This chocolate cake roll is a Swiss cake roll for a crowd! This recipe has moist chocolate sponge cake rolled with a rich cream cheese filling, and covered in a smooth layer of chocolate ganache.

A perfect cake roll is exactly what your next special occasion needs. Looking for a vanilla version? My vanilla cake roll has you covered.

Front view of a chocolate cake roll topped with chocolate shavings, with a slice cut from the end.

Easy Chocolate Swiss Cake Roll

Who else remembers those Little Debbie Swiss Rolls from their school lunches? That’s basically what we’re recreating today, only in a super-sized, crowd-friendly format.

Luckily, this recipe makes the BEST homemade chocolate cake roll from scratch, and it’s worth the effort. I’ve done all the testing to ensure that this cake roll turns out soft, moist, and free from cracks. It’s just sweet enough, with rich chocolate sponge cake and a tangy whipped cream cheese filling that you can adapt in more ways than one.

What You’ll Love About This Chocolate Cake Roll

Foolproof. I’m sharing my tried-and-true method for making the perfect Swiss roll that won’t crack. It’s very easy with the right technique.
Super soft and chocolatey. There’s nothing heavy or dense about this chocolate cake roll. It’s the softest, fluffiest chocolate sponge that’s still rich and chocolatey, but don’t skip the ganache topping.
Versatile. This chocolate cake roll is such a great dessert to make for a special occasion, any time of the year. It’s easy to customize the flavors and fillings.

Overhead view of a chocolate cake roll topped with chocolate shavings, with two slices cut from the end on a long platter.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Below are some notes on the important ingredients. You’ll find the printable recipe with the full details in the recipe card after the post.

Eggs – Separate the egg yolks from the whites while the eggs are cold from the fridge. Afterward, bring the separated eggs to room temperature.
Cream of Tartar – Adding cream of tartar to the whipped egg whites helps stabilize the meringue.
Cake Flour – Make sure that you measure the flour correctly using a kitchen scale or by spooning the flour into the cup and leveling it off.
Cocoa Powder – I recommend Dutch-processed cocoa powder, like Rodelle’s, for a richer flavor and darker color. Learn more about the different kinds of cocoa powder and when to use them.
Espresso Powder – Like my moist chocolate cake recipe, a small amount of espresso powder intensifies the flavor of this chocolate sponge cake. You won’t taste the coffee, though adding it is optional.
Frosting – I include my easy whipped cream cheese frosting recipe as the filling for this cake roll. You can fill it with any frosting you’d like, but I love the sweet-tangy contrast of the chocolate and cream cheese. If you’d like, you could substitute mascarpone for cream cheese to make a variation of mascarpone whipped cream instead.
Chocolate Ganache – I use my simple homemade chocolate ganache to coat the outside of the finished roll. It’s easy to make with full-fat heavy cream, chopped semisweet (or dark) chocolate, and a little light corn syrup to make it smooth and glossy.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Roll in assorted bowls and plates

For This Recipe, You'll Need This Pan

Jelly Roll Pan

This 10×15 inch jelly roll pan had deeper sides ideal for cake rolls, but can also be used for cookies and bars.

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How to Make a Chocolate Cake Roll

Follow the steps below to make this homemade chocolate Swiss roll. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe instructions.

First, Prepare the Cake

Since we’ll be whipping egg whites for the cake batter, I recommend wiping the bowl of your mixer clean with vinegar before you start. Grease and fluffy egg whites do NOT mix, so a squeaky-clean bowl is essential!

Prep. While the oven preheats to 375ºF, grease and line a large jelly roll pan (either 15” x 10” or 11” x 14”).
Whip the egg whites. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites in a stand mixer until they’re foamy, then add the cream of tartar. Whip until you reach medium peaks. This means that when you hold the whisk upright, the peak of the egg whites should droop over.
Mix the batter. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with granulated sugar until that’s fluffy, then mix in the oil, milk, and vanilla. Next, sift the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt into the wet ingredients. Stir until it’s just combined.
Fold in the egg whites. Now, use a spatula to gradually fold the whipped egg whites into the batter. I usually do this in three stages, mixing just enough so that no streaks of white remain without deflating the egg whites.

Whipped egg whites in a glass mixing bowl. — Whip the egg whites.

Wet cake batter ingredients in a glass bowl. — Whip the egg whites.

Bake. Finally, spread the cake batter evenly into your prepared jelly roll pan. Bake the cake in the center rack of a 375ºF oven for 12-15 minutes, until it’s lightly browned and springy when you press it.
Prepare a tea towel. In the meantime, lay out a (clean) tea towel. Make sure it’s not terry cloth, as the cake will stick. Then, coat the cloth with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar.
Roll the cake up. Run a knife around the edges of the baked cake and turn the cake out onto your powdered sugar cloth. Peel away the parchment paper. Then, starting from the short side, roll the cake up tightly inside the cloth. Leave that to cool completely to room temperature before you fill it.

A sheet of chocolate cake on top of a clean dish towel covered with powdered sugar. — Turn the cake out onto a powdered sugar cloth.

Two hands rolling a sheet of chocolate cake inside a dish towel. — Turn the cake out onto a powdered sugar cloth.

Julianne’s Tip To Avoid The Cake Sticking

Don’t leave your cake inside the powdered sugar towel for more than a few hours. Otherwise, the cake starts to stick and becomes harder to unroll. Leave it in the towel until it cools down to room temperature, about an hour or so.

Fill the Cake Roll

Make the filling. Start by using the whisk attachment to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth, and slowly mix in heavy cream 1-2 spoonfuls at a time until the cream cheese turns liquid. Afterward, add in the remaining cream along with vanilla extract, and whip the cream cheese into soft peaks. Then, add powdered sugar before whipping until stiff peaks form.
Fill the cake. Carefully unroll the chocolate cake from the tea towel and move it to a clean surface. Fill the roll, starting in the center and then spreading the frosting evenly over the rest of the cake. After that, roll the cake back up into a log.
Chill. Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before you add the ganache.

Whipped cream cheese frosting in a glass bowl. — Make the filling.

Overhead view of a pre-rolled sheet of chocolate cake partially frosted with cream cheese frosting. — Make the filling.

Add the Chocolate Ganache

Prepare the cake. Unwrap and place the chilled cake on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch any dripping chocolate.
Make the ganache. Next, add the chopped chocolate and corn syrup to a bowl. Heat the heavy cream to a simmer, and pour that over the chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then stir until the ganache is smooth and combined. Pour the ganache over the cake.
Refrigerate, slice, and serve. Finally, return the chocolate cake roll to the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour, enough to set the ganache. Before serving, trim the ends from the cake roll and cut it into 1-2” slices.

Make This Cake Ahead

Close up of a chocolate cake roll topped with chocolate shavings.

Recipe Tips and Variations

Be gentle with the egg whites. Whipped egg whites are the key to the cake’s spongy, pliable texture that makes it easy to roll. Gently fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter, taking care that they don’t deflate.
Don’t wait too long to pour the ganache. The ganache should be liquid and pourable so that it neatly covers the cake roll. If you wait too long to pour it, the ganache starts to thicken and become gloopy.
Double the chocolate. To make a double chocolate cake roll, fill the cake with chocolate whipped cream instead.
Different flavors. You can play around with flavorings and extracts to give your chocolate cake roll a different flavor profile. Adding extra espresso powder or brewed coffee to the cream cheese filling is a great way to make a mocha-themed cake.
Make it festive. This cake roll makes a perfect chocolate Yule log at Christmas. Fold mint extract and crushed peppermint candies into the filling for some festive flavor. After adding the ganache, use a toothpick or skewer to draw a squiggly, wood-like texture along the length of the cake.

A slice of chocolate cake roll on a white plate with a fork, next to the rest of the cake with slices cut from the end.

Storing and Freezing

Leftover cake can be stored wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. After this, the filling may start to deflate and weep.
Refrigerate. Keep any leftover cake covered or wrapped tightly in the fridge for 2-3 days. The filling starts to deflate a bit and weeps moisture after a while.
Freeze. You can store the wrapped cake roll in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend adding a second layer of plastic wrap or foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw the cake in the fridge before serving.

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