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.
Diana Reis
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!
Michelle
Super glad to hear the roll cake worked out for you, Diana!
Joey
Hi Michelle! Can I use this recipe on a 11” by 11” baking pan instead? Thanks!
Michelle
Hi Joey, I don't have that particular sized pan, but you should be able to make it in it. Good luck!
Jeri
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!
Michelle
Hi Jeri, thanks for making the recipe! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Gavin Sutherland
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!
Michelle
Ahh, so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! It gets demolished in our house pretty quickly too -- thanks for writing, Gavin!
B
Wow, this Swiss roll looks amazing! Such a beautiful cake, perfect for a celebration.
Lauren Michael Harris
This is beautiful! I have been wanting to make a rolled cake like this for awhile now - can't wait to try it!!!
Salma Mohammad
I tried the recipe but didn't have cake flour so I used a substitute from the website: https://www.thekitchn.com/the-easy-way-to-make-cake-flour-substitute-baking-tips-from-the-kitchn-44521
It turned out perfect, thank you so much.
Michelle
Glad to hear it worked out for you, Salma! Thanks for trying the recipe 🙂
Veronica
The biggest pan I have for this sort of thing is a square 12 x 12 inch or smaller rectangle 8 x 11 inch, would that affect too much? Or should I reduce the recipe? And if I want to make it chocolate version, how much should I add and which kind of cocoa powder would be good?
Michelle
Hi there, you can use the 8 by 11" pan. If you want to make a chocolate version, refer to my Hojicha Roll Cake recipe (https://www.siftandsimmer.com/hojicha-cake-roll/) and replace the hojicha powder with the same amount of cocoa. Hope that helps.
Michaela
I love how light and spongy this swiss roll cake is. It was truly a big hit with my family.
Dionne
The texture was absolutely stunning - just the way I like it.
Veronica
Can I use white sugar for this instead, I don't have cane sugar? Thanks.
Michelle
Yes, you can use white granulated sugar.
Veronica
Hey, i. was watching your video and omg your baking pan looks huge. i only have a 8 by 11 inch, can i reduce the recipe to only using 2 eggs? I don't want to have too much leftover. If I have, can you rest the batter on the counter and just wait for the first batch to bake?
Michelle
My baking pan is a 9" by 13" -- you can still make the full recipe with 3 eggs in your 8" by 11" pan.
No, as the whipped egg whites will deflate over time, the cake should be baked right away.
Veronica
Hi, I just made them yesterday and huge success as the first try. But i did reduce the temp to 350 since my oven runs hot and I baked for 18 mins 30 seconds but still when I rolled, there were a few cracks. And I did think the taste is a little bit too eggy. And I had a whole bunch leftover since I was scared it would rise too high and make a super thick roll, so I used them for cupcakes. Not too bad for a first try.
Erina
Hi! Can i use this recipe like regular cake with 2/3 layer? I already made it and turns out sooooo good. I’m really love it thankyou!
Michelle
Hi Erina, thanks for your feedback -- glad you enjoyed the recipe. Yes, you can make it like a layered cake, if that's what you're asking. I will note that is quite a delicate cake, so you'll have to choose a lighter filling. For example, I used this recipe for my Matcha Strawberry Shortcake Hope that helps 🙂
Erina
Thankyou michelle for your response and suggestion, i’m really appreciated 😊. Is it possible to use swiss meringue buttercream to replace whipped cream? Thankyou! Sorry i’m really newbie in this area 😅
Michelle
I personally haven't tried it but you may be able to use Swiss meringue buttercream in between the cake layers. Report back if you do try it!
Erina
Sure! I will report back 😊 thanks a lot for your responses!
chiaoju
This truly is the perfect Swiss roll! Definitely will be my go-to base recipe.
Michelle
Thanks so much for making the recipe, and sharing it on Instagram! 🙂
Jane
Hi Michelle, I am yet to try this recipe. Is it possible to substitute the granulated cane sugar with normal sugar/stevia?
Thanks in advance!
Michelle
Hi Jane, you can definitely use regular granulated (white) sugar in this recipe. I personally have not tried this recipe with Stevia, so I don't know if it will work. If you do try it, let me know! 🙂
Armeen Eiman (@22aems)
Hey, I’m the admin of the blog @22aems. Tried to it recipe and posted on my blog- and tagged you.
It was amazing, the recipe and whole journey. Every step told and explained to finest details! Great work.
Michelle
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Armeen! Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Grace
I just tried this last night, and the cake this morning was PERFECT. I am shook that it didn't crack -- thanks for all of the great tips, as always!
Quick question for you: When I stored the cake in the fridge overnight, I left it in the parchment roll and wrapped it with saran wrap. I took the cake out of the parchment roll in the morning, and the brown part stuck to the parchment. Does this mean it should've cooked one minute longer in the oven last night? Or do you think it was the saran wrap that did it?
Thanks so much for your guidance!
Michelle
Hi Grace, thanks for your note. 🙂
With regards to the brown "layer," try leaving the cake in the oven for an extra minute, just to ensure that the top is thoroughly dry and springy to the touch. Sometimes the cake can appear dry while in the oven, but when you take it out and touch the top, it sticks to your fingers. Once sufficiently dry, the brown layer should not peel off, even wrapped in the parchment paper. Hope that helps!
Laurie
This may be a silly question but what do we do with the last 1/3 of the egg whites. I read twice and did not see folding in the last third. Do we just throw away? Maybe I am missing something?
Michelle
Continue to fold until all of the remaining egg white mixture is incorporated into the batter.
Gloria
This was a a great simple recipe and I was able to roll it without any cracks!
I tried all sorts of Asian Swiss roll recipes, even ones that call for weighing egg whites and yolks to specific grams and cooked dough method, without success. I think simple is best.
I did have small parts of the skin sticking to the parchment when I flipped the cake skin side down to a new parchment so I was a little sad it wasn't picture perfect! Maybe I need to let it cool with the skin side up. I'm looking forward to try the other variations!!
Michelle
Hi Gloria, thank you so much for your feedback! Happy to hear that the recipe worked out for you.
Judy
The swiss roll turned out perfect! I substituted cake flour with plain flour + potato starch, and the cake was so soft and fluffy. Definitely going to be making this again 🙂
Michelle
Hi Judy, thanks for sharing your creation with me on Instagram! The cake looked amazing! Happy that you enjoyed the recipe 🙂