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Smoking Chimney

Recipes from a working kitchen · Cape Town

Swiss Roll

By Marna Ross Updated 12 August 2026 4.79 from 68 ratings Swiss
The lovely elegant roll called the Swiss roll is a very tasty sponge cake, rolled up after filled with a choice of whipped cream, caramel or jam. I remember from my childhood visiting my aunt, she made lovely individual vanilla Swiss rolls with a light caramel filling inside. It was a wonderful treat to enjoy! I also vaguely remember making a Swiss roll in one of my home economics classes in my school career. The Swiss roll comes a long way and it is really a soft delicate treat, leaving your stomach not heavy afterwards. You also do get a chocolate variation too, and I think a lovely lemon curd and whipped cream filling would be lovely too! Of course the jam and whipped cream variation is the most popular and well-known option. For a plating suggestion I would place the Swiss roll on a beautiful white platter, and decorate it with lovely pink roses or rose petals or any other pinkish lady-like colour. If doing a lemon curd variation white roses would look beautiful or a yellow pansy,  pansy, nasturgeon, or white eatable flowers would do the trick. Together on a high tea table it would look absolutely fabulous. Remember to dust the Swiss roll with the icing sugar first before adding the flowers! For a chocolate variation, try my Chocolate Swiss Roll. 
A classic golden sponge swiss roll cake rolled tightly with sweet strawberry jam filling.
Prep 30 min
Cook 10 min
Total 40 min
Serves 6

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Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 125 g caster sugar
  • 125 g flour
  • 5 ml baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • icing sugar for dusting
  • FILLING CHOICES: raspberry jam, chocolate cream or lemon cream

Method

  1. Lightly butter a Swiss roll tin (or baking tray if you do not have a Swiss Roll tin)

  2. Line the tin/baking tray with parchment paper, then lightly butter the parchment paper

  3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is pale and thick

  4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and fold it gently into the egg mixture

  5. Turn the mixture into a prepared tin, tilt it a bit so that the mixture spreads evenly , particularly into the corners

  6. Bake at a preheated oven at 200° Celsius for approximately 10 minutes until the sponge is golden and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin

  7. Turn the sponge into a damp tea towel that has been sprinkled with sugar

  8. Peel off the lining paper and trim the edge of the sponge with a sharp knife

  9. Leave to stand for 10 minutes until cooled

  10. Unroll the sponge and spread with warmed jam or the filling of your choice

  11. Dust with icing sugar

  12. TIP: Do not spread the mixture with a palette knife, as it will knock air out of the mixture

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