Chocolate Cake Roll (Swiss Roll)
A nod to the classic childhood favorite, this chocolate cake roll combines light chocolate sponge cake with sweet vanilla whipped cream and chocolate ganache. Rich and totally irresistible, this dessert is for chocolate lovers everywhere. Follow this carefully explained step-by-step recipe and video tutorial for success.
It’s no secret that childhood classics are some of the best foods. Who else enjoyed gushers, push-up pops, fruit-by-the-foot, dunkaroos, those cracker “sticks” and spreadable cheese (lol those were so good), juice boxes, bagel bites, and dinosaur chicken fingers?
Just to name a few…!
I’m constantly inspired to recreate these favorites. We’re talking brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts, animal cracker cookies, and, of course, oatmeal creme pies! Today we’re adding another nostalgic favorite: chocolate cake roll aka ho hos, swiss roll cakes, and yodels.
Chocolate Cake Roll (Swiss Roll) is the PERFECT holiday dessert, made with moist chocolate cake rolled around my homemade whipped cream, and takes less than 60 minutes to throw together! You can decorate for any occasion using fresh fruit, melted chocolate, powdered sugar, or even sprinkles and frosting for a birthday version.
This cake roll uses a chocolate sponge cake, which is lighter than regular cake and will be easier to roll. Plus we’re pouring it into a thin pan, so the sponge only needs about 10 minutes to bake. A cake roll does need to cool after baking and before you add the whipped cream, so make sure to save some extra time here. If you want to add more flavor to this dessert, add a teaspoon of peppermint or vanilla extract to the batter.
This cake roll required more testing than usual because I was SO torn between using butter vs oil, cocoa powder vs melted chocolate, as well as the perfect amount of flour. I’m not kidding… I must have made at least 8 or 9 different chocolate cake rolls. (I lost count after #3!) Despite all the mediocre cakes filling up my brain (and freezer), the recipe testing process was incredibly enlightening. I learned that it’s a VERY thin line between rubbery chocolate sponge cake and good chocolate sponge cake. A line so thin that tightrope walkers would be nervous. Luckily I made all the mistakes so you don’t have to!
What You Need
Let's Make It
It’s no secret that childhood classics are some of the best foods. Who else enjoyed gushers, push-up pops, fruit-by-the-foot, dunkaroos, those cracker “sticks” and spreadable cheese (lol those were so good), juice boxes, bagel bites, and dinosaur chicken fingers?
Just to name a few…!
I’m constantly inspired to recreate these favorites. We’re talking brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts, animal cracker cookies, and, of course, oatmeal creme pies! Today we’re adding another nostalgic favorite: chocolate cake roll aka ho hos, swiss roll cakes, and yodels.
Chocolate Cake Roll (Swiss Roll) is the PERFECT holiday dessert, made with moist chocolate cake rolled around my homemade whipped cream, and takes less than 60 minutes to throw together! You can decorate for any occasion using fresh fruit, melted chocolate, powdered sugar, or even sprinkles and frosting for a birthday version.
This cake roll uses a chocolate sponge cake, which is lighter than regular cake and will be easier to roll. Plus we’re pouring it into a thin pan, so the sponge only needs about 10 minutes to bake. A cake roll does need to cool after baking and before you add the whipped cream, so make sure to save some extra time here. If you want to add more flavor to this dessert, add a teaspoon of peppermint or vanilla extract to the batter.
This cake roll required more testing than usual because I was SO torn between using butter vs oil, cocoa powder vs melted chocolate, as well as the perfect amount of flour. I’m not kidding… I must have made at least 8 or 9 different chocolate cake rolls. (I lost count after #3!) Despite all the mediocre cakes filling up my brain (and freezer), the recipe testing process was incredibly enlightening. I learned that it’s a VERY thin line between rubbery chocolate sponge cake and good chocolate sponge cake. A line so thin that tightrope walkers would be nervous. Luckily I made all the mistakes so you don’t have to!
What You Need
- 1-1/2 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (6 oz.), divided
- 6 Tbsp. butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup flour, divided
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2/3 cup water
- 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
Let's Make It
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray. Line with waxed paper; spray with additional cooking spray.
- Microwave 3 oz. chocolate and butter in medium microwaveable bowl on High 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add granulated sugar; mix well. Beat eggs in large bowl with mixer on high speed 3 min. or until thickened. Blend in chocolate mixture. Add 1/4 cup flour and baking soda; beat just until blended. Add remaining flour alternately with water, beating well after each addition. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake 15 min. or until top of cake springs back when touched; sprinkle with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Immediately invert cake onto clean towel; remove pan. Carefully peel off paper. Starting at one short side, roll up cake and towel together; cool completely on wire rack.
- Beat cream cheese and remaining powdered sugar in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP.
- Unroll cake carefully; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture onto cake, completely covering top of cake. Roll up cake; place, seam-side down, on platter.
- Microwave remaining chocolate and remaining COOL WHIP in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 to 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Cool 2 min.; spread onto cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.