Vanilla Swiss Roll cake is a light, spongy dessert recipe that’s delicate and sophisticated but surprisingly easy to make!
Our creamy, dreamy Vanilla Swiss Roll is fresh and fluffy. It’s created with simple pantry staples—plus buttermilk and cider vinegar—and filled with Chantilly Cream (made from vanilla, sugar, and whipped cream). Fresh berries make the perfect garnish for this easy, elegant indulgence!
So Many Filling Options!
Our Vanilla Swiss Cake Roll is a classic! We’ve kept this recipe simple with a sweet whipped cream filling, making it perfect for dessert & coffee on the patio or holiday brunch with the in-laws! But this recipe is so incredibly versatile! You can swap out the whipped cream filling for several other options like raspberry jam, strawberry whipped cream, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, lemon curd, and more. Garnish with fresh berries, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, or an extra sprinkle of powdered sugar with a dollop of whipped cream!
If You Like Vanilla Swiss Roll, You’ll Love These Recipes:
- Our Chocolate Swiss Roll is fudgy, decadent, and filled with delicious marshmallow frosting. It’s a GIANT version of your favorite Little Debbie snack cake!
- This Classic Pumpkin Roll is delicious all year, but essential for the holidays!
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients: Turn the dry ingredients into cake batter by adding eggs, oil, buttermilk, cider vinegar, and vanilla.
Dry Ingredients: To start this spongy cake, we’ll need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Filling: The sweet cream filling is made with whipping cream, vanilla, powdered sugar and salt. It’s light, flavorful, and the perfect partner for this spongy vanilla cake roll!
How to Make a Swiss Vanilla Roll
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan (pan size is important). Cover the pan with parchment paper, then grease it as well. Lay a towel on your countertop and sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar. Then, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, beat eggs on high for 3 minutes. Continue mixing as you slowly add the sugar, then the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla. Continue beating for another minute before adding in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
STEP THREE: Pour the batter into the pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cake is springy when touched.
STEP FOUR: When done, immediately flip the cake upside down onto the sugared towel. Remove the parchment paper. Starting at the narrow end, roll the cake in the towel. Set it on a wire rack and allow it to cool.
STEP FIVE: In a stand mixer, beat all the filling ingredients for 3-4 minutes on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Gently unroll the cake and spread the creamy filling all over it, leaving an inch on the sides and top (so it doesn’t squish out).
STEP SIX: Roll the cake up again without the towel. Place the cake, seam side down, on a serving platter and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Slice and serve!
Tips for Success
- Start with room-temperature eggs for the cake batter—either set them out an hour in advance or place them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.
- Use very cold whipping cream for the filling.
- Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together to keep the batter light and fluffy.
- Don’t unroll the cake until it has completely cooled.
- Serve with a drizzle of chocolate or raspberry syrup, fresh berries, an extra dusting of powdered sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream.
What’s the Best Way to Store a Rolled Cake?
Because roll cakes are filled, they should be chilled. Cover your cake with plastic wrap or seal it air-tight in a container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. The whipped cream filling will keep the cake moist. You can eat chilled leftovers or allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
What is a Swiss Roll?
A Swiss Roll is a sponge cake filled with cream, jam, or icing (or a combination) and rolled into a log shape. Depending on the filling, Swiss roll cakes are also known as roll cakes, cream rolls, roulade, Swiss longs, or jelly rolls, or even a Yule Log when made for Christmas.
The origins of the Swiss Roll are fuzzy, but they seem to have originated in Europe in the mid-1800s. You most likely recognize this type of cake best as the mini snack versions: Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls, Hostess HoHos, or Drake’s Boston Cream Yodels.
Other Recipes for Cakes with Fresh Berries
- No Bake Berry Icebox Cake
- Angel Food Cake Berry Trifle
- Easy Berry Skillet Cake
- Very Berry Coffee Cake
- Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake
- Mini Red, White & Blueberry Bundt Cakes
*This post originally posted on 05/16/2015.
Vanilla Swiss Roll
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar plus more for dusting
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Fresh raspberries for garnish
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (set to 325degrees F if using a very dark pan). Grease a 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-inch jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the pan with parchment paper, and then spray the parchment paper too. Set aside.
- Lay a clean tea towel on a flat surface and sprinkle it generously with powdered sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs on high for 3 minutes until pale in color. Continue beating as you slowly add in the sugar. Then add the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla and beat for 1 more minute. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and tilt to even out the batter. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until it springs back when touched.
- When done, immediately invert the cake onto the prepared towel. Remove the pan and parchment paper. Then roll the cake in the towel, starting at the short end, until it's a log. Set on a wire rack and allow to cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Run for 3-4 minutes on medium speed, until stiff peaks form.
- Unroll the cake and spread the chantilly cream over the cake, leaving about a 1-inch edge around the sides and top. Roll up the cake into a log again, without the towel this time. *As you roll up the cake, some filling may be displaced/squish toward the edges.
- Place the cake seam side down on a serving platter. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
- Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar for garnish. You can add a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry on top of each slice, if desired.
Sara says
Did everything you said but my cake is still moist and not done at 13 minutes of cooking.?
Jennifer Kimmel says
Hey Sara, what size sheet pan are you using? If its not big enough it could take longer to cook.
Julie Kotzbach says
yes. 🙂
Jaime says
Can I omit the shortening and substitute it for something else
Julie K says
You could use all butter.
Joan@FSBO says
There is just something about the vanilla cake roll that we crave after a large meal. It is so soothing…
Manoja says
In the ingredients you have not mentioned water and the quantity but in the method it says that water must be added. Please advise . Thank you
Julie K says
Eeeep! So srry about that Manoja! It is 1/3 cup water. The recipe has been updated with the correction. Thank you for letting us know!