Name: Vanilla Swiss Roll
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 215 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 large eggs (at room temperature); 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons buttermilk; 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus more for dusting); 1/2 teaspoon salt; Fresh raspberries (for garnish)

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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!

slice of vanilla swiss roll on a plate with recipe name at the bottom

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!

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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.

flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl

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.

dry ingredients add the a mixing bowl of the mixed wet ingredients for a vanilla swiss roll cake

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.

vanilla swiss roll cake batter pour into a parchment paper lined jelly roll pan

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.

baked vanilla swiss roll cake on a tea towel coated in powdered sugar

vanilla swiss roll rolled up in a tea towel on a wire rack

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).

large dollops of chantilly cream on an unrolled vanilla swiss roll cake

chantilly cream spread over a vanilla swiss roll cake

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!

rolled up vanilla swiss roll on a platter before chilling

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.

vanilla swiss roll coated in powdered sugar on a platter and surrounded by raspberries

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.

close up of a slice of vanilla swiss roll topped with whipped cream and a raspberry

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

*This post originally posted on 05/16/2015.