Soft Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake (No Cracks!)

Hey team, Nick here! Swiss Roll Cakes are a bit of a hot button issue with me. They always bloody crack! The only thing I’ve cracked here is the code for no cracks! See what I did there?

So what you’re getting here is a rich chocolatey sponge  that I’ve filled with my Chantilly cream. I think it helps the roll stand out. And then I’ve covered it in a glossy one-bowl chocolate sauce recipe. It looks simple, and it is, but it delivers on looks and flavor. And that’s what you want right?

I actually have a couple Swiss roll recipes on the site. My Vanilla Swiss Roll is a stunner. It’s filled with cream and jam (unbeatable flavor combo imo) and I have a lamington Swiss roll which is covered in chocolate sauce and coconut. Adds a nice crunch.

• Start by prepping your baking tin. I’m using a rimmed backing tray that’s just a little bit bigger than a standard jelly roll pan. Rub cold butter on the bottom of the tray and then line with baking tray. The bottom only, not the sides.
• Combine your dry ingredients in a small bow.

• Whip the egg whites on medium speed in a clean bowl until frothy. About 60 seconds. Slowly add the sugar with the mixer on high speed until thick, pale and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl whip, the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract for 5 minutes until it becomes thick and glossy

Tip – When whipping the meringue, make sure your bowl is very clean and dry before whipping the egg whites.

• Fold half the meringue through the egg yolk mixture using a spatula until combined. Then repeat with the remaining meringue.
• Sift the dry ingredients through the mixture and gently fold through making sure to get any dry ingredients that might sink to the bottom

Tip – When you’re folding ingredients through with a spatula, be gentle. You don’t want to delate all the air you whipped into the meringue and egg yolks, that’s where this cake gets all its fluff from!

• Pour the cooled butter into the batter and fold through.
• Pour the mixture onto the baking tin and use a spatula or spoon to spread out as flat and as evenly as you can. Bake.

How to tell when your cake is baked – The cake should spring back when touched but appear slightly shiny on the top.

• Use a sharp knife to gently cut away any cake that has stuck to the side of your cake tin.
• As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, dust it with cocoa powder.

• Place baking paper on top of it.
• Place a large cutting board on top.

• Flip over and take the sheet away.
• Peel the baking paper away.

• Roll up with the baking paper.
• Wrap in a clean tea towel to absorb moisture and let it cool at room temperature until it’s barely warm. That’s when it’s at it’s most pliable and least likely to crack. Do not chill it in the fridge.

• Carefully unroll once cooled.
• Spread Chantilly Cream using a spatula.

• Roll it back up.
• Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Let it set in the fridge for an hour before using a large sharp knife to slice and serve.

Once you’ve filled and rolled the cake it can be served immediately but it’s best served once it’s been chilled as the filling and cake become even more moist.