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If there’s one cake which is super light and easy to scoff a lot of, it’s a Gluten Free Swiss Roll.
And after much experimenting I think I’ve nailed the perfect summer Swiss roll recipe.
A fatless, light-as-air sponge filled with strawberry jam and lemon whipped cream, this is an absolute treat.
And I say it’s a ‘summer’ gluten free Swiss roll but really this versatile cake can be enjoyed at any time of year.
Plus once you’ve nailed the fairy-light sponge, you can fill it with absolutely anything!
What ingredients do I need?
There’s a full printable recipe card below, but for the shopping list you will need:
- 4 large eggs (separated)
- 110g caster sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- 90g gluten free plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
FOR THE FILLING:
- 150ml whipping or double cream
- 50g lemon curd
- 130g seedless strawberry jam
You’ll also need a 39cm x 24cm Swiss roll tin – this is the one I use.
As you can see the sponge itself is dairy free, so you can easily make this a completely dairy free recipe.
Simple omit the cream part of the filling or switch the double cream to a plant-based, dairy free version.
You could also try making a dairy free buttercream instead or fill it with a dairy free chocolate spread.
However, as the sponge relies so heavily on the eggs for its texture I wouldn’t recommend switching to an egg replacement.
I think vegan Swiss Roll would need some experimentation and wouldn’t be such an easy swap.
To make this recipe I used the FREEE by Doves Farm plain gluten free flour, but any gluten free plain (or All Purpose) flour blend should work fine.
You can omit the xantham gum if the flour you use already has it in but I do find it does help a lot with the overall texture and stopping the Swiss roll from cracking.
Whisking your egg whites to stiff peaks
The first part of this recipe involves making the sponge – something you may find it quite similar to making meringues.
You first need to separate your eggs – do this carefully to ensure that no yolk ends up in the whites.
I like to crack the white into a small bowl one-at-a-time and then add them to the mixing bowl.
That way you won’t find the third or fourth yolk breaks and ruins the whole batch – trust me, I have learned from experience!
Once you’ve separated the eggs you’ll need to whip them up to stiff peaks.
The best way to describe this is that you’ll know they’re ready when you can tip the bowl upside-down over your head and the egg whites won’t come out.
Try it – I dare you! The whipped up whites should look like this when you’re done:
After that you need to gradually add the caster sugar, whisking continually until it’s glossy.
They’re done when it doesn’t feel grainy when you rub a tiny bit between your fingers.
Then you’re ready for the next stage – mixing the rest of it together to form the perfect sponge!
Folding your mix together
The key to the next part of the recipe is to be super gentle – you want to make sure it stays lovely and light after all that whisking.
The reason the Swiss roll sponge is so light and airy is because of the whipped up egg whites.
So when you fold in the egg yolks, make sure you use a spatula and do it gently – you want to fold it in rather than vigoroursly mixing.
I also recommend sieving in the flour mixture to make it easier to fold into the mix.
As soon as there are no lumps then the mixture is ready to be poured into the Swiss roll tin.
Make sure you spread it out nice and evenly with a palette knife.
When baking, it’s important to make sure the sponge isn’t over-baked.
Just 10-12 minutes should be enough; you want it to be lightly golden but not too brown, and soft and springy to the touch.
How to roll a Swiss roll
Once you’ve baked the sponge, you need to roll it up so it develops a ‘memory’ and won’t crack when you fill it.
The trick is to roll is straight from the oven, wrap it in a tea towel and leave it to cool completely.
This means when you unroll the sponge to fill it and roll it back up, it will roll nicely back into place and not crack or tear.
If it does tear, don’t worry – you can either decorate it with extra whipped cream or just slice it up before you serve it to hide the tear.
Trust me, it tastes so good, no-one will notice!
To roll up my Swiss roll, I score a line around 2-inches from one of the shortest ends, then roll it up completely using the tea towel to guide it into place.
I much prefer a short and fat Swiss roll as you end up getting more filling and more of a beautiful swirl!
Gluten free Swiss roll fillings
Finally, I like to fill my Swiss roll with whipped cream and jam – and in this recipe I’ve made a lemon curd whipped cream which is out of this world.
However, there are loads of other ways you could fill this gluten free Swiss roll including:
- Just jam – a classic which cannot be beaten.
- Lemon curd – pair it with the lemon curd whipped cream and it would be insane!
- Buttercream – whip up a simple vanilla buttercream and fill it with or without jam.
- Nutella – perfect for chocolate-lovers, or why not make a Nutella buttercream?
- Chocolate ganache – a rich and velvety chocolate ganache would be super indulgent.
The possibilities are honestly endless – you’ll have to let me know how you fill yours!
I’ll definitely be trying out some new combinations after this so who knows, more gluten free Swiss roll recipes could be on the way!
My gluten free Swiss roll recipe
Grab your Swiss roll tin and get ready because you’re in for an absolute treat!
This recipe makes enough for 8 slices and is best enjoyed on the day of baking – but it will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days after.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
Gluten Free Swiss Roll
This gluten free Swiss roll is an easy bake - a fatless, super light sponge rolled up with strawberry jam and lemon curd whipped cream. You can even use the base Swiss roll sponge recipe to customise with your fillings of choice! Makes approx 8 slices using a 39cm x 24cm Swiss roll tin.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs (separated)
- 110g caster sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- 90g gluten free plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
For the filling:
- 150ml whipping or double cream
- 50g lemon curd
- 130g seedless strawberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180'C and line a 39 x 24cm Swiss roll tin with a sheet of baking paper.
- Separate the eggs and then add the egg whites into a large metal bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer until they start to form stiff peaks - this is the point where you could tip the bowl upside-down over your head and they won't fall out!
- Gradually add the caster sugar while continuing to whisk, until the egg whites form glossy peaks. You know it's done when you can rub a tiny bit of the mix between your fingers and it doesn't feel grainy.
- Beat the egg yolks together in a small bowl then pour into the egg whites. Use a spatula to fold them in - streaks are fine, just make sure you don't knock the air out the mixture so go gently.
- Mix the flour, baking powder and xantham gum together in a bowl the sieve into the mix. Fold in using your spatula again until there are no lumps of flour.
- Gently pour the mix into your lined tin and smooth out using a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 10-12 minutes. You want the sponge to be springy and lightly golden but not too dark - if you over-bake it, it will be more likely to crack when you roll it.
- Place the tin on a cooling tray for a minute or so. Meanwhile lay out a thin tea towel and lightly dust with some extra sugar.
- After a minute, gently tip the tin upside-down onto the sugared-towel. Peel off the baking paper, going slowly so you don't rip the sponge.
- Using a knife, score a line approximately 2-inches in from one of the short edges of the sponge. Then use the tea towel to guide the sponge, to roll it up into a spiral, starting at the scored end. Once rolled, wrap tightly in the tea towel and leave to cool completely (around one hour).
To assemble your Swiss roll:
- To make the cream filling, pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk using an electric mixer until it forms soft peaks - this may take 5-10 minutes so be patient!
- Once the cream has thickened to soft peaks, stop the mixer and add the lemon curd. Continue to whisk until the cream thickens to a texture where you can spread it and it will hold its shape.
- Very gently, unwrap the sponge and then carefully unroll it. Use a spoon to loosen the jam and then it in an even layer all over the sponge. Next spread the whipped lemon cream on top, using a palette knife.
- Carefully roll the sponge back the same way as before, a little more loosely this time so as not to squish the filling out everywhere. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar and serve!
Notes
- This cake is best eaten on the day of baking but will store for 2-3 days in the fridge.
- For a dairy free option, switch to a dairy free cream.
- If you like you can switch the jam for lemon curd (or a different flavour) or omit the lemon curd from the cream if you don't fancy it. A splash of vanilla extract also works really nicely instead.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 259Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 0gSugar: 25gProtein: 5g
Need some more gluten free baking inspiration?
Want to have a go at some of the other gluten free baking recipes on the blog?
Give some of these other gluten free bakes a try and see what you think!
There are plenty to choose from – here are a couple of easy baking ideas to get you going:
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
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Your recipes look amazing! I would like to make a request for conversion to US measurements, as it would really be appreciated by many. I love to bake and create gluten free cuisine, and I am always on the lookout for a good recipe, Unfortunately I do not have the greatest math skills and I am not a spring chicken (think geriatric) also its not easy to find good conversion as certain dry ingredients seem to be weighed and measured differently making it a little confusing at best. Thank you
Wonderful! What a blast from the past, my mum use to make this for the summer birthdays and it was always considered the ultimate treat. Been struggling to come up with GF cake for my grown up son (birthday cake is essential no matter what age you are) and this is perfect as I used to make it for him too. Thanks so much your recipes are the best and I really appreciate what you bring to the table (lol see what I did there)
how much gluten free flour ?it said gog