Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: SO much brilliant chocolate flavor.
Texture: This roll cake is somehow simultaneously rich yet light. It is unbelievably good and dangerously addicting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Ease: I won’t lie, this cake is complicated and will make a mess. But I’ve laid out every single step in the video so you can see exactly how it’s made. It’s totally doable, promise. Don’t be scared!
Appearance: Absolutely stunning and perfect for the holiday season.
Pros: Incredibly impressive and gourmet. It tastes as good as it looks!
Cons: Makes a mess.
Would I make this again? Absolutely positively. I want to eat this cake everyday.
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This cake makes me so happy and I am ridiculously excited to share it with you today.
It’s as mouthwateringly delicious as it is beautiful and you will absolutely have a hard time not eating the entire thing yourself, it’s that good. Not to mention this Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake is absolutely perfect for the holidays with it’s festive swirly wonderfulness, though I’d certainly take a slice at any point in time.
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I won’t misguide you, this cake is a bit more complicated than other recipes and it will create a bit of a mess. But it is SO SO SO worth it. It could actually be a really fun weekend baking project during this holiday season. And the extra effort involved makes the first bite that much sweeter. Even though there are a few components involved and some tricks to making a beautiful Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake, I’ve got you completed covered with the video above. Just take a peek to see exactly how this cake is made with every step and tip along the way.
The video is actually a part of a YouTube Christmas Collaboration I’m doing with some other amazing channels, so be sure to check them out:
Double Chocolate Peppermint Fudge from Hot Chocolate Hits
How to Make Spritz Cookies from Kawaii Sweet World
Gingerbread House Log Cabin from Bigger Bolder Baking
Christmas Crack from The Squishy Monster
If you make this Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake, be sure to take a picture and tag it #handletheheat on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons strong coffee (or water)
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
For the filling:
- 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the ganache:
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or oil a 10-by-15-inch jellyroll pan or a 16-3/4 by 12-inch sheet pan. Line the bottom lengthwise with a piece of waxed or parchment paper.
- Combine the chocolate and coffee in a heat-safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir, and continue to heat in 20-second bursts, until the chocolate is almost melted. Continue to stir until melted completely. Let cool.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks until pale and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until yolks are pale and ribbony. Gently stir the cooled chocolate into the yolk mixture.
- In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites with salt until they hold stiff peaks. Stir a quarter of egg white mixture into the chocolate-yolk mixture to lighten it. Gently fold the remaining whites into the cake batter in three additions. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth top. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes for a jelly roll pan and 12 minutes for a half sheet pan, or until cake layer feels dry (but very soft) to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It will still seem a little underbaked.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cover the top with a lightly damp towel for 10 minutes.Remove towels and run a knife around the edges of the cake. Sift one tablespoon of cocoa over the top of the cake and cover the cake with a thin tea or flour sack towel that is a little longer than the pan. Place the back of a baking sheet or a large flat tray over the towel and invert the cake onto it. Gently peel back the parchment paper. Sift the remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder over the top of the cake. Roll the cake up with the towel from short end to short end so the towel is inside. Let cool completely, seam side down.
For the filling:
- Once cool, beat heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until it holds stiff peaks. Get your serving plate ready and place it near your cake roll. Gently unroll the chocolate cake. Spread the whipped cream filling evenly over cake, leaving a 1-inch border at the far edge. Gently use the tea towel once again to reroll cake and place on the serving plate. Wrap the log tightly in plastic to keep its shape and store in the fridge while preparing the ganache.
For the ganache:
- In glass measuring cup, microwave the chocolate and cream for 45 seconds. Stir and continue to heat in 20-second bursts until melted and smooth. Chill until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the plastic from the cake and trim both end pieces. Spoon the ganache over the cake and smooth over the sides. Chill for 1 hour, or until set, before slicing and serving.
- The cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the filling will deflate the longer it’s stored.
It’s amazingly light and flavorful. The whole family loved it!
Hi, I made the roll second time today. It was braking appart when I unroll it. It was too wet, I think. I feel that I didn’t need to put a damp towel on it. Any idea? Thank you very much. The taste is still awsom. Tanya.
Loved making it, tastes great !!
Hi Tessa what are the appliances need in order to do this because this is something that I have to fill out for my culinary finale?
Actually this cake freezes well, just wrap tightly and freeze before adding the ganache.
I was wondering did any one try it without the coffee and the water instead
Hi Tessa,
What Cake Roll Pan do you recommend?
I have used my cookie sheet and the cake is very, very thin, the edges even burn.
The pan will even bend because of the heat. So the batter is not distributed evenly.
Thank you
Judy
Chocolate Swiss roll eggless recipe please..