Vanilla Swiss Roll Cake

Hello swirls of cakey goodness! Meet my soft and sweet Vanilla Cake Roll filled with raspberry jam and whipped cream.

This easy sponge cake is rolled while warm giving you a beautiful swirl every time. Once filled, simply dust your cake with icing sugar and serve. You only need a handful of everyday ingredients and it can ready to eat in under one hour.

The stunning swirl makes this genoise roulade cake just a little bit special, making it perfect for morning tea, birthdays or family celebrations.

Why you will love this recipe

• Simple ingredients: You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make this cake – you might even have all the ingredients you need in your pantry.
• Easy method: This cake is surprisingly easy to make. You don’t even need to separate the eggs.
• No cracking: Follow my tips and tricks and you’ll end up with a smooth cake roll with no cracks or holes with the most beautiful swirl.
• Make it your own: I’ve filled my cake roll with jam and cream but you can use anything you like. Try different jams, curds, caramels or even a chocolate ganache!

Ever since I’ve been longing to make a vanilla version – so here we are! Thankfully, it was surprisingly easy to adapt my Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake to be sweet vanilla.

I removed the cocoa powder, added a little extra flour and doubled the vanilla. I also added jam as well as whipped cream – reminiscent of the store-bought swiss roll cakes from my childhood.

The result was heavenly! A soft, tender sponge cake that just about melts-in-your-mouth, filled it with sweet jam and homemade whipped cream.

And thankfully, just like my Chocolate Cake Roll I had no issues with cracking during my recipe testing process. Win win! Just be sure to read Jess’s Recipe Tips below for all my best advice on how to prevent your cake from splitting or cracking.

Here’s a snapshot of the key ingredients you need to make my Vanilla Swiss Roll recipe, including any substitutions you can make:

• Eggs: This easy cake roll is essentially a Genoise Sponge. There are no chemical leaveners like baking soda or baking powder in this recipe, instead we get lift from whipping the eggs until they are light and fluffy. You don’t have to separate the eggs in my recipe. You’ll be beating the egg yolks and egg whites togther. There is no substitute for eggs in this recipe.
• Caster sugar: Caster sugar is very fine so dissolves easily. However, if you don’t have access to caster sugar, granulated sugar will also work.
• Plain flour: Plain flour or all purpose flour works well in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract: I use one whole teaspoon of vanilla extract in this recipe for extra flavour. I prefer vanilla extract over vanilla essence or imitation vanilla.
• Oil: This is essentially a fatless sponge (no butter), but a tiny bit of oil helps creating a sponge that is pliable and can be rolled. I recommend using a flavourless oil or neutral-tasting oil like grapeseed oil, vegetable oil or a mild olive oil.
• Icing sugar: You’ll need to use icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar, to dust both the tea towel and the cake when you come to roll it. You’ll also use to decorate the cake when serving.
• Jam: I like to use strawberry or raspberry jam in this recipe, but you can really use any jam you like. Or you can leave it out and simply fill the cake with cream – divine!
• Thickened cream: You’ll need to use a whipping cream like thickened cream or heavy cream for the filling. Cream can have different names in different countries but look for a high-fat cream (at least 35% fat) that says it is suitable for whipping.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Storage instructions

Storage: Once filled, keep your Vanilla Swiss Roll in the fridge. You can serve it cold or bring it back to room temperature. Unfortunately, Swiss Rolls don’t freeze all that well.

Make-ahead: You can make and fill your Swiss Cake Roll the day before serving. Simply cover your cake with plastic wrap and store it an airtight container in the fridge. However, this Vanilla Swiss Cake Roll, like most Sponge Cakes is best served on the day it is made.

Jess’s recipe tips

I love making Swiss Rolls now I’ve found an easy recipe that actually works. But make no mistake, I have learnt the hard way what not to do. So here are my tips for making the best Vanilla Cake Roll every time.

1. Beat your eggs well: To ensure your sponge is soft and light (and rolls well), you need to beat your eggs to the correct consistency. The easiest way to check your eggs are done is if you can draw a figure 8 on the surface of the eggs using a trail of the egg mixture, and if it still sits on the surface when you’re finished, it’s good to go. If it sinks straight away, keep mixing. 
2. Use a light hand when mixing: If you mix your cake batter too vigorously, you’ll lose all the air in your cake and your sponge will turn out flat and rubbery. Be sure to use a light hand to gently fold the flour into the eggs. 
3. Try not to over-bake your cake (or under-bake it): Over-baking will make your cake dry and prone to cracking. However, under-baking your cake will also cause it to collapse as the cake won’t hold its shape properly. I find exactly 11 minutes at 160 C (320 F) is perfect for me. Keep an eye on your sponge and as soon as it’s no longer sticky to the touch, take it out of the oven.
4. Roll your cake while warm: Rolling the cake while it is still warm from the oven is key to getting a perfect swirl without any cracking. It’s also important to let the cake cool completely while it is still wrapped in the tea towel. Note: I have tried using a piece of parchment paper or baking paper, but found the tea towel gave more structure and helped to prevent the cake from collapsing.
5. Don’t unroll your cake completely flat: When you unroll your cake roll, leave the end still curled and fill it as best you can. This will ensure a tight swirl without the cake breaking apart as your unroll and re-roll.

More easy cakes to try

• Chocolate Cake Roll
• Moist Chocolate Cake
• Easy Vanilla Cake
• Simple Sponge Cake