg whites should be at room temperature to attain sufficient volume when beating.
Tip: ensure your bowl for beating the egg whites is clean, with no traces of oil. Oil can hinder the egg whites from beating up nicely. An easy way to do this is to give the bowl and whisk a quick wipe with paper towel and a bit of lemon juice or vinegar prior to adding the egg whites.
Make the egg yolk batter
In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks with 30g sugar and whisk together. Add in the oil, milk, vanilla extract and whisk again.
Sift in the cake flour over top of the egg yolk mixture and fold gently to combine, until there are no lumps.
Whip the egg whites
In a clean stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment, add the room temperature egg whites.
Turn on the mixer on low speed.
Once the egg whites become foamy with bubbles, add in a little cream of tartar (or lemon juice/vinegar).
Gradually increase the speed of the mixer, and slowly pour in the granulated sugar.
Continue to whip the egg whites until fluffy, shiny and reaches a soft peak. (The egg whites will form a curved tail at the end of the whisk).
Combine the mixtures
Using a spatula, fold about ⅓rd of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter. This will help to loosen up the egg yolk batter.
Note: Folding is different than stirring. It takes a lighter hand to not deflate the whipped egg whites. To fold, take the spatula to the bottom of the mixture, and scoop (a slow flick of the wrist) while turning the bowl about 90 degrees.
Continue to turn the bowl and fold until the mixture is almost homogeneous.
Add the next 3rd of the egg white mixture, and continue to fold until the egg whites are incorporated into the batter, but be sure not to overfold or the egg whites will be deflated.
Bake the cake
Prepare a 9″ by 13″ baking tray with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 375Β°F.
Transfer the cake batter to the 9″ by 13″ baking tray.
Give the tray a few taps to release any trapped air bubbles.
Bake at 375Β°F for 14-15 minutes, until the cake surface is golden brown, dry and springy to the touch.
Remove the cake from the oven and immediately drop it from a height of 1′. This prevents the cake from shrinkage.
Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes (just until it’s the slightest bit warm — not completely cool).
Make the whipped cream
While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream.
Tip: A chilled bowl (in the fridge) will help the cream to whip up nicely.
Pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl, add in the powdered sugar and use a whisk to whip to stiff peaks. (Don’t overwhip or the cream will turn into butter).
How to roll the cake
Place the slightly warm cake onto a large piece of parchment paper, with the top side down (the browned exterior).
Of course, you can choose to roll it the other way if you like.
Dollop the whipped cream onto the surface of the cake.
Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the whipped cream over the entire cake.
Starting at the short end, use the parchment paper to help gently roll up the cake.
Use the parchment paper to gently push the roll so it is taut.
Make sure the seam-side is facing down, seal the ends of the parchment paper.
Place the cake onto a tray and into the fridge for at least 6 hours to firm up.
Watch how to make it
How to serve
It’s best to cut the cake slices when you’re ready to eat.
Remove the cake from the fridge and cut the ends off with a sharp serrated knife.
Clean the knife with a warm, damp towel.
Cut the cake into slices about 1″ in thickness, cleaning the knife in between cuts.
Serve the cake with fresh fruit or as is. It would be delicious with a scoop of ice cream.
How to store
Store the swiss roll cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
If you’re using a filling other than whipped cream, you can keep the cake at room temperature for 1-2 days (in an airtight container).
Additionally, you can cut slices of the cake and freeze them individually wrapped. Freeze for up to 3 months.
If serving from frozen, just leave the cake at room temperature for 15-20 minutes prior to enjoying.
FAQ’s & troubleshooting
Why did my cake crack?
It’s possible that you may have overwhipped the egg whites. You’re looking for soft peaks in the egg meringue, so they have “tail” when you pull out the whisk.
Another possibility is that you may have overbaked the cake. Just bake until the top is dry and springy to the touch. An overbaked cake will be dry and that may cause cracking.
The top “layer” stuck to the parchment
If this happens, that may mean the cake could use a little extra baking time in the oven.
The surface should be dry and bounce back when lightly pressed, and not wet.
Can I roll the cake the other way?
Yes, you can roll it length wise, or even with the “brown layer” facing inwards.
How much cream do I need for the cake?
You’ll need about ½ C (125ml) of heavy whipping cream for the filling.
You can add certainly more if you like a thicker layer of cream.
Different flavour variations
This Perfect Swiss Roll Cake is my go-to recipe for all my different cake variations:
Swap out the vanilla extract for different flavour, or play with filling flavours. The choices are endless!
In the past, I’ve done a fresh mango fruit and cream filling, as well as strawberry cream.
A strawberry jam, chocolate ganache, or even matcha cream would all be delicious!
And if you’re looking for a different variation of the roll cake, check out my White & Blue Butteryfly Pea Roll Cake.
Other cake recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Most Delicious Matcha Pound Cake
Soft, light, and delicious — this faintly sweet Perfect Swiss Roll Cake is indeed a staple in my home.
Skip the Chinese bakery and make this classic cake at home!
My kids seriously LOVE this cake and constantly request for it, in which I’m happy to oblige! π
Let me know if you try out my recipe Perfect Swiss Roll Cake — tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Perfect Swiss Roll Cake
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 egg yolks
- 30 g granulated cane sugar
- 30 g avocado oil or any light vegetable oil
- 30 ml whole milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 60 g cake flour sifted
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 30 g granulated cane sugar
Whipped Cream
- 125 ml heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Prepare a 9" by 13" baking tray with parchment paper.
- Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks into 2 different bowls (one for egg whites and one for egg yolks).
- Tip: ensure your bowl for beating the egg whites is clean, with no traces of oil. Give the bowl and whisk a quick wipe with paper towel and a bit of lemon juice or vinegar prior to adding the egg whites.
- Preheat the oven to 375Β°F/191Β°C.
- Combine the egg yolks with 30g sugar and whisk together. Add in the oil, milk, vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Sift in the cake flour over top of the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine, until there are no lumps.
- In a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, add the room temperature egg whites.
- Turn on the mixer on low speed.
- Once the egg whites become foamy with bubbles, add in a little cream of tartar (or lemon juice/vinegar).
- Gradually increase the speed of the mixer, and slowly pour in the granulated sugar.
- Continue to whip the egg whites until fluffy, shiny and reaches a soft peak. (The egg whites will form a curved tail at the end of the whisk).
- Using a spatula, fold about β rd of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter. This will help to loosen up the egg yolk batter.
- Note: Folding is different than stirring. It takes a lighter hand to not deflate the whipped egg whites. To fold, take the spatula to the bottom of the mixture, and scoop up (a slow flick of the wrist) while turning the bowl about 90 degrees. Continue to turn the bowl and fold until the mixture is almost homogeneous.
- Add the next 3rd of the egg white mixture, and continue to fold until all the egg whites are incorporated into the batter, but be sure not to overfold or the egg whites will be deflated.
- Transfer the cake batter to a 9β³ by 13β³ baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Give the tray a few taps to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake at 375Β°F/191Β°C for 14-15 minutes, until the cake surface is golden brown and dry to the touch. The cake should be bounce back when slightly pressed with a finger tip.
- Remove the cake from the oven and immediately drop it from a height of 1β². This prevents the cake from shrinkage.
- Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes (just until itβs the slightest bit warm β not completely cool).
Make the whipped cream:
- While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream.
- Tip: A chilled bowl (in the fridge) will help the cream to whip up nicely.
- Pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl, add in the powdered sugar and use a whisk to whip to stiff peaks. (Donβt overwhip or the cream will turn into butter).
Assemble the cake:
- Place the slightly warm cake onto a large piece of parchment paper, with the top side down (the browned exterior). Of course, you can choose to roll it the other way if you like.
- Dollop the whipped cream onto the surface of the cake.
- Use an offset spatula to evenly spread the whipped cream over the entire cake.
- Starting at the short end, use the parchment paper to help gently roll up the cake.
- Use the parchment paper to gently push the roll so it is taut.
- Make sure the seam-side is facing down, seal the ends of the parchment paper.
- Place the cake onto a tray and into the fridge for at least 6 hours to firm up.
- Cut the cake ends off with a serrated knife. Use a damp, warm towel to clean the knife in between slices.
- Cut into thick slices and serve.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Wow, this swiss roll looks absolutely gorgeous Michelle. I will have to give it a try and hope it comes out looking as good as yours
Thanks Rahul!
This swiss role looks perfectly soft, light and fluffy indeed, Michelle. My grandmother loved making these too and had them down to an art. It’s nearly too beautiful to eat!
Aww thank you Katerina! I’m sure your grandmother’s one was amazing!
This cake really is perfect Michelle! It’s gorgeous. I don’t make them nearly enough!
Thanks Katherine! π
Beautiful photos and beautiful swiss roll. Pinned for holidays ! π
Thank you so much!
I wish you could list the ingredients in Us measurements. I don’t know what g or mi is equal to. .
Weight measurements yield more precision and consistency in baking. For eg. 1 Cup of flour “scooped” from a bag is vastly different than 1 Cup of floured “spooned” into the cup.
Hoping to make this tomorrow. Wondering when the cake is baked and after tapping it, do I take it out of the pan to cool on a wire rack or leave it in the pan? Also, how much heavy c cream do I need to fill the Swiss roll? Thanks!!
After the cake has baked, let it cool on a cooling/wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
You’ll need 125ml of heavy whipping cream to fill this Swiss roll cake.
Do u have receipe for choc swiss roll & matcha swiss roll?
You would just sub in cocoa powder and matcha powder accordingly. You can use this base recipe for the matcha swiss roll.
Amazing recipe!
It lives up to its name.
Perfect texture, taste, and airiness.
Made it for Christmas and everyone rave about it!
Thank you for sharing π
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for making the recipe Vi! π
Wow! Wonderful and tasted excellent!
Awesome, thanks Mat! π
Tried this Swiss roll cake recipe. It turns out great! Very simple and easy to make. And the taste is perfect! Moist and fluffy. Thanks for sharing Michelle!
Delicious! My kids loved it! I made this twice. The first time I think I underbaked it. It shrank as it cooled despite trying the βdrop.β But the second time I baked it, I added a shallow pan of hot water to the bottom of the pan and made sure not to underbake it. It was perfect! Thank you for this recipe! Itβs the only one I found for a 9×13 pan.
OopsβI meant that I added the shallow pan of hot water to the bottom of the oven.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, Michelle. After doing a couple of tweaks of my own, I think I’ve finally nailed it. The only thing which I struggle with is getting an even colouring on the top. Mine doesn’t brown evenly. There are always parts that are brown and parts blonde. Not sure how to get that right. But taste and texture wise, it’s perfect! I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with flavours and using this as the base recipe.
Glad to hear it π
The uneven browning on the top may mean that your oven has hot spots — you may need to experiment with changing the placement location of your cake. Hope that helps.
Glad to hear it worked out for you! π
Alright, I decided to read the recipe before starting and now I’m glad I did.
The recipe states (step 12-13) to fold in 1/3 of the egg white mixture, then (step 14) add in another 1/3, then jumps to baking (step 15). Is the remaining third of the egg whites left out on purpose or was this a mistake?
(Thanks in advance!)
The egg whites are folded into the batter in 3rds, until all of the egg whites are incorporated.
Can I just say I have used this recipe as a base for many a Swiss roll cake, and not only is it delicate and delicious on its own, itβs also quite adaptable for various roulade flavors! Iβve made a matcha and raspberry roll, a coffee and chocolate roll, an ube and strawberry roll, and a raspberry, guava and cheese roll, among others, and so far, none have disappointed! Thanks for your recipes, I also love that theyβre in metric, I use a scale to prep and it makes it so much easier and exact! Smaller margin for failure, lol. Keep them recipes coming! π
So happy to hear it, Candace! Thanks for the note! π
This was my first time making swiss roll cake and it turned out so amazing! Super moist and light, it wasn’t too sweet either. Pretty simple and quick to make too π I will definitely be making this again with different fillings! Do you think this cake base would work for a layered cake?
That’s amazing to hear, Jo! Yes, I used the base for my Matcha Strawberry Shortcake, but I wouldn’t recommend it with a heavier buttercream filled cake since it’s quite delicate.
Hi Michelle
re: Place the slightly warm cake onto a large piece of parchment paper, with the top side down (the browned exterior)
But why does mine always stick to the parchment paper. The skin comes off. Thanks
If the skin (brown part) of the cake is sticking to the parchment paper, it means it is still a bit too moist. Leave the cake in the oven an extra minute or two to ensure the top is dry to the touch before taking it out.
These beautiful cakes totally intimidate me, but all your tips are giving me the confidence I need to *try* making one!
Thanks so much Ashley! π
Yummy! This recipe looks so amazing and delicious! So excited to give this a try! My family is going to love this!
Thank you Beth! π
This cake was easier to make than I thought! Perfectly moist and nice and light too. Thank you!
Awesome, thanks so much Courtney!
Beautiful dessert perfect for any occasion too. I made it and it was fantastic; everyone loved it.
Glad you loved it Adriana! π
Wow! This is one show stopping dessert! The cake is so moist and tender and the flavor is amazing! We loved it!
Amazing, thanks so much Suzy! π
To make the cake matcha flavoured, how much matcha powder would you use in place of the 1/2 tsp vanilla?
Refer to my Hojicha Roll Cake recipe and substitute the same amount of matcha for the hojicha powder. Hope that helps!
Could you add blueberries to the cream and lemon zest to the batter to make a lemon blueberry roll?
Absolutely. You can refer to my Blackberry Earl Grey Cream Roll Cake recipe.
That was easy. WOO HOO. I had a problem with another recipe trying to roll the sponge without it cracking. It tasted good (I had a small slice) and it looked good. I made it for the staff at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, United Kingdom. Iβm going to look for more of your recipes to share with them.
That is amazing to hear, Lozza! Thank you for sharing! π
Hi, tried this cake and it came out so well for a first attempt. An easy recipe that is definitely for keeps. Thanks for sharing.
Great to hear, thanks Sindhu! π
I really liked this recipe. I am a WW member and I love to bake. Some of the ingredients in this recipe was easily swapped out to make it WW friendly. Thank you for this awesome cake roll.
Amazing, glad you were able to make it work for you, and thanks for sharing your creation with me on Instagram! π
Such a light, yet decadent treat! That cake looks absolutely gorgeous with a perfect spiral. Yum!
Thanks so much, Tara! π
This looks so delicious and yummy! My boyfriend is going to love this recipe! So excited to make this!
Amazing Lilly, hope you both enjoy! π
This cake is truly a roll of perfection! Perfectly paired with my morning cuppa!
You’ve got the right idea! Thanks Gail
This reminded me very much of the one my mom used to make. Thanks!
Oh I’m glad to hear it Megan!
The crumb on this cake is perfect and I love the cream filling
Awesome, thanks so much Michelle!
Just made this, itβs delicious, but I couldnβt figure out why my sponge was so small despite rising. the US volumetric measurements here are very different from the metric mass ones. I used 1/2 the amount of flour I should have,oops. just an fyi for the other american bakers out there
Hi there, thanks for your message — there was a glitch on the volumetric conversion; it’s been corrected now.
Thanks Michelle
re: If the skin (brown part) of the cake is sticking to the parchment paper, it means it is still a bit too moist. Leave the cake in the oven an extra minute or two to ensure the top is dry to the touch before taking it out.
I did but when removed from fridge the skin stuck to parchment paper π
I haven’t had that experience before… perhaps next time don’t wrap the parchment up too tightly.
This was so good! I added a little strawberry sauce to the top and it was delicious.
Oh that’s amazing to hear, April! Strawberry sauce sounds heavenly! π
This Swiss roll is gorgeous and would make the perfect spring and Easter dessert.
I haven’t made roll cake in ages. Thanks for reminding me to make one for my family. I will give your recipe a try this weekend. Can’t wait.
This looks like perfection indeed! My little girl who loves baking would enjoy making this!
WOW, this looks incredible! That strawberry variation in particular is calling my name. Great tips on the rolling too, I think that’s the most intimidating part for me but you really broke it down into easy steps!
Thank you Nathan! Roll cakes can be a little intimidating, but with practice, it gets easier! π
hi, I want to try this recipe but was wondering if I could use anything to substitute the cream of tartar. thanks.
Yes, you can add 1/4 tsp of lemon juice to the egg whites (while foamy) instead of the cream of tartar. Hope that helps.
Do you have some tips if I want to make a chocolate cake instead? Can I just add cocoa powder or does that change all the other measurements?
Hi Tiffany, you can refer to my Hojicha Roll Cake recipe and sub out the hojicha powder with cocoa. Good luck!
Never made a roll cake before but thought iβll give it a try and this turned out so GORGEOUS! Thank you for the recipe an your tips really helped me!
Glad to hear it, Julia! π
Amazing! I love how your step by step instructions make it so easy to get a deliciously perfect Swiss roll!
It simply looks perfect! We have a Jam Roll version in the Indian bakeries where instead of the cream, we top the cake with jam. I’m bookmarking this!
I’ve never attempted to make one of these but with your video and directions I believe I can do this. Looks marvelous!
Yum! My wife made this a couple nights ago and so delicious! Definitely one of my favorites! Can’t wait to have this again!
What a perfectly beautiful Swiss roll cake. I like that you can do variations to the inside cream. I might add a bit of strawberry to mine.
This is the best recipe I ever tried. The cake is very light, fluffy and moist. Delicious!
Thank you so much Linsey! Glad to hear you enjoyed it π
This swiss roll cake was perfect! So soft and spongy, and the sweetness level was just right.
Amazing, makes me happy to hear it! Thank you Emily!
I wish I could reach right in a grab a slice of this cake! It does indeed look perfect, and I love your variation suggestions, too!
This swiss roll looks perfect!! I have always wanted to make a swiss roll, so this came at the perfect time. Thanks so much for the recipe π
Looks like such an amazing treat! This Swiss roll cake will be perfect with a cup of tea.
This is the perfect Swiss roll cake recipe! Thank you so much for the step-by-step instructions. It turned out beautifully!
Glad to hear it worked well for you, Angela!
This makes my mouth water and I cant wait to make one since I drooled all over my keyboard! amazing thanks so much!
This cake looks wonderful. I love swiss rolls but have never tried making one myself. Guess what I’m baking this weekend.
This swiss roll is perfect! It looks so tender and soft. I’m loving the sounds of that Blackberry Earl Grey variation too!
Thank you Alex! The Blackberry Earl Grey is a favourite during the summer! π
This swiss roll cake was delicious! So fluffy and easy to make.
Thanks for the feedback, Emily! Glad you enjoyed it! π
Such a great treat and so delicious! The family loved this especially my hubby! Definitely making this again!
This was my first time making a roll cake and your instructions were so easy to follow and the cake tasted great!
Amazing! I followed your step by step directions and it came out just perfect.
Will definitely keep this recipe.
Thank you!
Made this yesterday for brunch with simple powdered sugar glaze on top and was delicious. Thank you for another great recipe
Glad you enjoyed it! π
So incredibly delicious! It reminded me of Little Debbie’s Swiss Cake Rolls, but way better! And your photos are so beautiful!
Such a pretty cake! I love all of your different filling options, especially the strawberry.
Strawberry is my kids’ favourite roll cake flavour! Thanks Michelle!
Such a beautiful and impressive cake and much easier to make than I thought. I love the whipped cream filling and light fluffy cake.
Awesome, Jen! It does take some practice, but it gets easier every time π
Thanks to all of your advice and tips, this turned out beautifully! It definitely impressed my family.
Glad the tips were helpful for you, Jen! Thanks for writing π
I love Swiss rolls, but I’m so nervous to make them because they seem really hard. The step by step instructions take away the mystery and gave me confidence to try it out. Success!
Super glad to hear the roll cake worked out for you, Diana!
Hi Michelle! Can I use this recipe on a 11β by 11β baking pan instead? Thanks!
Hi Joey, I don’t have that particular sized pan, but you should be able to make it in it. Good luck!
Wow! This Swiss Roll Cake turned out so good! Your instructions are so easy to understand, it wasn’t as complicated as I thought it would be. It was so light and fluffy, I will definitely be making it again!
Hi Jeri, thanks for making the recipe! Glad you enjoyed it! π
There is good swiss roll and there is this – PERFECT is an understatement. There I was thinking it would last 2 nights dessert but we demolished it all the first night!
Ahh, so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! It gets demolished in our house pretty quickly too — thanks for writing, Gavin!
Wow, this Swiss roll looks amazing! Such a beautiful cake, perfect for a celebration.
This is beautiful! I have been wanting to make a rolled cake like this for awhile now – can’t wait to try it!!!