An original Chocolate Swiss Roll. I am sure you have seen and tasted so many variations to this. Strawberry cream cheese roll, vanilla swiss roll, lemon ricotta roll. Ok, as I am writing this, my brain is bursting with these ideas and I can only imagine what my next venture would be. 

Alright, back to focus. My childhood was encompassed with chocolate swiss rolls. Just the perfect amount of sweetness, fluffy vanilla whipped cream and the overall lightness of the cake. 

I am a conflicted person. I have an immense sweet tooth, I practically dream about cakes. Cakes are an integral part of my life. But I don’t prefer anything too sweet. The best thing about baking your own desserts (among others) is that you control the exact amount of sugar you need and want. 

Here goes the lightest, fluffiest chocolate swiss roll. Perfect for a sweet afternoon tea snack, dessert after a big dinner or even a late night secret indulge. 

Note: Don’t be alarmed by the number of steps, they are detailed for your convenience. Once you get into it, you will realize that the whole process is very simple.

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Ingredients:

4 eggs (separated)
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup AP flour
⅓ cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp plain yogurt (Greek or otherwise)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp oil (I used Grapeseed oil)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved
Pinch of salt

For whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tbsp sugar (granulated or powdered)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Procedure

1. Line and grease a baking sheet (9×13) with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper too. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Separate the eggs into yolks and whites, leaving the whites aside.
3. Cream the egg yolks with half the sugar until a ribbon is formed. Beat in the oil, vanilla, coffee and yogurt.
4. Sift in the dry ingredients–flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined and set aside.
5. Using the hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until they start to thicken. Gradually add in the rest of the sugar while beating on high until soft peaks form. Reduce mixer speed and continue beating until medium to firm peaks appear.
6. Add ⅓ of the egg white mixture to the cake mixture and whisk vigorously until combined. At this stage, the batter should be smooth. 
7. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining egg white mixture gently so the batter is light and airy.
8. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 
9. While the cake is baking, prepare a large sheet of parchment paper or clean towel on the counter. Lightly dust with powdered sugar (you can also use cocoa powder).
10. As soon as the cake is done (it should be hot), flip it over the parchment paper (or towel) and remove the parchment paper from the top. 
11. Gently but tightly, roll the cake starting from one end, with the parchment paper inside. It should form a nice, tight roll. Let the cake cool completely to room temperature.
12. While the cake cools, beat the whipping cream with powdered sugar (per taste) until stiff peaks form. 
13. Once the cake is cool, unroll it and you will see that the cake has a bent shape. Evenly spread the whipped cream, leaving a ½ inch border on the sides. 
14. Slowly roll the cake back into its log shape, WITHOUT the paper. 
15. Wrap the roll in cling film tightly and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
16. Before serving, lightly dust the chocolate swiss roll with powdered sugar and you are set to go!

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Slice and serve!

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