Chocolate Swiss Roll – Easy Chocolate Cake Roll Recipe

This Chocolate Swiss Roll is made with a soft cocoa sponge, a creamy chocolate mousse filling and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. The sponge is light enough to roll easily, while the chocolate filling makes every slice rich and indulgent.

It may look like a complicated dessert, but the process is quite simple. The cake is baked in a thin sheet, rolled while still warm, then filled once it has cooled completely. After a short time in the refrigerator, it is ready to slice and serve.

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Swiss Roll

• Rich chocolate flavor: Cocoa powder, chocolate mousse and ganache give this cake plenty of chocolate flavor.
• Soft, flexible sponge: Rolling the cake while it is still warm helps prevent cracks.
• Creamy chocolate filling: The mousse-like filling is made with melted chocolate and whipped cream.
• Beautiful presentation: A dusting of cocoa powder and a little ganache make the roll look special.
• Perfect for celebrations: It is a lovely dessert for birthdays, holidays or dinner parties.
• Easy to customize: You can add coffee, berries, nuts or a different cream filling.

Ingredients for Chocolate Swiss Roll

All-purpose flour: Gives the sponge enough structure while keeping it light.

Cocoa powder: Adds the chocolate flavor and color. Use unsweetened cocoa powder.

Eggs: The eggs provide structure and help the sponge rise when beaten with the sugar.

Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps create a light, airy texture when whipped with the eggs.

Oil: Keeps the sponge soft and flexible, making it easier to roll without cracking.

Instant coffee: A small amount enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste strongly of coffee.

Semi-sweet chocolate: Used in the filling and ganache for a balanced chocolate flavor.

Whipping cream: Creates the smooth, creamy filling and the ganache topping. Use chilled cream for whipping.

How to make Chocolate Swiss Roll

Begin by preparing the cake. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and butter a 12X16 inch (30×40 cm) baking tray, lining it with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until lemon yellow and foamy. Add oil, mix well, and then gradually add the flour mixture with instant coffee.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray, spreading it evenly into the corners. Bake for about 12 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Take a parchment paper and sprinkle with cocoa powder. While still hot, roll the cake with parchment paper inside to prevent sticking. Let it cool completely.

For the chocolate filling, melt chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Let it cool slightly to room temperature. Whip cream until stiff peaks form, then mix in the melted chocolate.

Unroll the cake, spread the chocolate filling evenly, and roll it back up. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Dust the roll with cocoa powder. For ganache decoration, melt chocolate with the same amount of cream, then drizzle it over the roll using a spoon or piping bag. Let the ganache set for a few minutes and serve.

Hope you will try this amazing Chocolate Swiss Roll and enjoy this delightful treat as much as we did. If you do, make sure to share the photos with me on Instagram. Would love to see how it turns out for you.

Tips for Making Chocolate Swiss Roll

• Beat the eggs and sugar well. This helps create a light sponge with enough volume.
• Spread the batter evenly. Make sure the batter reaches the corners of the baking tray so the sponge bakes evenly.
• Do not overbake the cake. A dry sponge is more likely to crack when rolled.
• Roll the sponge while it is warm. This helps the cake develop a rolled shape and reduces the risk of cracking.
• Use parchment paper when rolling. The paper helps prevent sticking and makes the cake easier to handle.
• Cool the cake completely before filling it. Warm cake can melt the chocolate filling.
• Let the filling set in the refrigerator. Chilling the roll for at least one hour makes it easier to slice neatly.
• Use room-temperature melted chocolate. If the chocolate is too warm, it can deflate the whipped cream.

Chocolate Swiss Roll Variations

Chocolate coffee Swiss roll: Add a little more instant coffee to the sponge or filling for a mocha flavor.

Chocolate strawberry Swiss roll: Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam over the sponge before adding the chocolate filling.

Chocolate hazelnut Swiss roll: Add finely chopped toasted hazelnuts to the filling or sprinkle them over the ganache.

Chocolate orange Swiss roll: Add finely grated orange zest to the sponge or filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I stop a chocolate Swiss roll from cracking?

Roll the sponge while it is still warm, using parchment paper or a kitchen towel to help guide it. Avoid overbaking, as a dry sponge is more likely to crack.

Can I make the sponge ahead of time?

Yes. Once cooled, the rolled sponge can be wrapped well and kept at room temperature for a day or refrigerated until you are ready to fill it.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate?

Yes, but the filling will be sweeter and less intense. If using milk chocolate, you may prefer to reduce the sweetness of the other components and use less cream.

Why did my chocolate filling become too runny?

The melted chocolate may have been too warm when combined with the whipped cream, or the cream may not have been whipped enough. Let the chocolate cool to room temperature before folding it into the whipped cream.

How long can I store chocolate Swiss roll?

Keep the finished cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving for the best texture.

Can I freeze chocolate Swiss roll?

Yes. Wrap the filled roll tightly and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

More cake rolls you may like to try

This Tiramisu Cake Roll is an amazing dessert that combines the classic flavors of tiramisu with the lightness of a sponge cake.

Another amazing roll you can try is this Chocolate Mocha Hurricane Swiss Roll not only has this amazing hurricane effect it is also a delightful treat, consisting of a tender and moist layer of sponge cake filled with apricot jam and chocolate coffee ganache.

This Chocolate Strawberry Roll is a delightful dessert perfect for summer days. A flower decorated chocolate sponge cake is filled with a light filling of white chocolate and whipped cream and diced fresh strawberries.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
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Strawberry Swiss Roll
Pumpkin Roll
Summer Berry Meringue Roll
Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Roll
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Cranberry White Chocolate Meringue Roll
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15 Cake Rolls

Video

Chocolate Swiss Roll

4.84 from 6 votes

This Chocolate Swiss Roll is a rich, chocolaty and decadent dessert, a rewarding treat for chocolate lovers. A chocolate sponge cake is filled with a chocolate mousse filling and drizzled with chocolate ganache on top. It is simply heavenly delicious.

Servings 12 servings

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

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Sponge Cake

• 1/2 cup (63g) flour
• 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder
• 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2g) salt
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup (135g) sugar
• 1/2 tsp (1g) instant coffee
• 2 tbsp (28g) oil

Filling

• 5 oz (150g) semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup (120g) whipping cream
• 1 cup (240g) whipping cream , chilled

For decoration

• Cocoa powder for dusting
• 1 oz (30g) semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp (30g) whipping cream

Instructions

 

Prepare the cake.

• Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Butter a 12X16 inch (30×40 cm) baking tray and line it with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl whisk flour with cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl add eggs and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until lemon yellow and foamy. Add oil and mix until well incorporated.  Add instant coffee and then gradually add flour mixture.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and spread evenly into the corners using the back of the spatula.
• Bake for about 12 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Take a parchment paper and sprinkle with cocoa powder. This helps the cake not stick. Flip the cake over the paper. Remove the parchment paper it was baked with.
• While still hot roll with the parchment paper inside. You will have to do it while is still hot/warm otherwise it cracks. Let cool completely.

Prepare the chocolate filling.

• Place chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan with simmering water. Melt over low heat. Let it cool slightly to room temperature.
• In another bowl whip cream until stiff peaks form. Mix in the melted chocolate.
• Unroll the cake and spread the chocolate filling evenly over the cake.
• Roll the cake back up. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Dust the roll with cocoa powder. To make the ganache on top for decoration simply melt the chocolate with same amount of cream and using a spoon or simply a piping bag fitted with a small tip and drizzle the chocolate over the roll as you like. Let the ganache set for few minutes and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving out of 12Calories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 25.8gProtein: 3.7gFat: 13.7gSaturated Fat: 6.7gCholesterol: 74mgSugar: 19g

Calories: 226kcal

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate cake roll, chocolate mousse filling, chocolate recipes, chocolate roulade, chocolate swiss roll, swiss roll