A sophisticated Chocolate Swiss Roll made with leftover cake crumbs – what?! This vegan chocolate cake is filled with swirls of luscious Chantilly cashew cream and drenched in a thick layer of decadent dark chocolate ganache. The leftover cake doesn’t even have to be chocolate cake, cocoa powder will do that job for you!
I attempted Swiss roll once in my life and the rolling was one of the most tedious of challenges I remember facing! Despite giving it my undivided attention, I still managed to create some cracks and rips here and there on the cake’s surface. That incident did take place a long time ago actually, high school in fact, but I never tried making it again!
Not sure why I thought about it this week, but I did and I decided to bite the bullet and try again. Though this is more of a cheat way since no baking is required. Just leftover cake, squished together with a few other ingredients and that’s kind of it before rolling. I used my leftover Vegan Banana Bread for this recipe.
What’s great about this cake crumb version of a Swiss roll is it’s less likely to tear or rip when being rolled. It is super moist and rich as opposed to being light and fluffy.
Who’d have thought leftovers could be even better than the original dish?!
Questions about Chocolate Swiss Roll
What is Swiss roll?
A traditional Swiss roll is a light and fluffy vanilla sponge cake filled with jam, whipped cream or icing that is rolled into a long cylindrical log.
How to make chocolate Swiss roll?
To make chocolate swiss roll you will need chocolate chips and plant milk for the glaze, cashews, full-fat coconut milk and vanilla extract for the cream filling and leftover or stale cake and coconut oil for the cake (and cocoa powder if the cake you are using is not chocolate flavoured). For the cake, crumble the cake into crumbs either using hands or in a blender then combine with coconut oil. When the mix becomes more dough-like rather than crumbs, transfer to a sheet of clingfilm and start to flatten into a rectangle – use rolling pin to help if necessary and a knife to trim the edges to make the shape more rectangular.
For the cashew cream, add all ingredients to a blender and blitz into a smooth cream. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. When more stiff, spread over the flattened cake, leaving 1/2-1 cm of space at the edges to allow room when rolling (if the edges are covered, the filling will start to seep out from the open ends). Place your hands under the clingfilm and start to roll – you want it tight enough so as there are no spaces or gaps within the roll. When rolled all the way, wrap the entire cake in the cling film, including the open ends and place in the fridge for 2 hours.
For the ganache heat the milk then add the chocolate – stir until the chocolate has melted. Pour over the swiss roll and allow to set in the fridge again for another hour.
Can any type of cake be used to make swiss roll?
For this version, any type of sponge or creamed cake, banana bread, or something along these lines can be used for this easy vegan cake roll.
Swiss Roll Substitutions
- Any type of cake crumbs can be used to make this swiss roll
- Coconut oil can be replaced with another type of oil
- Any nut butter can be used
- If a vanilla cake is preferred, the cocoa powder can be omitted and the chocolate coating can be replaced with whipped cream
This chocolate swiss roll is…
- Moist
- Decadent
- Chocolatey
- Gluten-free (when made with gluten-free cake crumbs)
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Vegan
- Plant-based
More Recipes to Try…
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Chocolate Swiss Roll
Ingredients
Chocolate Swiss Roll
- 800 g leftover cake
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 150 ml coconut full fat milk top layer
- 2 tbsp cashew/almond butter
- 150 g dark chocolate
Vegan Whipped Cream
- 80 g cocoa powder
- 150 g cashews
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 85 ml plant milk
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Soak the cashews for 1 hour in boiling water or overnight.
- Add the cashews to a food processor with 25 ml plant milk, vanilla extract and maple syrup.
- Blitz into a smooth cream and keep aside in the fridge.
- Crumble the cake into breadcrumbs, either using fingertips or food processor.
- Add the coconut oil, coconut milk, nut butter and cocoa powder and make into dough using hands, smushing all ingredients together.
- Once a smooth, cakey dough, place onto a sheet of clingfilm and roll using a rolling pin, flattening the cake lengthways.
- Spread the cream onto the cake, leaving the outer edges bare.
- Roll the cake from one side, so that the cream is on the inside layer, gently pressing with each roll.
- Once rolled, wrap tightly with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.
- When ready, melt the chocolate with the remaining plant milk and pour onto the swiss roll.
- Allow chocolate to cool before serving.
Notes
- Any type of leftover cake can be used as the base
- Replace coconut oil with any oil’
- Cashew or almond butter can be subbed for any other nut butter
- If you prefer vanilla swiss roll, omit the cocoa powder and top with cream rather than chocolate
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