Vanilla Swiss Roll Recipe

This vanilla Swiss roll, or vanilla roll cake, is a soft spiral of vanilla sponge batter filled with a delicious mascarpone whipped frosting. It is the simplest version of a cream-filled cake roll you can ever make.

Have you ever tasted a perfect vanilla Swiss roll? Soft and fluffy with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and scrumptious mascarpone filling.

Jump to:

• What is Swiss roll?
• Vanilla Swiss roll recipe
• Ingredients
• Recipe variations
• How to make vanilla Swiss roll cake
• Expert Tips
• Storing and freezing
• Swiss roll troubleshooting
• Recipe FAQ
• Love roll cakes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

This easy yet decadent dessert makes waves in the bakery world for its simplicity and delightful taste.

In just a few easy steps with a little patience, you can make this rolled cake in the comfort of your own kitchen.

What is Swiss roll?

Swiss roll (jelly roll, cream roll, or Swiss log cake) is a delicious sponge cake with a filling like icing, cream, or jam. Made with a delightful vanilla flavor, it is also known as vanilla roulade or vanilla sponge roll.

There are two methods for making Swiss rolls: European and Asian, using sponge and chiffon techniques respectively.

Sponge cake roll is naturally drier, while chiffon Swiss roll is moister and lighter in texture and flavor.

Vanilla Swiss roll recipe

• This easy vanilla Swiss roll recipe is quickly made within 45 minutes. It is also one of the best make-ahead desserts.

• The cake roll is prepared using a chiffon method, which separates egg whites and yolks. It is simpler to make compared to the traditional sponge method.

• It is a classic Swiss roll cake: no peels or cracks are guaranteed.

• The cake is moist with a soft and fluffy texture that melts in your mouth. Read more about how to make a cake moist.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Eggs: The recipe calls for egg whites and yolks, but remember to add the specified amount of sugar to each accurately. Use chilled eggs to separate the egg whites from the egg yolks with an egg separator. Bring the yolks to room temperature and refrigerate the egg whites until ready to use.

• Sugar: Use granulated sugar to make the cake batter and icing sugar (powdered or confectioners' sugar) for making the cream frosting.

• Salt enhances the flavors of the cake.

• Vanilla extract: Use a top-quality vanilla extract for a beautiful flavor, or replace it with vanilla bean paste in a 1:1 ratio.

• Oil: Choose neutral oil such as grapeseed or vegetable oil. Avoid olive, peanut, and other kinds of oil.

• Milk: Opt for whole milk at room temperature.

• Flour: The recipe calls for cake flour: store-bought or homemade. To make it yourself, simply take out 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour from 1 cup, and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Alternatively, you can mix 15 grams of cornstarch with 110 grams of all-purpose flour.

• Baking powder, a leavening agent, is typically not used in making a classic sponge cake roll. However, it is added to a chiffon cake roll.

• Heavy cream: Opt for heavy or heavy whipped cream with at least 30% fat content to make a mascarpone whipped cream.

• Mascarpone cheese brings a tangy note to the cream filling and stabilizes the whipped cream.

Recipe variations

• Cake roll filling: Fill the rolled cake with your favorite filling: buttercream, chocolate or caramel filling, Chantilly cream, cream cheese frosting, chocolate ganache, fresh whipped cream, or simply jam.

• Add-ins: Arrange fresh blueberries or chopped strawberries, mango, oranges, etc., over the cream and roll the cake as suggested in the recipe.

• Rolling method: Roll the cake at the short end or lengthwise, traditionally "skin" side out or with the "brown layer" facing inwards.

• Decoration: Sprinkle Swiss roll with powdered sugar, pipe a few whipped cream swirls or spirals of creamy buttercream, sprinkle with chocolate shavings, or decorate with fresh fruit.

• Cake batter: Replace about 3 tablespoons (17-20 g) of the cake flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to make a chocolate Swiss roll. Or add 1 teaspoon of lemon powder to the flour mixture for a lemon-scented roll cake.

How to make vanilla Swiss roll cake

To make this recipe, you will need a 15 x 10 inches (25 x 38 cm) baking sheet - a traditional jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper following this tutorial - how to line a Swiss roll tin.

Ensure that the parchment paper extends at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) beyond all edges for easy removal when the cake is done.

Step 1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Using a flour sifter, sift cake flour and baking powder and set aside.

Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks, 1 ½ tablespoons (20 g) of sugar, salt, and vanilla extract a few times using a hand whisk (no need to beat until whitish and voluminous).

Step 3. Add oil and milk and whisk until just combined. Sift the dry ingredients over the preparation bowl and gently mix with a hand whisk (photo 1).

Step 4. In a separate large bowl, beat cold egg whites with an electric mixer until frothy.

Step 5. Divide the remaining sugar into three parts. Gradually add the sugar to the beaten egg whites in three additions. Whisk the meringue until soft peaks form, but avoid stiff peaks (photo 2).

Pro tip: Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, but be careful not to over-whisk the egg whites.

Step 6. Give one stir to the egg yolk mixture, and add ⅓ of the meringue. Carefully mix with a silicone spatula, and ⅓ again and mix. Pour the mixture into the rest of the meringue and gently fold.

Pro tip: When folding the meringue, avoid deflating the batter. This is vital for achieving a soft and fluffy roll cake.

Step 7. Pour the batter onto the prepared pan (photo 3), and level it with a long bent spatula or a dough scraper. Tap the pan on the table a couple of times to release large bubbles.

Step 8. Bring the pan to the middle rack of the oven, and decrease the oven temperature to 340°F (170°C). Bake for 20-21 minutes until golden brown (photo 4).

Pro tip: Check for doneness with a toothpick or by pressing the cake with your finger. It is done if the toothpick comes out dry and the cake springs back.

Step 9. Prepare a long sheet of baking paper lightly greased with neutral oil (it should be longer than the long side of the cake).

Step 10. Take the cake from the oven and tap (photo 5) it once against the table to prevent it from shrinking. Flip it on the prepared parchment paper right away.

Pro tip: While most recipes suggest flipping the cake on a cooling rack lined with parchment, avoid it. There is a risk of leaving its traces on the surface of the roll cake.

Step 11. Peel off the parchment paper that was on the bottom of the cake (photo 6).

Step 12. To prepare the cake for rolling, follow these steps:

• Use a serrated knife to cut the edges of the cake on both long sides and one short side.
• Take a long sharp knife and make 4 shallow slits (without cutting deep) about 1 cm apart on that short end (photo 7).
• Cut off about 1 inch (1.5-2 cm) from the opposite short side (the part where the roll will end) diagonally, away from the cake (photo 8).
• Let the cake cool to room temperature.

Pro tip: There is no need to pre-roll the cake using the above method.

Step 13. To make mascarpone whipped cream, pour cold heavy cream, add cold mascarpone and icing sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk until firm.

Pro tip: Consult the mascarpone frosting recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.

Step 14. To assemble the Swiss roll, use a bent spatula and spread the cream evenly onto the cake, leaving the angled cut empty.

Pro tip: For a better visual, apply thicker cream on the short end with the slits and thinner cream closer to the angled cut.

Step 15. Start rolling the cake from the short end with the slits helping with parchment paper. Slightly lift the beginning of the roll to create the cake's core and continue rolling, lifting the paper.

Step 16. Tight the roll using a metal baking sheet, a long offset spatula, or a cutting board (photo 9).

Pro tip: Watch a video on how to tightly wrap a cake roll.

Step 17. Keep the rolled cake wrapped in parchment paper with the edge facing down (photo 10). Secure the paper with masking tape.

Step 18. Use parchment to treat the ends of the roll cake like a candy wrapper. Refrigerate for an hour.

Step 19. Gently remove the parchment paper from the cake. Using a sharp knife, make a nice clean cut at the two ends of the roll (if needed).

Step 20. Transfer the cake roll to a serving tray. Cut the cake into slices 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick with a knife warmed with hot water, wiping the blade between each cut.

To serve, sprinkle the top of the cake with icing (powdered) sugar and decorate with mint leaves, raspberries, or any fresh fruit that is in season.

Expert Tips

1. Read more about how to make a cake roll for useful tips and tricks.
2. Every oven is different, so you may need to adjust the baking time. Download this free oven temperature conversion chart.
3. If the whipping is insufficient or the flour is not mixed well, the dough will not be flexible and will crack.
4. Make sure to slightly cool the cake before spreading the mascarpone whipped cream.
5. To recalculate the amount of ingredients for another size of the baking sheet, use this simple cake pan calculator. All you need is the length and width of your baking tray.

Storing and freezing

Store vanilla cake roll filled with mascarpone frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Can you freeze vanilla Swiss cake? Cover the cake roll with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze it at -0.4°F to 5°F (-18°C to -15°C) for 2 months. To thaw, bring it to the fridge overnight.

Swiss roll troubleshooting

Here are a few troubleshooting issues and solutions for a homemade Swiss roll.

Why is Swiss roll rubbery?

Reason: The primary reason for the rubbery roll cake is over-mixing the batter. It leads to gluten development resulting in a dense and rubbery texture and deflating the air bubbles from whisked meringue.

How to prevent it: Don't over-mix the cake batter. Gently incorporate meringue into the main preparation in a few additions.

Why is the top "layer" stuck to the parchment?

Reasons: There are two possible reasons why the cake layer is stuck to parchment paper.

• The cake is slightly underbaked, having a wet surface that tends to stick to baking paper.
• The parchment paper is used with the "wrong" side.

How to prevent it: Follow the baking time of the recipe and use parchment paper with a silicone side up. With flipping the cake, this side should go towards the top "layer" of the cake.

To play safe, slightly grease parchment paper with flavorless oil: this trick guarantees the perfect results.

Why did Swiss roll crack?

Reasons: The leading causes of a cracked roll cake are:

• Insufficient egg whipping (if whole eggs are used).
• The flour is not mixed well.
• Underbaking or overbaking, including excessive browning of the back of the cake.
• Rolling the cake when it has cooled completely.
• Improper rolling technique.

How to prevent it:

• Whisk the eggs until foamed and whitish (the egg mixture must reach the ribbon stage).
• Add sifted flour and gently mix from the bottom up to create a smooth cake batter.
• Respect the oven temperature and baking time. To prevent overbaking of the back of the cake, opt for a light-colored jelly pan with a double layer of parchment paper. Plus, add a reusable Teflon sheet to the bottom of the baking pan for a moist, smooth, and wrinkle-free cake base. Also, every oven is different: you may need to adjust your oven settings.
• Roll the cake when it is slightly warm instead of completely cooled.
• Learn how to roll a cake before you start.

Recipe FAQ

Love roll cakes? Try these next!

After discovering the best vanilla Swiss roll recipe, explore the perfection of other rolled cakes on the website.

• Nutella Swiss roll
• Coffee Swiss roll
• Pavlova roll cake
• Pistachio roulade
• Or browse all the cake recipes

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.