Lemon Curd Swiss Roll Lesson

Close shot of end of a lemon curd filled Swiss roll cake, sliced on a platter.

Packed with tips, this Lemon Curd Swiss Roll lesson is all you need to confidently prepare a Swiss Roll. Also known as jelly roll or roulade, this recipe is filled with homemade lemon curd, but you can instead use your favourite curd or jam.

Caro @ Caroline's Easy Baking Lessons

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 10

Cooling/Setting 1 30

Total Time 2 20

Serving Size Slices

Equipment

Scales or measuring cups
Medium sized mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl)
Hand-held or stand mixer
Sieve
Rubber/silicone/plastic spatula for folding
Baking/parchment paper
Baking tray/sheet or jelly/swiss roll tray/sheet (see notes for sizing)
Timer
Wooden Cocktail stick/tooth pick
Icing/Powdered sugar
Clean Tea-towel (wider and longer than the baking sheet/tray dimmensions)
Baking palette knife, off-set best (optional) (optional, or butter knife)

Ingredients

3 Eggs (medium to large) (US large to Extra large size, room temperature)
100 grams Caster Sugar (3½ oz, ⅓ cup plus 2 tbsp, Extra/Super Fine sugar*)
½ tsp Vanilla Extract (learn how to make Homemade Vanilla Extract)
100 grams Plain Flour (3½ oz, ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp All Purpose Flour)
10 tbsp Lemon Curd (7 oz, 200 grams, approximately, Homemade Lemon Curd or shop bought)
Icing/Powdered Sugar (to dust)

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare Cake Batter

Crack the eggs into a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the sugar & beat on medium to high speed, until thick, creamy, a pale colour and with an increase in volume. Test by doing the 'Ribbon Test', or 'Trail Test/stage' (ready before this Recipe card for more details). **Make sure you always use room temperature eggs in baking.
Heat the oven to: 200°c/180°c Fan Oven/400°f/Gas Mark 6, and now add the Vanilla Extract, before sieving over the flour.
Gently fold-in the flour with a plastic, rubber or silicone spatula to stop knocking out the air incorporated.

Prepare Cake Tin

Prepare the cookie tray/sheet or Swiss roll tin, (see before recipe for specific details on sizing), by greasing and lining. (I used Frylight cooking spray). Grease the bottom and up the sides, & add baking/parchment paper to the bottom.

Bake The Cake

Add the batter to the prepared tin, tilting to encourage the batter to spread & fill the tray. Tap the tin a few times & place in the oven to bake, for about 9 – 12 minutes. The cake should be a nice golden shade, coming away from the sides of the tin, and a cocktail stick will come out clean of crumbs.

Prepare For Rolling

While the cake is baking, prepare for turning out the cake as soon as out of the oven, by placing a clean tea-towel, long-ways, with shorter end near to you. Cut baking/parchment paper the same size as the tea-towel & place on top of the tea-towel, before dusting icing/powdered sugar, all over the paper. Carefully slide to the side, nearby & ready for when the cake is out.

First Roll Of The Cake

Immediately on taking the cake out of the oven, use the cocktail stick to run it around the sides of the cake tin, to help release the cake. Slide the prepared tea-towel and paper over, & parallel to the cake tin. Lift the tin on the opposite side to where it meets the tea-towel, and slowly, lower it down on top of the paper. Tap the cake tin a few tins to release from the cake. Carefully begin to peel back the paper from the cake.
With the cake vertical, start to roll up the cake, beginning with a tight roll, making sure you roll up the cake, paper and towel all together. Tighten and neaten the ends as you go and then twist and hold closed the ends of the te-towel, holding the cake roll together. Place on a large flat plate or platter and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Filling The Cake

After the chill time, unroll the cake & spread on the lemon curd, (leaving a little gap at the edges. Roll back up again, (just the cake this time), and then cover with the paper and close the ends like before, before chilling for at least 1 hour or freezer for 30 minutes.

Serving & Storing

When ready to serve, gently un-wrap the lemon curd Swiss roll & transfer to a long platter. Sieve over a generous dusting of icing/powdered sugar. **Top Tip for a clear 'swirl' - trim a little cake off both ends of the Swiss Roll before slicing.
Cut slices 1cm (⅓“) thick. Serve as it is, with a nice cup of tea or coffee, or add some whipped cream and your favourite berries.
Store in an airtight container, or under a cake dome for about 2 days. Not so great frozen, as the lemon curd can split.

Video

Notes

Sugar - Caster Sugar is used & Extra/Super Fine Sugar is the equivalent. See before this Recipe card for how to make your own Caster Sugar.

Eggs - UK medium or large eggs are used, which is equivalent of Large to Extra Large US. If you want to weigh the eggs, the weight is averaging 58g/2 oz for medium and 68g/2⅓ oz for large - sizes 1 - 5*. Make sure to always use room temperature eggs in baking.

Raisin scones sliced with home made lemon curd served with coffee.

Vanilla Extract - vanilla extract, not essence or 'flavour' is best in baking & these cheaper versions don't impart any flavour so not worth it. Learn how to make Homemade Vanilla Extract and save money in the long run.

Lemon Curd - got lots of lemons, eggs, or egg yolks, then make your own Homemade Lemon Curd.

Tin Size - Swiss roll tins are 33 x 23cm (13 x 9″), but I use a cookie tray/sheet that is 35 x 23 x 1.5 cm (13¾ x 9 x ⅔ inch) or the one in the photos which is a 38 x 25 x 1.5cm (15 x 9¾ x 1"). I would not recommend going any bigger or smaller than these 3 sizes listed.

Collage of pics of a chocolate yule log cake.

Greasing - I used Frylight cooking spray (Butter version), but often also use Homemade Lining Paste/Cake Goop, but cake release spray or softened butter can also be used.

Read more about the Ribbon Test/Stage, Trail Test in my Ribbon Test In Baking lesson.

For more tips on rolling Swiss rolls, please see this Recipe Card.