Rolls, or as we call them in Croatia – “roulade” – are one of those simple cakes that can look fancy and serve as coffee cake on any given day or as a fancy dessert.
They consist of light and “airy” rolled sponge and filling of your own choice. This sponge is basically made of only eggs, flour and sugar. Sometimes leavening agent is added and cocoa for chocolate ones. It’s important to beat eggs with sugar until really pale, light and fluffy, which will ensure its lightness. It’s also important to roll the sponge while hot, to prevent it from cracking. Make sure to sift dry ingredients and avoid lumps, this will make a really fine texture. If you want to enhance it, substitute part of flour with cornstarch. As for the filling, whipped cream with vanilla is very often used, along with fresh seasonal fruits – in this case beautiful raspberries. Also, you can use fruit jelly, or chocolate ganache, even ground nuts. 
Chocolate roll with raspberries
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This beautiful chocolate roll is made with a light cocoa sponge and filled with whipped cream and fresh raspberries, making it the perfect summer dessert.
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- 3 1/2 oz (100 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (75 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup (200 ml) whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Fresh raspberries, for filling and decoration
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 374°F (190°C). Line a 14-inch by 10-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, and baking powder to ensure there are no lumps.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, being careful not to deflate the batter.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the sponge is set and springs back when touched lightly.
- While the sponge is baking, prepare a clean kitchen towel by dusting it lightly with powdered sugar.
- Once the sponge is baked, immediately turn it out onto the prepared towel, remove the parchment paper, and roll it up gently with the towel from the short end. Let it cool completely in this rolled position.
- For the filling, whip the cream with the vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
- Once the sponge is cool, carefully unroll it and spread the whipped cream evenly over the surface. Scatter fresh raspberries over the cream.
- Roll the sponge back up, without the towel, and transfer it to a serving platter. Decorate with additional raspberries if desired.
- Chill the roll in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Ensure to beat the eggs and sugar until very pale and fluffy for a light sponge.
- Roll the sponge while it’s still warm to prevent cracking.
- Sifting dry ingredients is crucial for a smooth texture.
- Substitute part of the flour with cornstarch for an even lighter sponge.
- Store the roll in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days for best freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Chocolate
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 80
- Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 125
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Chocolate, Raspberry and Coconut Bars
- The Perfect Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
- Whipped Hot Chocolate
- Homemade Chocolate Swiss Roll
Frequently Asked Questions
Why must I roll the sponge while it is still hot?
Rolling the sponge while hot trains it into a curved shape before it cools and sets. If you let it cool flat first, the sponge becomes rigid and will crack when you try to roll it. The recipe has you immediately turn it out onto a powdered-sugar-dusted towel and roll it up — towel and all — straight from the oven.
Why does the recipe emphasize beating the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy?
Because this sponge contains no butter and very little flour (only 75 g all-purpose flour and 50 g cocoa), the air beaten into the eggs and sugar is the sole leavening force. The recipe calls for 5 minutes on high speed until the mixture is “pale, light, and fluffy” — skipping this step will give you a dense, flat sponge rather than a light, airy roll.
Can I substitute cornstarch for some of the flour?
Yes — the article explicitly suggests substituting part of the 75 g all-purpose flour with cornstarch for an even lighter, more tender sponge texture. No specific ratio is given, so a common starting point is replacing 15–20% of the flour with cornstarch.
How long will the finished roll keep?
Store the roll in the refrigerator and consume it within 2 days for best freshness — the whipped cream filling makes longer storage impractical. The recipe also recommends chilling it for at least 30 minutes before slicing so the roll holds its shape cleanly.
How did you first rolled the sponge and then spread the mixture inside whole sponge?? Did you opened the roll before spreading the mixture?
so beautiful- bookmarking it
OMG that looks amazingly delectable! Might have to give it a try!!!!