Double Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake

Updated: Sep 23, 2025 by christina.marsigliese · 71 Comments

This is the lightest and softest Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake you will ever make. It is a very simple, easy Swiss roll recipe that makes a very soft sponge cake with a fluffy and creamy chocolate filling. This chocolate roll cake NEVER cracks and is always successful when I make it. Be sure to watch the full video tutorial to see the step-by-step method for how I make it. It's easy because you don't need to separate the eggs first! In my family, we LOVE roll cakes and I knew I needed to develop a recipe that was fuss-free and foolproof so that I could make them often without hesitation. The options are endless for how you can flavor the fillings to make any kind of combination. If you love a classic, check out my Soft Vanilla Swiss Roll Cake too! To make a glossy glaze on top, you can make up a batch of my Easy One Pot Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Sauce.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

EASY to make - this Swiss Roll Cake (also called a "roulade") is very easy to make. You just beat the whole eggs instead of separating them, and then add the rest of the ingredients. I would recommend using a hand mixer or a stand mixer for this recipe.
Soft and tender chocolate cake - the sponge cake is SO super soft! It has a tender crumb texture and it stays moist with the cream filling. It doesn't dry out.
Rich chocolate flavor - you will love the smooth and rich chocolate taste that comes through the sponge and also in the filling. There is cocoa powder in the sponge cake and the filling is made with pure dark chocolate.
Creamy chocolate filling - the filling is so simple with just 2 ingredients: chocolate and cream! It is light and airy, fluffy and creamy like chocolate mousse.
No cracks - this roll cake recipe never cracks when I make it. Follow the instructions and you will have success too!

TYPES OF SPONGE CAKES

Sponge cake is the general term for relatively lean cakes that get their structure based on whipped eggs. Many recipes require you to separate eggs and whip the yolks separate to the whites.

Chiffon cakes are oil-based cakes that require egg whites to be whipped to soft peaks before folding them into an egg yolk-enriched batter.
Genoise cakes are a type of sponge cake made with melted butter and the method for this type of sponge cake requires you to whisk the eggs over a water bath. It's a great technique because heating the eggs makes the egg proteins more willing to take and hold air bubbles which makes for a fluffier sponge

WHY DOES HEAT HELP EGGS WHIP BETTER?

Heat slightly denatures the proteins in egg whites which in non-sciencey terms means that it makes them change from a tight coiled up shape (like a spring, or a slinky if you will...) to a loose shape. Basically, heat unravels them! This increases the surface area that is exposed to air so that the protein strands can bind to air more easily. I wanted my recipe for Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake to have a method that doesn't require separating eggs, nor heating eggs. I want it to be SUPER simple, so here it is!

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE SWISS ROLL CAKE

All purpose flour - simple all-purpose flour works just fine in this recipe. If you have pastry flour, that will give an even softer texture, but I promise it is not necessary. Adding too much flour is the most common mistake for roll cakes and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off.
Granulated sugar - simple white sugar will keep this cake sweet, tender and moist.
Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. Do not leave it out!
Eggs - you'll need 4 whole eggs to make the sponge cake. Good news is you don't need to separate them!
Cocoa powder - try to get your hands on cocoa powder! It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
Oil - just a few tablespoons of oil will keep this cake soft and flexible. Butter tastes delicious, however it will make the texture more crumbly and difficult to roll the cake. Also, this cake is meant to be kept refrigerated due to the fresh cream filling, and oil will stay liquid when cold to keep the cake soft while butter would firm it up.
Whipping cream - the filling is so easy to make with just chocolate and cream. Make sure you use heavy cream with minimum 35% milk fat content.
Dark chocolate - anything between 50 and 70% cocoa solids will work, but I highly recommend bittersweet chocolate for rich chocolate taste and these bittersweet chocolate callets are very convenient.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CAKE ROLL

STEP 1). Whip the eggs. Beat eggs for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until frothy and pale in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl if using an electric hand mixer.
STEP 2). Beat in sugar. Gradually add sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes longer, until it nearly triples in volume and is very thick, pale and fluffy and billowy like shaving cream or marshmallow fluff. When you lift the mixture up with the beater and it slides back down into the base mixture, it should fall back onto itself in folds or ribbons rather than sink down into it.
STEP 3). Add oil. Mix in vanilla and salt, then mix in oil just until it is evenly blended.
STEP 4). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
STEP 5). Mix wet and dry ingredients. Sift the dry ingredients again over and into the bowl with the egg mixture and use a large rubber spatula to carefully fold the dry ingredients into the whipped egg mixture just until combined without over-mixing.
STEP 6). Bake. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan in a thin layer. Bake for 9-11 minutes until it springs back when pressed gently. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 3 minutes so it is easier to handle.

STEP 7). Roll. Dust top of cake evenly with cocoa powder. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to release the cake, then invert it onto a clean kitchen towel or another large piece of parchment paper. Gently peel off the top layer of parchment. While the cake is still warm, gently roll it into a log starting from the short side and incorporating the kitchen towel or parchment as you are rolling. Let the cake cool completely in this rolled shape.
STEP 8). Make the filling. Place a portion of cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and add chopped dark chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute then whisk until smooth and glossy. Let cool for 5 minutes. Place remaining whipping cream in another clean bowl and beat until it holds firm peaks. Add chocolate mixture and fold it in evenly. Unroll the cake, spread the filling over it leaving about ½ inch border and then gently roll up the cake again. Transfer to a baking tray and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR CHOCOLATE ROLL CAKE

Use a neutral tasting oil like pure sunflower oil for the cleanest flavor to let the chocolate taste stand out.
Do not reduce the sugar - this sponge cake is already low in sugar naturally, and the right amount of sugar will make it stay soft because it binds water so that it stays tightly in the batter and doesn't evaporate excessively during baking.
Have your eggs at room temperature - this is very important to ensure they whip up quickly and to their most potential.
Beat the eggs and sugar to the "ribbon stage". Whipping the eggs and sugar to the right stage will ensure your sponge is soft and light and provide flexibility for rolling. The best way to check for this is when you can lift some of the whipped egg mixture up with the whip attachment and you are able to "draw" a figure 8 on the surface of the eggs as it falls back into the bowl. The "8" should slowly disappear into the mixture. If it sinks straight away, keep whipping.
Mix the dry ingredients in lightly. Mixing the batter too vigorously at the end will force a lot of the air bubbles out and the cake may come out flat and rubbery. Be sure to use a light hand to gently fold the flour and cocoa into the egg mixture.
Do not over-bake the sponge cake. Set a timer for the first time stated in the recipe and check for doneness. The cake should spring back when pressed gently with your fingertip. An over-baked cake will dry out and be more likely to crack.
Use cold cream for the filling. Very cold cream will whip better than room temperature cream. Also, make sure you do not over-whip or it can turn grainy. Keep mixing at medium speed - it may take longer but you will get lovely fine air bubbles for a silky filling.
Beat the cream until it forms firm peaks. I find it's better to have firm peaks instead of soft peaks for roll cakes as it will hold in place better.
Roll a little more tightly at the beginning. The first curl of the spiral will be the center of the cake once you roll it back up, so roll this part up a bit more tightly.
Fill the curled end a little more. The first curl of the spiral (which is the last part to be unrolled) will be the center of the cake once you roll it back up, so fill it a little more generously to give nice definition to the spiral.

RECIPE FAQ

How do you bring cold eggs to room temperature quickly?

Most of us store eggs in the fridge (at least if you live in North America), so planning ahead is important for baking to ensure your ingredients are all at room temperature. You can pull them from the fridge and leave them at room temperature for 1 hour. But what a pain in the butt that is! Who has time to remember? The good news is that there is a quick way to bring eggs to room temperature quickly! Take your eggs from the fridge and place them in a bowl. Submerge them in very warm (not boiling) water from the tap for 10 minutes. This will be enough to use in any recipe that calls for room temperature eggs (which is most of Scientifically Sweet recipes).

How to make a fluffy sponge cake?

1. Room temperature eggs: For this recipe you don't need to use a water bath nor separate eggs, but you cannot use COLD eggs. Your eggs must be at room temperature.
2. Use oil instead of butter. While I use butter in most of my recipes, oil makes the softest sponge cake! That's because oil is liquid at room temperature so the sponge will stay flexible even when it cools down. Butter is firm at room temperature so when it cools it will harden and make the sponge more susceptible to cracking as you roll it. This cake rolls so easily! Just watch the video to see how simple it is with no cracks!

Do you need to sift dry ingredients?

Yes, for this recipe, DO sift the dry ingredients. Actually, sift them twice! Since this is a relatively wet batter, it is important that the dry ingredients are incorporated evenly without having to mix too much. Over-mixing will deflate all the air bubbles from the egg foam. Sifting the flour will ensure there are no lumps and the flour particles are evenly dispersed so that the they absorb into the batter quickly. I always sift half of the blended dry ingredients over the wet mixture, fold it in, then sift the remaining dry ingredients and fold them in. This creates the most homogeneous batter without having to mix excessively which would otherwise knock a lot of the air out of the batter.

Can I add sugar to the chocolate cream filling?

The filling is a simple chocolate mousse based on chocolate ganache with added whipped cream. It is perfectly sweet to my taste when made with semisweet chocolate (50% cocoa solids), but if you prefer a sweeter filling, you can stir 1-2 tablespoons of sugar into the hot cream before adding it to the chocolate to make the ganache.

What type of chocolate is best for the filling?

I recommend semisweet chocolate with 50-55% cocoa solids for the filling. It has the perfect amount of sweetness so that you don't need to add any other sugar. If you use darker chocolate, then it will be slightly more bitter.

What temperature to bake sponge cake?

Some recipe instructions ask you to bake sponge cakes for roll cakes at a higher temperature, such as 375 or 400 degrees F. I find that in doing this you get over-expansion of air bubbles which collapse quickly. The reason for this is because a sponge cake batter is so delicate and there is very little flour compared to moisture to hold the air bubbles in place. When large air bubbles collapse, it can create a dense sponge. I prefer to bake in a moderate oven at 350 degrees F for more even baking so you will have an even flat height for the whole cake.

HOW TO PREVENT CRACKS IN SWISS ROLL CAKE

This is the big question! Although cracking is not totally devastating for a roll cake since it can be easily covered up by the filling, if you want to leave the outside bare (like this one), then it's nice when it has a polished look. Cracking can be caused by multiple factors, including the recipe you choose, and here are my tips for ensuring no cracks when you use my recipe. It's pretty foolproof and I've never had this cake crack on me!

Use a recipe like mine with oil, not butter. Oil is a liquid fat that will add flexibility to the roll. Butter is a hard fat that solidifies on cooling and can make it a bit more finicky when timing when you roll the cake.
Do not over-bake. A dry sponge cake is much more likely to crack since the surface dries out and will break from the tension as you roll it.
Roll the cake while it's warm. Once your cake is out of the oven, leave it for 1-2 minutes so it is easier to handle, then flip it over onto your clean tea towel and proceed to roll it while incorporating the towel. Be sure to dust with icing sugar on both sides to prevent sticking.
Use a towel for rolling. Parchment paper is much cleaner since you need to toss that kitchen towel in the wash after you use it for this cake, however it will help prevent cracking since a towel is flexible and will conform to the cake. It will also absorb the steam as the cake cools and keep it moist and flexible.
Allow the cake to cool completely. Once you have rolled your cake, leave it in this rolled shape until it is completely cool. Carefully transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely while still wrapped in the kitchen towel. This will help it keep its curled shape.
Unroll it gently. Be gentle as you unroll the cooled cake. You don't need to force it to be completely flat once you reach the end that curls up where you originally started rolling. Let it keep its curved shape.

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Video

Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake

Christina Marsigliese

Soft and tender chocolate sponge cake with easy, creamy and fluffy chocolate mousse filling.

5 from 20 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 9

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Sponge cake:

4 large eggs at room temperature
½ cup plus 2 tbsp (125g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon (45ml) sunflower oil (you can also use vegetable oil or canola oil)
½ cup (71g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (21g) cocoa powder (I prefer this one), plus more for dusting
½ tsp baking powder

Chocolate Filling:

⅓ cup plus ¾ cup (80ml plus 180ml) 35% heavy whipping cream, divided
3 oz (85g) semisweet chocolate (50% cocoa solids), finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 17x11-inch large baking sheet or 15x10-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray or melted butter and line it with parchment paper. Lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray also.
Make the sponge cake. Beat eggs for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until very frothy and pale in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl if using an electric hand mixer. Gradually add sugar a bit at a time and then beat for 4-5 minutes longer until it nearly triples in volume and is very thick, pale and fluffy and billowy like shaving cream or marshmallow fluff. When you lift the mixture up with the beater and it slides back down into the base mixture, it should fall back onto itself in folds or ribbons rather than sink down into it. If you us a hand mixer, it may take a bit longer to reach this stage.
Mix in vanilla and salt. Slowly drizzle in the oil while mixing and mix until it is incorporated.
Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Sift it again over the bowl with the egg mixture and use a large rubber spatula to carefully fold the dry ingredients into the whipped egg mixture in two stages. Fold it in until just combined without over-mixing, but do ensure there are no streaks of flour left.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly in a thin layer using a large offset spatula. Bake for 9-11 minutes until it springs back when pressed gently. Be careful not to over-bake or it will dry out the surface.
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for just a minute so it is easier to handle. Dust top of cake evenly with icing sugar or cocoa powder. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to release the cake, then invert it onto a clean kitchen towel or another large piece of parchment paper. I find you'll have less chance of cracking if you use a kitchen towel. Gently peel off the top layer of parchment that the cake was baked in. Then, while the cake is still warm, gently roll it into a reasonably tight log starting from the short side and incorporating the kitchen towel or parchment as you are rolling. Let the cake cool completely in this rolled shape with the seam side facing down.
Make the chocolate filling. First make a ganache: place ⅓ cup (80ml) whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it just comes to a simmer. See FAQ section in the article for making a sweeter filling if you prefer. Remove from heat and add chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips. Let stand for 1 minute then whisk until smooth and glossy. Let cool for 5 minutes. Place ¾ cup (180ml) whipping cream in another clean bowl and beat until it holds firm peaks. Add the cooled chocolate ganache and fold it in gently.
Assemble the cake. Gently unroll the cooled cake and spread the filling evenly over the surface leaving about ½-inch border on all sides. I like to push a good amount of filling into the end that is curled up the most that will form the center of the spiral so you get a nice shape. Carefully roll up the cake with the filling and then transfer to a baking sheet or a serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for 2 hours with the seam side down. Dust it with cocoa powder when you are ready to serve.