My Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake recipe looks simply stunning, and tastes creamy and moist, studded with fresh raspberries. It looks fancy, but not to worry, the recipe is easy to make–even for a beginner baker. Watch the video below to see my tricks for making the perfect Swiss roll with raspberries.
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Rolled cakes like my Pumpkin Roll and Chocolate Cherry Roll look so fancy served on a platter at a party, and slices are just as impressive. Learn my technique for a flawless Swiss roll cake every time!
Raspberry Swiss Roll Video
This is the cake I made for my Mother’s birthday and she loved it (everyone did)! I love that this Raspberry Swiss Roll ahead, so it’s ready before crunch time for any size gathering. The cake, syrup, and filling make for a tasty and elevated dessert.
Raspberry Cake Roll Recipe
Every single time I make this Raspberry Swiss Roll recipe, I always feel so proud of my beautiful creation, but really, it’s not hard, since all you need is to learn the easy technique to keep it from cracking.
The secret? Simply roll the hot sponge cake fresh out of the oven and let it cool. This technique sets its memory of the shape so it won’t crack when you fill and roll it up. It works with all cake roll recipes, like my Storybook Cake Roll, Tiramisu Yule Log, and Poppy Seed Cake Roll.
This recipe is filled with a sweet and creamy filling with layers of raspberry flavor. It’s perfectly sweet and beautiful. In fact, I included this cake roll recipe in the Natasha’s Kitchen Cookbook and it really is as yummy as it looks!
Ingredients for Raspberry Swiss Cake Roll
There are 3 parts to this raspberry cake roll recipe: the moist sponge cake, raspberry syrup and raspberry cream. The ingredients are mostly pantry staples, but check for substitution suggestions.
Sponge Cake Ingredients
- Confectioners’ sugar – AKA powdered sugar to dust over your kitchen towel before rolling up the cake – it keeps your cake from sticking.
- Dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Be sure to measure correctly for the right cake texture.
- Wet ingredients – room temperature eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract
Raspberry Filling
- Raspberry Syrup – combine raspberry preserves (I prefer seedless) with a little water to thin it out. You’ll spread this over the cake for moisture and flavor.
- Heavy cream and granulated sugar – cold heavy whipping cream and sugar beaten together make homemade whipped cream as the base for the filling.
- Mascarpone – this is similar to an Italian cream cheese with higher fat content. In a pinch, you can use softened cream cheese like I did with my Blackberry Cake Roll.
- Raspberries – Mash half of the raspberries to fold into the cream and use the rest for garnish. For a different taste, feel free to mix in blackberries or substitute strawberries.
How to Make Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake
We’re essentially making my famous sponge cake recipe in cake roll form. It’s perfect for absorbing moisture without getting soggy. Don’t be intimidated by the number of steps below– I added details for success, but making a jelly roll is simple.
Make the Sponge Cake
- Prep – I use my 13″x18″ rimmed baking sheet (which is larger than a jelly roll pan) with parchment (don’t grease it), turn the oven to 375°F, and dust a clean kitchen towel with the confectioners’ sugar.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and doubled in size. It takes 8 minutes in a stand mixer and closer to 10 minutes with an electric hand mixer. It’s ready when you pull up on the whisk and ribbons form and stay on the surface for a few seconds.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture in 3 batches, and then fold in the vanilla. Do not over-mix or you’ll deflate the batter. Pour into prepped pan.
- Bake and roll – bake for 10-12 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and slide the cake and parchment paper off the pan. Use the parchment to flip the whole cake top-side-down onto the sugared tea towel. Immediately peel off the parchment, and starting at the short side, roll the cake tightly around the towel. Set on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Pro Tip:
Be sure to roll the cake tightly around the towel so that the cake learns to stay wrapped around the filling, once added. It looks prettier without gaps.
Make the Syrup
- Thin the preserves by mixing with the water for a syrupy consistency.
Make the Filling
- Make the whipped cream – whip heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form – don’t over-beat or it will turn buttery.
- Mix in mascarpone – in a separate large bowl, combine mascarpone cheese with vanilla. Fold the whipped cream mixture in 1/3 at a time until incorporated.
- Add raspberries – coarsely mash half the raspberries in a bowl and fold them into the filling.
How to Assemble the Swiss Roll
- Add the filling – Carefully unroll the cooled cake, drizzle the syrup on top and spread it over the cake, then spread the creamy filling in an even layer to the edges. Roll the cake tightly again and set it on a platter seam-side-down.
- Serve – Cut the ends off the roll if you want (and help yourself to the extra as a built-in reward). Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour if desired for easier slicing.
Just before serving I add a fresh dusting of powdered sugar and scatter raspberries around the platter. You can make this recipe even more decadent by pouring Homemade Chocolate Ganache over the cake – yum!
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
I love making this raspberry cake roll the day before hosting because I’m not scrambling to finish the dessert as guests arrive.
- Make-Ahead: Make the sponge cake a day ahead, cover, and leave it at room temperature overnight.
- To Refrigerate: Cover the assembled cake loosely but fully in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with raspberries before serving, if desired.
- Freezing: Do not freeze since whipped cream and mascarpone can become grainy.
This Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake recipe is such a stunning dessert, and it always turns heads. Its moist cake is wrapped around a creamy filling studded with tart and sweet raspberries. The cake tastes just as good as it looks–and it’s so easy to make with my cake roll technique.
Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake
This beautiful Raspberry Roll Cake features fresh raspberries mixed into a rich cream filling, and wrapped around a moist sponge cake. The dessert is heavenly, and looks like you spent hours making it, but it’s actually very simple to make. Follow these easy directions to create this cake roll masterpiece!
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
For the Raspberry Filling
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Make the Sponge Cake
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Prep – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 13 × 18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Do not grease the baking sheet, or the cake won’t rise properly. Lay a clean linen or tea towel on a work surface and dust generously with the confectioners’ sugar.
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Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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Beat – In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine the eggs and granulated sugar and beat on high speed for 7 to 8 minutes, until ribbons form on the surface when you lift the whisk. The mixture should at least double in volume and turn pale yellow in color.
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Fold – Use a silicone spatula to fold in the flour mixture a third at a time, making sure each addition is just incorporated before folding in the next. Fold until no streaks of flour remain, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to catch any pockets of flour. Add the vanilla and fold until just incorporated. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking sheet, all the way to the edges of the pan.
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Bake and Roll – Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cake is golden and doesn’t indent when you gently press the top. When the cake is done, immediately run a knife around the edges of the pan and carefully transfer the cake with the parchment paper by sliding it onto a cooling rack. Then, use the parchment paper to help you flip the cake top side down onto the sugar-dusted towel. Gently peel back and discard the parchment. While the cake is still hot, start with the short end to roll the cake with the towel into a tight log. Set the rolled cake on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
Make the Cake Roll Filling
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Make whipped cream – In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the cream and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
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Mix in Cheese – Combine cream: In a medium bowl, stir together the mascarpone and vanilla. Use a spoon or spatula to fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone a third at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Set aside.
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Add raspberries – In a small bowl, use a fork to coarsely mash half of the raspberries, then fold them into the filling until just dispersed. Do not overmix.
Assemble the cake
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Add the filling – Once the cake is cooled to room temperature, carefully unroll it. Some small cracks are expected and normal! Drizzle the syrup over the surface of the cake and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Dollop the filling all over the cake and use a spatula to spread it evenly all the way to the edges. Carefully roll your cake back up, keeping a fairly tight roll.
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Serve – Cut off the ends of the roll, if desired, for a neater look, then transfer the cake to a serving platter. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or up to overnight. (Chilling it will help set the filling and make the cake easier to slice.) Just before serving, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and scatter the remaining raspberries over and around the cake.
Make Ahead and Storage – You can make the cake base up to 24 hours in advance, cover and store at room temperature. Once the cake is assembled, cover the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
357kcal Calories44g Carbs5g Protein18g Fat
Nutrition Facts
Raspberry Swiss Roll Cake
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
More Impressive Desserts
Cake rolls always look so amazing, so once you try this raspberry roll cake, try these other delicious and stunning dessert recipes.
