Last Updated on December 1, 2025 by Carrie Korem, FNTP
When I was a kid, chocolate swiss roll cake felt like magic. My mom would make it for holidays and school parties and I remember watching her roll it up and sprinkle it with powdered sugar. I thought it was the prettiest cake in the world. One year she brought one to my kindergarten Christmas party and I could not wait to tell everyone that my mom baked it herself. It felt like the coolest kid on the block!
I recently decided to make it again and it brought back so many sweet memories. My kids could not get enough and asked me to bake it again for Christmas. This gluten free chocolate swiss roll cake is soft, light, filled with whipped cream and so easy to slice and serve. It looks fancy but it is very simple to make.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This gluten free chocolate swiss roll cake is rich, soft, light and creamy. It looks like a bakery cake but comes together with basic ingredients. You can flavor the whipped filling with vanilla, peppermint, almond or even a splash of orange extract. It is perfect for holidays, birthdays or any special day.
What is a Swiss Roll Cake
A swiss roll cake is a soft sponge cake that is baked in a thin layer, then filled with whipped cream or frosting and rolled into a swirl. When you slice it, you see the pretty spiral inside. It is also known as a yule log around Christmas time.
Key Ingredients for Chocolate Sponge Cake
You only need a few ingredients. The cake stays tender without flour which also makes it gluten free.
- Semisweet chocolate
- Eggs
- Coconut sugar
- Cocoa powder
Swiss Roll Cake Filling
The filling is simple and creamy. You can change the flavor to match the season.
- Whipped cream
- A touch of honey or maple syrup
- Optional flavors like almond, peppermint or orange
Ingredients for Swiss Roll Cake
For the cake
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
- 5 large eggs separated
- 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
For the filling
- 1 cup heavy cream or whipped coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 and oil a 15 by 10 inch jelly roll pan. Line with parchment and oil again.
- Beat egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Mix into melted chocolate.
- Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mix.
- Pour onto the pan and spread smooth. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until puffed.
- Lay a damp towel over the cake and let it cool.
- Dust a new sheet of parchment with cocoa. Flip cake onto it and peel off the old paper.
- Whip cream with honey until stiff. Spread over cake and leave a border around the edges.
- Use the parchment to gently roll the cake up.
- Wrap and chill for 2 to 8 hours. Slice and serve cold.
Chocolate Cake Roll Success Tips
- Fold the egg whites gently so the cake stays light.
- Roll the cake while it is still soft and flexible.
- Chill the cake before slicing for clean cuts.
Expert Baking Tips for Perfect Swiss Roll Cake
- Do not over bake or the cake may crack
- Dust the outside with cocoa or powdered sugar for a pretty finish
- You can add raspberries or chocolate shavings on top
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar
Recipe FAQ
Can I make this dairy free
Yes. Use coconut cream in place of whipped cream.
Can I freeze it
This dessert doesn’t freeze well, so I don’t advise it. It’s best to eat it the day it’s made.
Can I add flavors to the filling
Yes. Orange, almond or peppermint are delicious!
If you make this chocolate swiss roll cake, I would love to hear how it turns out. It was a special part of my childhood and now it is one of my family’s favorite desserts too!
PrintChocolate Swiss Roll Cake (Grain-Free, Paleo)
Adapted from Southern Living.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate (I used Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips), melted
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar (you can substitute with organic whole cane sugar if desired)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
- 1 cup heavy cream (for a dairy-free option, use this method to whip some coconut cream)
- 1 tablespoon raw honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and adjust rack to middle position. Using a pastry brush, oil a 15 x 10 jelly-roll pan. Place a piece of unbleached parchment paper on top and then oil again. (This will ensure the cake doesn’t stick to the pan.)
- Place egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl and beat at high speed with an electric or standing mixer for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Whisk the egg mixture into the melted chocolate.
- Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; fold into chocolate mixture.
- Pour batter onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly using an off-set spatula. Bake at 325° for 15 to 18 minutes or until puffed. Remove the cake from the oven and place a damp kitchen towel over cake in pan. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the damp towel. Place a 20- x 15-inch piece of parchment paper on work surface. Dust cake with cocoa, and invert onto parchment paper. Carefully peel parchment paper from top of cake.
- Pour the cream and honey into a mixing bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Spread cream mixture over top of cake, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Lift and tilt parchment paper at 1 short side, and carefully roll up cake, jelly-roll fashion, using parchment paper to lift and roll cake. Wrap rolled cake in parchment paper, and place on a serving platter. Chill 2 to 8 hours. Remove and discard parchment paper. Serve cold.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serves 8-10
Photo Credit: Becky Winkler
That is a work of art! So beautiful! Totally sharing this on social media and putting it on my list of holiday treats to make this month! YUM!
Thanks, Kelly!
I was just thinking about one of these rolls over the weekend and wishing I had a clean recipe! Thank you. I’m a little confused though, there’s no flour of any kind in this??
Nope! No flour! It’s a nice spongy, grain-free cake! 🙂
A family favorite for sure!! Everyone loves this recipe!
Hi Carrie,
What exactly is the chocolate mixture, just the chocolate melted?
“Whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture.”
If you look again, it just says “Whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate.” So, it seems that she just means to whisk the egg yolks & sugar you just beat into the melted chocolate. HTH
Sorry! It should just say “chocolate”. I made the edit. Thanks for pointing that out!
This could not have come at a better time. Hubby asked me to make this a while back and I did not have a gluten free or grain free recipe on hand. And his favorite sweet as of late is your homemade Twix bar!! He cannot get enough… I am definitely making this and very soon. He’ll love it!!
Yum. I always have trouble rolling mine and end up with cracks. Any advice?
I find the cracks kind of charming, but in this method, the damp cloth really helps keep the cake moist while it cools (keeping the cake crack-free).
I’m wondering how long this will keep in the refrigerator after you’ve chilled it. Not sure if I can make it Christmas Eve to serve the next day or so….
This keeps for about 2 days, so making it a day ahead of time is perfect!
I look forward to trying this, assuming you get the “use this method” linked to how we can make heavy whipping cream using coconut cream. 🙂
There’s definitely a ton of sites out there with great instructions! Just Google it and I think you’ll find one you like. I really like this one… http://thehealthyfoodie.com/whipped-coconut-cream/
Sorry! I added the link! Thanks for pointing that out.
Thanks for bringing back a classic! I used to make this every Christmas back in the 80’s and 90’s and was just thinking about it today and then I see your post! My cake is almost the same, I think I got it from Ladies Home Journal. Cheers!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Wow, Carrie, this looks amazing! It looks SOOOO out of my league, but I think I’ll try it next week when I’m on vacation. Even if it doesn’t come out exactly right, I bet it will still be delicious!
It’s much easier than it looks. Truly! 🙂 And your right, even if it doesn’t come out exactly right, it will still be delicious!
This is just what I needed to find… a Dessert suitable for Christmas day that means we still get a treat but it fits into our lifestyle… others should love it too. Can’t wait to test it out! Thank you for the tecipe!
Dear Deliciously:
Your before and after photos are wonderful. Glad you’re healthy, congratulations on finding your way.
Thank you for the recipe for the chocolate whipped cream roll, which is my all-time favorite cake. I have a delicious recipe but it always cracks badly when removing from the pan (even though I put a dish towel over it and let it cool completely) so I’m going to try yours.
I made it yesterday to test it for Christmas. I was AWESOME!!! My daughter and i are on gaps and this cake honestly was absolutely delicious. Thank you carrie!
This looks amazing! Is there anything else I could use instead of a jelly roll pan? Perhaps a baking sheet?
Yes, a large baking sheet will also work (just make sure it has raised edges (at least 1″) or the batter will slide off the pan.
This looks yummy….and impressive. Considering making this for Christmas Day dessert. Now to find a pan….
This was so incredibly good. Very easy to make and so yummy. Thank you!
Dear Deliciously Organic,
It’s Xmas eve morning and I just followed your directions above. Fingers crossed that the batter will indeed rise. I found the chocolate chips difficult to work with, as they didn’t melt into a smooth liquid. When I added the egg/sugar mixture it helped, but seemed to separate again when I folded the egg whites in and seemed rather thin when I poured onto the sheet pan. The chocolate egg mixture was still quite warm when I blended it with the egg whites and stuck to the sides of the pan and spatula I was using.
Wondering is this common or did I do something wrong?
It sounds like the chocolate was heated too much. When chocolate is overheated it turns a bit hard and chalky. I’m thinking that might be why the mixture separated.
Unfortunately my first attempt is a fail. I used Toll house choc chips instead of organic chocolate, and they never melted into a smooth liquid. When I added the egg yolk/choc mixture to the egg whites, it took away all the air that would’ve caused the cake to rise. Any suggestions for my next attempt?
I’m sorry to hear! Toll House contains soy and other preservatives that can prevent the chocolate from turning into a thin melted chocolate. I would try it again with a chocolate bar instead of chips (or if you can get Enjoy Life chocolate chips, these will melt nicely b/c they don’t contain thickeners or preservatives). Hopefully the cake was tasty enough that you can crumble it over ice cream or something similar. 🙂
Took a chance and prepared this for the first time when expecting 12 dinner guests for Christmas. It was so perfect and lovely. I made it a day ahead and froze it. I pulled it out just before serving dinner and it was perfect to serve by the time everyone was ready for dessert. I topped it with the smallest dollop of whipped cream and a few chocolate shavings. It was such a nice contrast to the overly sugary candy cane pie and lemon meringue pie also offered by family.
I made this today to have as Christmas day dessert. It turned out beautiful and delicious! I followed your recipe exactly except I used kroger brand semisweet chocolate morsels. First time making a “jelly roll”. Straight out of the oven the cake is a lighter color than your pic…but the cake darkens as it chills in the fridge. Thanks for this super simple recipe. Will make again.
Also, I was wondering what size of jelly roll pan you used and whether there is a specific company’s pan you like? I used a cookie sheet and it worked ok but probably not as well as if I had the actual jelly roll pan.
Here’s one of my favorites: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F741DU?ie=UTF8&creativeASIN=B000F741DU&linkCode=xm2&tag=deliciorgan03-20
THE BEST DESSERT ever!! No kidding! This is easy, delicious, beautiful and fun!! Thank you soooo much!! I made it for Christmas Eve and am now making it again (torture, I know) for my daughter’s 22nd bday celebration tonight. Thank you so much for an amazingly delicious, whole food dessert.
Oh wow- This is amazing! My hubby made the switch to a whole foods lifestyle after seeing how good my cooking made him feel and was even my partner on a 90-day sugar fast. What he misses the most- Life cereal and Swiss rolls!! We haven’t found packaged healthy alternatives and I kept telling him I’d try to come up with a better version! Thank you, thank you! He is going to be one happy hubby!
This looks awesome- can’t believe how simple! When I make pumpkin cream cheese rolls, my method directs you to dust a dry dish towel w/ powdered sugar (which I’ve never found a good sub for- would love your advice on that!) and then turn the hot cake onto the towel, sprinkle the top of the cake w/ more powdered sugar, roll it up in the towel, let it sit and cool for 30 minutes, unroll it carefully, frost it, roll it back up, and then refrigerate. Would that work for this too do you think? Or is the damp towel/parchment paper method necessary for this particular recipe or the lighter cream filling? I don’t often have parchment on hand and I’ve gotten pretty skilled using this other method at Thanksgiving so it feels like it would be easier for me that way (using the cocoa powder instead of the sugar of course)
This roll cake looks fantastic and I m sure it tastes amazing! I would love to include it in a recipe roundup for Valentine’s Day! May I use your picture? I will link to your website and give credit. Thanks!
Can i use Xylitol instead of sugar?
I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to try a substitution, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!
This is our go to cake for birthdays and celebrations!! Love love love it!! I usually serve it with different berries (blackberries, strawberries, raspberries etc…) and an extra dollop of whipped cream! Really great and I can not thank you enough for making something fairly healthy taste so darn decadent!!
My mum has made a chocolate cake like this for Christmas for as long as I can remember. Having recently been made to change my diet for health reasons, I’ve been looking all over for a grain free alternative. It looks amazing, and I can’t wait to try it. Will the cake freeze (without the cream, obviously)?
I don’t think the cake would freeze well, as you need to roll it while it’s still warm. It’s best to make it the day of. 🙂
I made this and it was amazing! Just a bit too sweet. Will the recipe work if I lesson the coconut sugar?
So glad you enjoyed it! I only test the recipes on my site with the listed ingredients and measurements. If you would like to change things, you are welcome to share what you used and how it turned out in the comments below. Thanks!
Have you tried this with the Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate? That’s what I have on hand.
That will work!
Thank you for sharing this! I am French Canadian and we traditionally serve a Yule log on Christmas Eve. I was just diagnosed with Hashimotos and I also have chronic debilitating migraines. I just discovered your website via Mama Natural and I’ve been reading everything on your website non-stop for 2 days. I’m wanting to implement these changes right away, regardless of the holiday season. Anyways, all that to say, you just basically saved Christmas for us since I can use this wonderful recipe in lieu of our Yule log this year 🙂
I will be making this recipe for when my uncle comes to visit, though am wondering if I could make a yellow cake base instead?
Thank you for the recipe ?
I haven’t tested this without the chocolate, so I’m not sure what the substitutions would be.
I would like to make this with the whipped coconut cream- however, won’t that melt into the cake after rolled? Last few times I topped cupcakes with coconut cream it would make it soggy if left set.
I never saw where you melted the chocolate chips and where they went in the recipe so here I am with my cake in the oven and after reading the comments they were to have went into the cake! (I thought maybe this was to have been the “outside shell” I normally am a great baker, so I am highly disappointed I have a ruined cake in the oven😢
I’ve misread a recipe before…it’s always such a bummer! Hopefully next time it will come out perfectly!
One of our family favorites!! You won’t be disappointed!!