Chocolate Cake Roll (Swiss Roll)

A nod to a basic childhood favourite, this chocolate cake roll combines mild chocolate sponge cake with candy vanilla whipped cream and darkish chocolate ganache. Wealthy and completely irresistible, this fantastically spiraled dessert simply would possibly hypnotize you into reaching for one more slice! You’re getting very… hungry…

I initially revealed this recipe in 2019 and have made a couple of small updates to supply a moister, deeper flavored cake.

I really like recreating nostalgic treats, just like the packaged ones that had been at all times a thrill to search out in your lunchbox. Making childhood favorites from scratch—like brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts, mini animal cracker cookies, rice krispie treats, cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, and, after all, oatmeal creme pies!—is so rewarding, as a result of not solely do they carry again joyful recollections, but additionally the selfmade variations invariably style even higher (and undoubtedly more energizing) than the store-bought packaged originals. This chocolate cake roll—aka Ho Ho, Swiss Roll, and Yodel—is one other nostalgic favourite.

I first revealed this recipe in 2019, however lately revisited it and retested it to see if I might enhance it. I at all times wish to proceed to work on recipes, together with ones which have been revealed and will not have the most effective opinions.

Within the case of this Swiss roll recipe, some reviewers reported that their chocolate sponge cake was dry, cracking or breaking after they tried to roll it, and didn’t have sufficient chocolate taste. After I see a sample of opinions with issues over the identical factor, I’ll revisit the recipe and check out making varied tweaks till I’m assured I’ve mounted the problems readers have been having.

The up to date recipe is beneath, and much like a cake roll recipe I labored on over the previous yr that will likely be in my forthcoming cookbook. Completely different flavors, however I met a few of the identical challenges whereas creating the recipe.

After making many (many!) extra chocolate cake rolls, I’m proud to announce this chocolate cake roll is healthier than ever! You’ll discover a couple of ingredient tweaks within the up to date recipe, together with swapping out the melted butter for vegetable oil, and the addition of buttermilk, each of which add additional moisture to the sponge cake crumb.

This New & Improved Chocolate Cake Roll Has:

• A light-weight, fluffy, and moist texture
• Extra pure cocoa taste
• A candy vanilla whipped cream filling
• A wealthy darkish chocolate ganache topping

It’s additionally simpler to roll up, and far much less susceptible to cracking as you roll.

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Key Components for Chocolate Sponge Cake:

1. Cake Flour or All-Function Flour: You should use both. My staff and I extensively examined the recipe and there’s no distinction both means.
2. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: You should use both Dutch-process cocoa powder OR pure cocoa powder.
3. Separated Eggs: Eggs are the workhorse of this recipe, largely offering construction and moisture. You want 4 separated eggs. You’ll whip the egg whites into medium peaks to introduce a hefty quantity of air into the sunshine batter.
4. Oil: As I examined this recipe, considered one of my principal avoidances was a dry sponge cake. Oil makes for a moister chocolate cake than if you happen to had been to make use of butter (which is what the outdated recipe known as for). It’s what we use in these super-moist chocolate cupcakes, too.
5. Buttermilk: One other key moisture supplier that makes a giant distinction within the texture of this sponge cake. If you happen to don’t have buttermilk, entire milk works as an alternative.
6. Espresso Powder: Only a small quantity heightens the cocoa taste; it doesn’t style like espresso in any respect.

Step-by-Step Photographs

You want a couple of bowls, a sifter/sieve, and a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.

Whip egg whites & a few of the sugar into medium peaks: This takes at the least 4–5 minutes, so don’t get discouraged if you happen to suppose it’s taking too lengthy, particularly if it’s humid the place you reside. Preserve beating!

Individually, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar, then add vanilla, oil, buttermilk, and espresso powder.

Then you definitely’ll fold within the egg whites in 2 additions, ensuring to not deflate the batter. At this level, the batter is mild & foamy:

Sift dry components: One of the crucial necessary steps on this recipe is to sift the dry components collectively. Decide up a big sieve. If you happen to bake usually, it would come in useful!

Then sift them into the egg white/yolk combination. Fold the batter collectively gently to mix after which unfold the batter into the 12×17-inch baking pan.

Bake for less than round 13–14 minutes. It is a very skinny cake.

Invert the nice and cozy cake: No time for cooling! Instantly invert the nice and cozy cake onto parchment paper or a clear skinny kitchen towel dusted with cocoa powder.

Cool in rolled-up form: Gently roll the cake up with the parchment/towel. Let it cool at room temperature within the rolled-up form so when it’s time to roll it up with the whipped cream filling, it’s already “acquainted” with the form. (And gained’t resist or crack as a lot!)

Assemble: As soon as cool, unroll the cake, add whipped cream, roll again up (with out the parchment paper this time), then prime with ganache.

Swiss Roll Cake Filling

The whipped cream filling contained in the cake roll is billowy and gentle with deliciously candy vanilla taste—a light-weight and beautiful distinction to the wealthy chocolate ganache we’ll unfold on prime. As a result of the ganache is fairly darkish, I exploit a bit extra sugar and vanilla extract in contrast with my normal whipped cream recipe. You should use both confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar within the whipped cream—see my recipe Be aware. And that is elective, however I at all times add some store-bought marshmallow creme (“fluff”) to this whipped cream filling, which supplies it essentially the most outstanding taste. Style testers had been raving over it!

Roll the cake again up (with out parchment this time), then set it apart as you put together the chocolate ganache.

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Chocolate Ganache Topping

The one factor less complicated than selfmade whipped cream is selfmade chocolate ganache. Merely mix heat cream with finely chopped chocolate, then stir the 2 collectively till fully clean. I like so as to add a teaspoon of corn syrup for an additional shiny end, however that’s completely elective.

I’ve 2 chocolate ganache success ideas for you:

• Use actual chocolate similar to Baker’s or Ghirardelli baking bars discovered within the baking aisle. I favor the bars labeled Bittersweet (60% cacao). Keep away from chocolate chips, which include stabilizers to forestall them from melting fully.
• Chop up the chocolate into super-fine items. The smaller the items, the faster it melts and the smoother it tastes.

Chill the cake roll so the chocolate ganache units, which makes slicing a bit neater. (Although there’s nonetheless loads of lick-your-finger moments!)

Chocolate Cake Roll Success Ideas

1. Stop the cake from cracking: Cake rolls can crack once you roll them; that is fully regular. The truth is, the pictured cake roll above cracked! Don’t get discouraged, as a result of you possibly can piece it again collectively simply, then cowl it with filling. What I discover helps forestall cracking is rolling it up initially when it’s nonetheless heat, and rolling it up slowly. Additionally, let the cake roll cool at room temperature for that preliminary cooling (earlier than unrolling and including the filling). If it’s chilly once you unroll it to unfold the filling on, it often cracks.
2. Make it thicker: I exploit and suggest a 12×17-inch half sheet pan. It’s also possible to use a 10×15-inch pan, like we use for pumpkin roll, however be aware that the bake time is 5 minutes longer and the cake is thicker. I favor the thinner cake with this chocolate/fluffy whipped filling combo. I additionally discover the thinner cake isn’t as susceptible to cracking.
3. Make them mini dimension (pictured beneath): It’s also possible to make mini chocolate cake rolls, that are nearer in dimension to the Hostess or Little Debbie snack muffins we love. If you happen to’re making the mini dimension, reduce the cake into 4 equal items. Roll every up, then slice in half to yield 8 mini cake rolls.

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