Whether you call it a Swiss Roll, a Chocolate Jelly Roll or simply a Chocolate Roll Cake, this chocolate sponge cake filled with creamy marshmallow filling and topped with a chocolate ganache is a classic dessert that is perfect for any occasion!
Chocolate Roll Cake Recipe
Chocolate yule log cakes have long been one of my favorite bakery desserts to buy for the holidays, but in the last couple of years the prices have skyrocketed! While I used to be able to find one for under $10, they are upwards of $30 or $40 now so I decided to start practicing this year to make my own.
I actually wasn’t planning on sharing this recipe – it was supposed to be my “practice attempt” for making a Christmas Yule Log, but it turned out so pretty and fun that I figured “why not?!”
This is a classic chocolate roll recipe featuring a light chocolate sponge cake, marshmallow cream filling and a shiny chocolate ganache poured over top. I’ve always called these “Swiss rolls” because that’s what they are called in grocery stores here, but apparently there’s nothing Swiss about them!
It’s super easy to make at home – the secret is to generously sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar or cocoa powder and have it ready when the cake comes out of the oven. Once it does, flip the cake out onto the towel and roll it up. This will prevent your cake roll from cracking later on.
Twists on Our Class Chocolate Cake Roll:
- swap out the marshmallow filling for cream cheese frosting or whipped cream
- add chopped fruit like glace cherries or rum-soaked fruit to the filling
- swap out the chocolate ganache topping for chocolate buttercream frosting and add chocolate shavings on top
- before the ganache sets, garnish with sprinkles, chopped nuts or another favorite topping
Can you freeze a chocolate roll cake? Yes! Prepare the cake all the way to wrapping it up after filling with the marshmallow filling. Wrap tightly with tinfoil and freeze for two months. After thawing, add the chocolate ganache topping.
More Decadent Cake Recipes:
- 24K Gold Layer Cake
- Triple Mousse Layer Cake
- Royal Wedding Inspired Lemon Elderflower Cake
- Sprinkle Birthday Cake
- Snickers Layer Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Mermaid Cake
My friend loved this recipe so much she made me a video of her making it to share with you – however, I realize that my instructions weren’t super clear because when I wrote to “roll the cake & parchment paper/towel dusted with cocoa” I meant to actually roll UP the cake into the log shape – not to roll it with a rolling pin! Hers still turned out great – but I definitely encourage you to roll UP the cake roll rather than roll it with a rolling pin. Be sure to check out her video before scrolling down to grab your free printable recipe card:
Chocolate Roll Cake Ingredients
For the Swiss Roll
For the Filling
- Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- Marshmallow Fluff
- Powdered Icing Sugar
- Cream or Milk
For the ganache:
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
- Heavy Whipping Cream, 35%
- Butter
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Jelly Roll pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Sieve/sifter
- Cooling rack
- Clean kitchen towel
How to Make a Chocolate Roll Cake
For the Chocolate Sponge Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 10″ x 15″ jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/3 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and oil.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 11-13 minutes or until the top is fully set and springs back when you touch it.
Place a large piece of parchment paper (or clean kitchen towel larger than the jelly roll pan) on the counter. Dust with remaining 3 tablespoons cocoa powder.
Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, carefully invert it onto the parchment paper on the counter.
Remove the pan and peel off the parchment paper that lined the pan. Roll the cake & parchment paper/towel dusted with cocoa. Set aside to cool as you prepare the frosting.
For the Marshmallow Frosting:
Beat the butter for two minutes then add in the marshmallow fluff.
Beat in the powdered sugar, then the cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is thick. (Add in a little more powdered sugar if it gets too thin.)
Unroll the cooled cake and add a generous coat of frosting, leaving about 1/2″ free of frosting along the edges.
Roll the cake back up (without the parchment) and place the seam side down.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
For the Ganache:
Add the chocolate, cream, & butter to a heat-proof bowl.
Microwave on medium heat for 30-second intervals, stirring between each. When the chocolate is almost melted, whisk until smooth.
Place the cake on a wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drippings. Pour the ganache over top of the cake roll.
Once the ganache stops dripping, place the cake in the fridge to set the ganache.
Optionally dust with powdered sugar or chocolate shavings before serving.
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Yield: 1 cake, 8 servings
A simple Chocolate Cake Roll perfect for any special occasion or as an alternative to a traditional yule log cake. It tastes like a classic swiss chocolate roll with it's chocolate sponge cake, marshmallow frosting filling and semi-sweet chocolate ganache topping.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time13 minutes
Additional Time10 minutes
Total Time58 minutes
Ingredients
For the Swiss Roll
- 1/2cupflour
- 1/3cupcocoa powder plus 3 Tablespoons
- 1teaspoonbaking powder
- 1/4teaspoonsalt
- 4largeeggs
- 3/4cup white sugar
- 1teaspoonvanilla extract
- 2 1/2 Tablespoonsoil
For the Filling
- 1/2cupunsalted butter, room temperature
- 8ozmarshmallow fluff
- 1cuppowdered icing sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons cream or milk
- 1/2 cup cherries, optional
For the ganache:
- 3ozsemi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/3cup heavy whipping cream, 35%
- 1 Tablespoonbutter
Instructions
For the Chocolate Sponge Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/3 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and oil.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until just incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for 11-13 minutes or until the top is fully set and springs back when you touch it.
- Place a large piece of parchment paper (or clean kitchen towel larger than the jelly roll pan) on the counter. Dust with remaining 3 tablespoons cocoa powder.
- Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, carefully invert it onto the parchment paper on the counter.
- Remove the pan and peel off the parchment paper that lined the pan. Roll the cake & parchment paper/towel dusted with cocoa. Set aside to cool as you prepare the frosting.
For the Marshmallow Frosting:
- Beat the butter for two minutes then add in the marshmallow fluff.
- Beat in the powdered sugar, then the cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is thick. (Add in a little more powdered sugar if it gets too thin.)
- Mix in cherries, if using.
- Unroll the cooled cake and add a generous coat of frosting, leaving about 1/2" free of frosting along the edges.
- Roll the cake back up (without the parchment) and place the seam side down.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
For the Ganache:
- Add the chocolate, cream, & butter to a heat-proof bowl.
- Microwave on medium heat for 30-second intervals, stirring between each. When the chocolate is almost melted, whisk until smooth.
- Place the cake on a wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drippings. Pour the ganache over top of the cake roll.
- Once the ganache stops dripping, place the cake in the fridge to set the ganache.
- Optionally dust with powdered sugar or chocolate shavings before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 382Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 146mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 1gSugar: 38gProtein: 5g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
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Chocolate roll cakes can look a bit complicated, but once you’ve mastered this recipe once you’ll love making it for guests and any special occasion that warrants a special cake!
For more amazing cakes, check out our full cake recipe collection here:
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here: