Easy Chocolate Roll

The Easy Chocolate Roll (Swiss Roll Cake) is a delicious and easy dessert option. It has a super light sponge cake rolled with whipped cream, chocolate, and a silky chocolate ganache.

If you've ever admired those beautiful Swiss roll cakes and thought they were too difficult to make at home, prepare to be delighted. It's perfect for dessert, tea time, or just to impress your friends and family at a gathering!

You can scroll down to watch the full step by step video, if that is your preference...

We have always loved the show-stopping desserts that are not just pleasing to the eyes but also super indulgent on the tongue. Therefore, the chocolate roll or Swiss roll is at the top of the list for us. The key is our foolproof sponge cake—baked to a flexible softness that makes rolling effortless. All you need are the basic pantry ingredients and a few techniques to understand. Indeed, it's the ideal canvas for the luxurious filling of fluffy whipped cream and decadent chocolate ganache, ensuring every slice is moist, delicate, and incredibly satisfying.

Not only is this chocolate roll a guaranteed hit, but your friends and family will be asking for it again and again!

Ingredients’ Breakdown for Easy Chocolate Roll

For the Cake Sponge

Eggs: We are using high-quality eggs for the best taste. Also, we will recommend that the eggs be at room temperature when making the batter. It helps a lot with the consistency of the batter and in mixing all ingredients.
Sugar: Sugar is essential for the cake to taste sweet. You can swap it for any other sweetener of your choice, too.
Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil makes the cake soft and super moist.
Vanilla essence: It adds a delicious floral flavor and aroma to the cake.
Cocoa powder: Every chocolate cake needs a good-quality cocoa powder for that indulgent chocolate flavor. We are using unsweetened ones. If you are planning to use the sweetened cocoa powder, then adjust the sugar according to it.
All-purpose flour: We are using All-purpose flour for the cake. But you can use the cake flour too; it will make the cake a little crumbly and chewy.
Baking powder: It is a leavening agent that helps raise the cake.
Salt: Adding a little salt to cakes brings out the sweet flavor.
Boiling water: Boiling water helps with the consistency of the batter. It also makes the cake moist and richer in taste.

For the Filling & Decoration

Whipped cream: We are using whipped cream for a lighter ganache.
Dark chocolate: We are using high-quality dark chocolate; you can use the semi-sweet one too.
Jam or berries: It is optional, but it adds a tart and fresh flavor to the filling.

Instructions

We highly recommend reading the recipe’s instructions thoroughly before starting. Ensure you have all the ingredients measured out for every step in advance to make the recipe easier.

See the full preparation in the recipe card below, which includes complete instructions on how to prepare your kitchen, as well as the ingredients, to make your own easy Chocolate Roll Recipe.

Prep Time 120 mins

Cook Time 200 mins

Rest Time 20 mins

Total Time 5 hrs 40 mins

Cooking Method: Baking

Cuisine: European

Courses: Dessert

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cooking Temp: 180 C

Servings: 4

Calories: 360

Best Season: Winter

Description

This fluffy Chocolate Roll (Swiss roll style) is a light sponge cake rolled with whipped cream and a silky chocolate ganache. It's perfect for dessert, tea-time, or to record a short, satisfying recipe video for social platforms. The sponge stays soft and flexible for rolling, while the cream filling keeps each slice moist and delicate.

Ingredients

For the Cake Sponge:

4 large Eggs (at room temperature)
½ cup Sugar
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
⅓ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
½ cup All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Boiling water

For the Filling & Decoration:

1 cup Whipping Cream
8 oz Dark Chocolate (chopped)
Cocoa powder, for dusting (Optional)
Fresh berries or powdered sugar for garnish (Optional)

Instructions

For the Cake Roll:

1
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 inch) baking tray with parchment paper. Lightly grease the paper so the sponge peels away easily.
2
In a large mixing bowl, add 4 large eggs and ½ cup sugar.
3
In a sauce pan, heat the water to set up a double boiler to whip the eggs.
4
Whisk the egg-sugar mixture (or use an electric mixer) on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale, thick, and ribbons fall from the whisk — about 6–8 minutes.
5
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
6
Add the dry mix to the egg mixture in 2 additions, folding gently with a spatula to avoid deflating the batter.
7
Gently fold in oil, boiling water and vanilla essence. Fold carefully to keep the batter aerated.
8
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared tray.
9
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes or until the sponge springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
10
Place a clean kitchen towel or a sheet of parchment on the counter. As soon as the sponge is out of the oven, flip it onto the towel/parchment, peel off the baking paper.
11
Then roll the sponge with the towel inside (warm). Let it cool completely rolled up — this prevents cracks.

For the Ganache:

12
Heat the heavy cream until steaming (do not boil) and pour it over chopped dark chocolate.
13
Let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool until spreadable.

Assemble:

14
Unroll the cooled sponge gently.
15
Spread an even layer of whipped cream (or a thin layer of ganache followed by cream). Leave a 1 cm border to avoid overflow.
16
Carefully re-roll the sponge tightly but gently into a log.
17
Top the cake roll with the chocolate ganache and spread it out into an even layer.
18
Slice using a serrated knife. Clean the knife between slices for neat cuts.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 360kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 13g65%
Cholesterol 110mg37%
Sodium 140mg6%
Total Carbohydrate 32g11%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Sugars 20g
Protein 8g16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Substitutions & Variations

Cake Flour: Use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. It makes the lighter sponge and finer crumb.
Sugar: Replace sugar with coconut sugar or a granulated sugar substitute (erythritol). It has a lower glycemic index or fewer calories. However, please note that texture and browning may change, which may affect the volume.
Vegan cream option: Use whipped coconut cream for a dairy-free option and vegan-friendly. Just chill it well before whipping.
Cream cheese: Use cream cheese filling instead of whipped cream.
Jam or Fruits: Adding berries or jam to the filling gives a pop of freshness.

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Health Benefits & Key Ingredients

Eggs: High-quality protein and important vitamins (B12, riboflavin). Help structure the sponge.
Cocoa: Contains antioxidants (flavanols) and provides a rich flavor with lower sugar compared to some frostings.
Whipping cream: Source of fats and energy; use light or reduced-fat alternatives if reducing calories.
Dark chocolate (if used): Provides iron and antioxidants; choose 60–70% cocoa for a better nutritional profile.
Olive/vegetable oil used in cake: Healthier monounsaturated fats compared with butter (but keep portions moderate).

Final Remarks

We always recommend checking out the entire recipe and making sure you have all the required equipment and ingredients before you start preparing it.

The quality of the ingredients we use is very important, so we've listed them above and linked them to where you can get them. The same applies to the equipment.

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