Make a raspberry Swiss roll cake perfect for Mother’s Day and special celebrations. This delicate cake has a light sponge cake and is topped and filled with sweet coconut whipped cream and raspberry preserve.

There’s something quite special about a Swiss roll cake – the filling-to-cake ratio is delicious and it just looks so delicate. Whether you call this a jelly roll cake, Swiss log, or even roulade, this cake is made with a light and fluffy thin layer of sponge cake rolled around a raspberry preserve and fluffy coconut whipped cream. The resulting cake is a great special occasion cake – Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Easter, birthdays, etc.

While being fairly simple to make, this homemade Swiss roll recipe will definitely show your loved ones that you’ve gone into some effort. I’m sure mothers everywhere will appreciate the gesture—wither with this delicious Swill roll cake or with this beautiful red velvet cake.

Watch how to make it

How to make Swiss roll cake

First, preheat your oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Lightly grease and line with parchment paper the sheet pan you’ll be using (I used a 13×18-inch jelly roll pan).

Make the batter: Sift your flour thoroughly to reduce the risk of lumps in the cake batter, then set aside in a large bowl. Add the eggs to a medium-sized bowl and whisk until frothy and pale. Then, add the vanilla extract and lemon flavor drops and whisk for a further few seconds to fully combine. 

Gradually pour in 1/2 cup of sugar, whisking constantly, until you have a pale, glossy batter. Leave the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar to one side for now. Then fold in the sifted flour carefully. Be careful when doing this, as you don’t want to knock too much air out of the batter, or you won’t have a lovely, light, and fluffy cake.

Bake the cake: Pour the cake mix into your sheet pan and use a spatula to help level it. This is important for having an even Swiss roll. Then bake in the oven at 375ºF/190ºC for about 10-13 minutes. It needs to be soft, springy, and golden in color. Be very careful not to over-bake as this will ruin your chances of being able to roll it!

Roll the cake: While baking, place a kitchen towel on your kitchen surface (optionally with a layer of parchment paper over it). Sprinkle the remaining caster sugar over this.

Then, as soon as the cake is out of the oven, place it face down onto the sugared towel. Using the towel to prevent yourself from getting burnt, begin rolling the cake from the short side across. Place a bit of the towel over onto the cake and roll it up, so that the towel is between the layers.

Leave the cake to cool. It’s best to set it aside, wrapped in the towel, until completely cooled—this will help avoid imperfections. If you are in a hurry, let it cool for 5- 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Decorate the cake: Once completely cooled, carefully unroll the cake. Then, spread the fruit preserve and whipped coconut cream. It’s best to leave a 1/2-inch margin with no fillings on each side (but don’t always do this precisely, as you can see) to allow it room to spread while rolling. 

Next, carefully re-roll the cake, making sure to roll it in the same direction as you did the first time. You can now chill the cake in the fridge before slicing and serving.

Alternatively, spread whipped cream on the outside, top with red berries or other delicious toppings, and then place in the fridge. If there are any cracks on the surface of the sponge, you can easily cover them with whipped cream.

Just before serving, remove it from the fridge and finish off any decoration, dust it with powdered sugar, etc. Then slice and enjoy this light and fruity Swiss roll cake!

Recipe notes and tips

• Use Fresh, Room Temperature Eggs: They help make the cake more stable and less prone to cracking.
• Avoid Over-Mixing the Eggs: Beat the eggs just enough to combine in the batter, preventing large air bubbles and cracks.
• Don’t Overcook: Remove the sponge cake when it’s firm but neither too hard nor too soft to prevent drying and cracking.
• Proper Pan Size: Ensures the cake has the right thickness for easy rolling.
• Preheat the Oven: Start with the correct temperature to avoid texture issues.

If you try this cake recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!