This chocolate roll cake is filled with marshmallowy frosting. Each slice is a perfect balance of tender cake and creamy frosting, it’s so festive for a birthday or holiday, but easy enough for everyday baking.
Roll cakes in general are a thing of beauty, they look impressive while requiring little more effort than making a sheet cake. This recipe will walk you through baking a thin and flexible chocolate cake that you can roll while still warm, and then making a fluffy vanilla frosting that will delight kids and adults alike. Here’s how to make a Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake.
INGREDIENTS
The Cake
- Cooking spray
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
- 2 ounces dark chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder, such as Hershey's Special Dark
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons marshmallow fluff
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 12×17 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter, so the parchment paper sticks. Then line it with parchment paper so the cake seamlessly releases. Spray or grease the parchment paper too. We want an extremely nonstick surface for this cake roll!
- The cake. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl on high speed for 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Set aside. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract together until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl bowl. Pour the melted butter, espresso powder, and egg yolk mixture over the dry ingredients. Beat everything together on medium speed until completely combined. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold in the egg whites until completely combined. Avoid over-mixing and deflating those whites! Batter will be very light.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. It will be a very thin layer. Shimmy the pan on the counter to smooth out the top. Bake for 10 minutes or until the top of the cake gently springs back when touched with your finger. Do NOT over-bake!
- Roll the cake. As the cake bakes, place a piece of parchment paper (larger than the cake) or a thin kitchen towel flat on the counter. Sprinkle with a light coating of cocoa powder. Once the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert it onto the parchment/towel. Peel off the parchment paper that was on the bottom of the cake as it baked. Starting with the narrow end, slowly and gently roll the cake up with the parchment/towel. The cake will be warm. Allow the cake to cool completely rolled up in the parchment/towel. Place in the refrigerator to speed it up, about 2-3 hours.
- Remove the cake roll from the refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter for a few minutes to warm up as you prepare the whipped cream.
- The whipped cream. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Then beat in the marshmallow creme, if using.
- Slowly and gently unroll the cake. Spread whipped cream evenly on top, leaving about a 1/2 inch border around the cake. Gently roll the cake back up, without the parchment/towel this time. Set aside on the counter or in the refrigerator.
- Slicing and serving, cover leftover cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The cake keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, tightly wrapped and refrigerated. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
About Swiss Roll Cake
The swiss roll originated in Central Europe, but surprisingly not in Switzerland. The earliest recipe for rolled cake spread with jelly was in the Northern Farmer a journal published in Utica, NY in December 1852. The recipe was called “To Make Jelly Cake” but it reads: “Bake quick and while hot spread with jelly. Roll carefully, and wrap it in a cloth. When cold cut in slices for the table.” The name Jelly Cake comes from another cake recipe that was made up of 5 to 6 thin layers of cake with jelly between each layer. Jelly Cake is an old English recipe. For many years there wasn't clear distinction between the name Jelly Cake and Jelly Roll to describe a rolled cake spread with jelly in America. During 1852 to 1877 it was called Jelly Cake, Roll Jelly Cake, Swiss Roll, and Rolled Jelly Cake. In North America, it eventually became popular as "Jelly Roll".
