Recipe

We're On a Roll With This Vanilla Cocoa Swiss Roll

By Mulan Xia at University of California – Berkeley

Call it a Swiss roll, call it a jelly roll, or call it a roll cake – you know you're going to have to roll this cake. And while it's not easy, the aesthetic pleasure from a perfectly rolled Swiss roll makes it all worth it. Additionally, the rolled format ensures that every bite has the perfect icing to cake ratio. This recipe sticks to the classic fusion of chocolate and vanilla, but feel free to spice it up with a few drops of food coloring or let your creativity flow through the giraffe trend!

Vanilla Cocoa Swiss Roll

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Servings: 8
Ingredients
  • 6 room temperature whole eggs
  • 7 room temperature egg yolks
  • 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup bleached all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 8 oz room temperature cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
  • Cocoa powder for dusting

Danielle Chen

Step 1

Grease or line a large jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Danielle Chen

Step 2

In a medium bowl, cream together 8 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream. Set aside in fridge for at least twenty minutes.

Danielle Chen

Step 3

Whisk together 7 egg yolks and 1 cup granulated sugar in a glass bowl. The mixture may be slightly grainy.

Danielle Chen

Step 4

In a small pot, bring approximately 1 cup of water to a simmer over low heat. Place bowl of whisked egg yolks and sugar over the pot, making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk slowly for 10 minutes, or until mixture is smooth and pale. Remove from heat.

Danielle Chen

Step 5

Whisk mixture for another 10 minutes, or until mixture has thickened. Gradually whisk in the previous mixture of cream cheese, sour cream and heavy whipping cream. Set aside in fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Danielle Chen

Step 6

In a large bowl, whisk together 6 whole eggs and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until thick and pale. This may take up to 20 minutes.

Danielle Chen

Step 7

In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking soda.

Danielle Chen

Step 8

Gradually fold flour mixture into whisked egg yolks and sugar.

Danielle Chen

Step 9

Evenly spread mixture into jelly roll pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or just until cake is beginning to brown at the edges. Meanwhile, cover your baking surface with paper towels and then lightly dust with powdered sugar.

Danielle Chen

Step 10

Remove cake from oven. Immediately run knife along edge of cake and flip cake onto surface of paper towels. Dust top of cake with powdered sugar and place another paper towel on top. Carefully roll cake into log and set aside to cool.

Danielle Chen

Step 11

In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks have formed. Remove whisked egg yolk and cream cheese mixture from fridge and fold into heavy whipping cream mixture until combined. Cool in fridge for 20 minutes.

Danielle Chen

Step 12

Gently unroll cake roll and remove inside layer of paper towels. Generously spread heavy whipping cream mixture over top and roll back up.

Danielle Chen

Step 13

Drizzle cream and dust cocoa powder over top and serve as is, or slice and stack in jars!

Danielle Chen