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.
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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 375°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 375°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 , including ones with matcha green tea, black sesame, hojicha.
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! 🙂
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 ml avocado oil or any light vegetable oil
- 30 ml whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 g cake flour sifted
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 30 g granulated cane sugar
Whipped Cream
- 125 ml heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon 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 375°F/191°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 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 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, folding it into the egg yolk mixture. Continue to fold until all of the remaining egg white mixture is incorporated into the batter, but be sure not to overfold or the egg whites will be deflated.
- Transfer the cake batter to a 9″ by 13″ baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Give the tray a few taps to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake at 375°F/191°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 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).
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 a few 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.
Rahul @samosastreet
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
Michelle
Thanks Rahul!
Shani
This roll came out so lovely! Thank you for a great recipe with really good practical tips. Better than store bought for sure!
Michelle
Hi Shani, glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Jenny
I’ve always wanted to make Swiss roll cake but never had the courage to. I am so glad I came across your recipe as it came out almost perfect for a first attempt (it slightly cracked when I rolled it but tasted amazing)! Everyone loved it and I’m proud to say that I can make Swiss roll cake now. I was also pleasantly surprised that the amount of sweetness for this recipe is just right (I usually have to reduce the sugar for most recipes I try).
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! Definitely saving this as my go to Swiss roll recipe from now on!
Michelle
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and for sharing your creation with me on Instagram, Jenny 🙂 Happy to hear it worked out well!
Katerina | Once a Foodie
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!
Michelle
Aww thank you Katerina! I'm sure your grandmother's one was amazing!
Rachel
Made this today with a mango filling - brilliant foolproof recipe!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
This cake really is perfect Michelle! It's gorgeous. I don't make them nearly enough!
Michelle
Thanks Katherine! 🙂
2pots2cook
Beautiful photos and beautiful swiss roll. Pinned for holidays ! 🙂
Michelle
Thank you so much!
Dot
I wish you could list the ingredients in Us measurements. I don't know what g or mi is equal to. .
Michelle
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.
Larissa
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!!
Michelle
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.
Felicia
Do u have receipe for choc swiss roll & matcha swiss roll?
Michelle
You would just sub in cocoa powder and matcha powder accordingly. You can use this base recipe for the matcha swiss roll.
Gerie
I made this for my kids and put marscapone whipped cream and diced fresh strawberries in it and it was an instant hit! We'll definitely be having this again and experimenting with different fillings! Thank you!
Michelle
Hi Gerie, thanks for taking the time to write, and I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe. The mascarpone whipped cream addition sounds delicious!
Vi
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 💕
Michelle
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for making the recipe Vi! 🙂
Jacqueline Debono
I haven't had a Swiss roll in years. Always loved it as a kid, especially filled with ice-cream! you've inspired me to give it a go. I love the idea of filling it with a strawberry cream.
Mat
Wow! Wonderful and tasted excellent!
Michelle
Awesome, thanks Mat! 🙂
Paula
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!
Ro
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 “drop.” 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! It’s the only one I found for a 9x13 pan.
Ro
Oops—I meant that I added the shallow pan of hot water to the bottom of the oven.
Nee
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.
Michelle
Glad to hear it 🙂
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.
Michelle
Glad to hear it worked out for you! 🙂
Naz
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!)
Michelle
The egg whites are folded into the batter in 3rds, until all of the egg whites are incorporated.
Niro
This came out really well. Thanks so much for the recipe. Will definitely be making again and exploring other flavours.
Michelle
Hi Niro, thanks for trying out the recipe and for your feedback! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Candace
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, it’s also quite adaptable for various roulade flavors! I’ve 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 they’re 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! 🙂
Michelle
So happy to hear it, Candace! Thanks for the note! 🙂
Jo
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 🙂 I will definitely be making this again with different fillings! Do you think this cake base would work for a layered cake?
Michelle
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.
Sin
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
Michelle
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.
KB
Hi! May I know if I'm able to use a 10"or 11" square baking tray instead if I don't have a 9" x 13" tray?
Michelle
Hi there -- yes, you can use a 10" or 11" baking tray. Just keep in mind that a 10" square tray will produce a slightly thicker cake and an 11" square tray will produce a slightly thinner cake, as compared to a 9" by 13" tray.
Ashley Elizabeth
These beautiful cakes totally intimidate me, but all your tips are giving me the confidence I need to *try* making one!
Michelle
Thanks so much Ashley! 🙂
Mich
Thanks Michelle. I made this today with strawberries and cream. Haven’t tried it yet. But I am definitely looking forward to it. Thank you for the recipe. Mine(the brown side) is sticking to the parchment paper and it seems to be a common issue I have. I had used quite a few other recipes, it happened as well. Any suggestions how can I fix it? Thanks again.
Michelle
Hi there, I cover this issue under my FAQs/troubleshooting -- that may mean the cake could use a little extra baking time in the oven. Each oven runs differently. The surface of the cake should be dry and bounce back when lightly pressed. Hope that helps.
Beth
Yummy! This recipe looks so amazing and delicious! So excited to give this a try! My family is going to love this!
Michelle
Thank you Beth! 🙂
Courtney
This cake was easier to make than I thought! Perfectly moist and nice and light too. Thank you!
Michelle
Awesome, thanks so much Courtney!
Adriana
Beautiful dessert perfect for any occasion too. I made it and it was fantastic; everyone loved it.
Michelle
Glad you loved it Adriana! 🙂
Suzy
Wow! This is one show stopping dessert! The cake is so moist and tender and the flavor is amazing! We loved it!
Michelle
Amazing, thanks so much Suzy! 🙂