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.
Ieva
Really nice recipe! I was really careful folding in all the egg whites patience paid off - the cake itself was very light and fluffy! We also added some chopped strawberries to the cream! Lovely cake recipe!
Michelle
Hi Ieva, thanks so much for your feedback! Sounds like you had great success with the recipe! Love the chopped strawberries and cream combo too 🙂
Veronica
i've made this recipe a bunch of times now so I'm pretty familiar with it. but this issue occurred today, after the cake was done, I took it out the oven, let it cool for a couple mins till warm before I handled it, then wrap it into a roll, then let it cool and placed it in the fridge to cool and form the rolling shape, but when I pulled it out, some part of the skin got peeled off and the skin seems a little wet, can you tell me what went wrong, this happened a few times before as well.
Michelle
If the skin of the cake is peeling off, then it's too wet and needs a few additional minutes of baking time. Also, your fridge may be too humid, which may explain why the skin peels after it's been rolled.
Kelley
This was delicious and super impressive! Everyone loved it!
Michelle
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Kelley!
Katherine
hi there, loved this recipe, but where exactly does it say to add the flour? I printed out the recipe and couldn't find it anywhere.
otherwise a delicious cake!
Michelle
Hi there, it's stated in Step 6 to sift in the cake flour over the egg yolk mixture.
Tayler Ross
I made this swiss roll cake over the weekend and it was a huge hit at the party I took it to. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Michelle
Thanks for the lovely comment, Tayler! Glad to hear it was a hit! 🙂
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I am always nervous making a swiss roll but this one came out perfectly and was delicious. Thanks so much!
Lakshmi
Tried this today, filled with a cream cheese and strawberry-raspberry jam. The cake is mind-blowing! Just the right amount of sweetness and melt in the mouth! Thank you so much for this recipe, definitely a keeper!
Michelle
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Lakshmi. Cream cheese and strawberry-raspberry filling sounds amazing! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Kathryn
This cake is both delicious and soooo gorgeous! Thanks for the easy step-by-step instructions. Making this again next weekend!
Michelle
Thank you, Kathryn! Happy baking!
Shadi
Loved how easy this recipe is. Thank you for the recipe!
Dorothy Orrell
Hi
I made this cake and love it. Now I want to make it larger to serve at a party. What would the ingredients be to bake it in half sheet pan?
Michelle
Hi Dorothy, thanks for your comment. You can simply double the ingredients to make it in a half sheet (18" by 13") pan.
YAL
Swiss roll is one of my favorite cakes. I have made it yesterday, it tastes so good. The whole roll is gone within 5 mins.
Michelle
Hi there, thanks for making the recipe and glad that everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
MLG
I made this Swiss roll for X'mas and it turned out so beautiful and delicious!!! All my visitors gave a tumbs up!
Michelle
Happy to hear it! Thanks for trying the recipe 🙂
Lorraine
This was my first try at a Swiss Roll and I'm happy with the results. However, my whipped cream seems a bit too soft. I saw on the internet that you can freeze heavy whipping cream and I thawed it overnight. Gave the carton a shake before pouring. The roll is in the fridge until tomorrow when I'll find out for sure how the whipped cream held up. Do you have any experience with freezing HWC?
Michelle
Hi Lorraine, thanks for writing. I have not used frozen and defrosted heavy whipping cream in this type of application. You can definitely freeze already-whipped heavy cream.
I believe that you can freeze heavy whipping cream to use for later, however, the texture may change and be slightly grainy. Hope that helps.
Darcey
This was delicious! Made it as a treat for my grandma and she asked that I make it again!!
Rebecca
I've always admired the look of Swiss roll cakes but have been intimidated to make one. I decided to try this recipe last weekend for a friend's birthday and it came out perfect! Thank you so much for a great recipe and easy to follow instructions!
Michelle
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, Rebecca! Happy birthday to your friend! 🙂
Esther
I made this today, haven’t tasted it yet but it look perfect, although the recipe quantity was a bit too small , so I had to double it, and it comes out great. Thanks ma’am 😊
Michelle
Thanks for your comment, Esther. 🙂
Elizabeth S
I was so nervous to mess this up, but I didn't! It turned out just like yours and was so dang good. Will be making again!
Michelle
Yay, happy to hear it turned out well for you, Elizabeth! 🙂
Joshua Weberg
Absolutely delicious! My wife and I made this and loved how it turned out. We even decided to make it a second time and took the advice to use a strawberry cream filling and once again we weren’t disappointed. Gotta try!
Michelle
Thanks for making the recipe twice, Joshua! Happy to hear it!
Meg
Thank you for the recipe and accompanying how-to video! My first Swiss roll did not turn out quite as beautiful as yours but it tasted amazing! I used your cake recipe and a different whipped cream recipe that I was already familiar with, along with a raspberry jam spread before I added the cream. My entire family loved it!
Michelle
Hi Meg, thank you so much for your comment and feedback. Your raspberry jam cream filling sounds absolutely delightful! 🙂
Carrie Xie
thank you for this recipe! my batter was a bit thick and wasn't easy to spread evenly onto the baking sheet. i did use two egg replacers instead of chickpea water, could that be the reason? i also found that 20 minutes was way too long, i took it out after 13 minutes and it was more than baked ^^
Jessica
I am someone who often finds dessert recipes to be overwhelmingly sweet. This roll cake was perfect! Loved the delicate texture and lightly sweet flavor.