Swiss Roll Cake
This Swiss roll cake is light, flexible, and designed to roll smoothly without cracking, filled with a soft whipped cream cheese frosting that stays light and balanced.
Servings 10 slices
Calories 320kcal
Ingredients
Yolk Mixture
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- ¼ cup milk 60ml
- 3 tbsp melted butter 40g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 85 g all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp cornstarch 12g
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Egg White Mixture
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
To Roll
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened 170g
- 6 tbsp powdered sugar 45g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups heavy cream, cold 360ml
To Assemble
- ½ cup finely chopped strawberries optional
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). For convection, use 325ºF (162ºC). Lightly grease and line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment, leaving overhang. I use spray oil. Don’t drench it with oil, a little will go a long way.
Yolk Mixture
- In a large bowl, whisk the yolks with ¼ cup sugar until slightly pale, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the melted butter and whisk. Add the milk and the vanilla and whisk until combined.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk just until combined and smooth.
- Set this aside.
Egg White Mixture
- To make the meringue, start by whipping the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric mixer, or using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed.
- After about 30 seconds, add the ½ cup sugar gradually, one tablespoon at a time. Continue whipping on medium-high speed until the peaks are medium-stiff. They should be glossy and thick, but still bending, not completely dry and straight. It should take a few minutes, depending on the speed you are using and on the mixer.
Folding
- Add ⅓ of the meringue into the yolk batter and fold to combine. Add the rest in two additions, folding until no streaks of meringue remain.
Baking
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Smooth it out with a spatula, making the layer as even as possible. Tap the pan gently to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for about 12 minutes in a conventional oven. For convection, you might need slightly less baking time. Check at around 10 minutes. The cake should look set on top and around the edges, not golden. If the cake is golden, it means it’s over baked.
Rolling
- While the cake is baking, prepare your station to roll the cake. You will need a clean kitchen towel and a sifter with the powdered sugar.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, sprinkle powdered sugar on top of it.
- Place the clean kitchen towel on top. Flip the cake over the towel and lay it on the table or counter.
- Remove the peel off the parchment. Starting from the short side, roll the cake with the towel inside. The towel should be rolled along with the cake.
- Let it cool completely in this rolled shape (prevents cracking) for about 45 minutes. Don’t over rest it.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cake is resting, make the filling. For this recipe, we're making a Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Beat the cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Set it aside.
- On a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes, until medium-stiff peaks form. Don’t over whip or the filling will become chunky.
- Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and whip with the mixer on low. Finish by mixing with a spatula until smooth.
Assembling
- Unroll the cooled cake. Spread a thin layer of the whipped cream evenly over the surface of the cake (about 2 cups). Reserve the rest for the topping.
- Spread the chopped strawberries, if using.
- Re-roll tightly, without the towel this time.
- Spread the remaining whipped cream cheese on top, smooth it out with a spatula. Place whatever is left in a piping bag and pipe on top.
- Decorate with strawberries if desired.
- Chill 1–2 hours before slicing for clean cuts.
Notes
Pan size: This recipe is designed for a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan. Using a smaller or larger pan will affect thickness and rolling.
Cake flour option: Instead of 85 g all-purpose flour + 12 g cornstarch, you can use 95 g (¾ cup) cake flour.
Prevent cracking: Roll the cake immediately while warm. Cooling it fully before rolling almost always leads to cracks.
Don’t overbake: The top should look set but not golden. Even slight browning can make the cake dry and harder to roll.
Meringue peaks: Aim for medium-stiff peaks—glossy, thick, and bending. Over-whipped whites won’t fold smoothly and will deflate the batter.
Strawberries: Finely chopped strawberries add moisture, so pat them dry before adding to prevent leaking or soggy spots.
Storage: Store tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The cake stays soft and the filling remains stable.
Make ahead: You can bake and roll the cake (in the towel) up to 1 day ahead. Keep it wrapped at room temperature, then fill the next day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 320kcal