Chocolate Swiss roll

Chocolate Swiss roll
Prepare
30 mins to 1 hour
Cook
10 to 30 mins
Serve
Serves 8

This light chocolate sponge with a smooth chocolate buttercream filling is wonderful for special occasions: it's a real crowd pleaser, can be made ahead and keeps well. For an extra-special cake, you can cover it in melted chocolate (see recipe tips below).

For this recipe you’ll need a 33x23cm/13x9in Swiss roll tin and an electric whisk or freestanding mixer.

By Justine Pattison

Shopping list

Ingredients

For the chocolate buttercream filling

Recipe tips
How-to videos

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease a 33x23cm/13x9in Swiss roll tin, then line the base and sides with baking paper.

  2. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into a bowl.

  3. Put the eggs and 100g/3½oz caster sugar in a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until pale, light and thick enough to leave a slow-moving trail when the whisk is lifted. This will take 3-4 minutes, so don’t be tempted to whisk for any less time. Alternatively, whisk in a freestanding mixer on its fastest setting for 2–4 minutes.

  4. Spoon half the flour and cocoa mixture over the egg mixture and fold in very gently with a large metal spoon. Add the remaining flour and cocoa and fold in, using gentle movements to retain as much air as possible, but incorporating any pockets of flour.

  5. Pour the mixture slowly into the prepared tin and gently spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 11–12 minutes, or until the sponge is well risen and dry on the surface. It should be just beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin and the centre should slowly spring back when lightly touched with a fingertip.

  6. While the cake is baking, put a very clean, dry tea towel on the work surface and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons caster sugar. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it in the tin for 1 minute. It should pull back from the sides and wrinkle slightly as steam is released (see recipe tips below).

  7. Turn the cake out onto the sugared tea towel, taking care as the tin will be hot. Remove the tin and carefully peel off the baking paper. Turn the sponge so a short side is facing you.

  8. Using a sharp knife, lightly score across the sponge about 3cm/1¼in from the edge, cutting only halfway through. This will help you create a tight, even roll.

  9. Roll up the sponge from the scored end, starting with a fairly tight turn to create a good round shape. Use the tea towel to help you roll, but don’t roll the towel into the cake. Carefully transfer the rolled sponge to a cooling rack and brush off any excess sugar with a pastry brush. Leave to cool for 40–60 minutes. Shake the sugar from the tea towel and set it aside.

  10. To make the chocolate buttercream filling, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the butter and hot water and whisk with an electric mixer until smooth and light. Alternatively, beat together with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth. The buttercream shouldn’t be too stiff as it needs to spread easily.

  11. Carefully unroll the cooled cake onto the same tea towel, but don’t flatten it out. It will still curl slightly at the end. Spread the chocolate buttercream evenly over the sponge using the back of a spoon or a small spatula.

  12. Gently re-roll the sponge, using the tea towel to help hold it in place. Transfer to a rectangular platter or board and cut into slices to serve.

Recipe tips

The Swiss roll will keep loosely wrapped in foil or in a cake tin for up to 5 days. If storing for more than 3 days, or during hot weather, wrap it in foil and keep it in the fridge.

To freeze the filled Swiss roll, wrap it in cling film and then tightly in foil. Label and freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, unwrap and put on a serving plate or board. Cover loosely and leave to defrost at room temperature for 1½–2 hours before slicing.

It’s important to use the right-sized tin. Using a tin that’s too large or too small will result in a sponge that’s difficult to roll.

Use non-stick baking parchment rather than greaseproof paper to help prevent the sponge sticking to the tin.

Using eggs at room temperature helps to achieve a light sponge in the shortest time. If the eggs are straight from the fridge, crack them into the mixing bowl, cover and leave at room temperature for 30–60 minutes before whisking.

If the cooked sponge doesn’t shrink back from the sides of the tin, it may have stuck slightly around the edges. Run a small knife around the sides of the tin as soon as it comes out of the oven and before turning it out.

To fully cover the cake in chocolate

Melt 180g/6⅓oz milk or dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces, in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water.

Put the filled Swiss roll on a cooling rack set over a baking tray. Slowly pour the melted chocolate down the centre and spread lightly with a knife until the cake is covered.

Leave to set slightly for 40–60 minutes, then decorate while the chocolate is still fairly soft. Add sprinkles or chocolate shapes, or drizzle with melted white chocolate, if you like.

Put in the fridge and leave to set, then transfer carefully to a serving plate or board. Before serving, leave at room temperature for 1 hour before slicing, otherwise the chocolate coating may crack. Use a serrated knife for the neatest finish.

Cooking chocolate will give a more even coating, but you could use chocolate ganache or more chocolate buttercream instead.