Easy Vegan Swiss Roll with Jam (35 Minutes)

A vegan Swiss roll is a thin sponge cake made without eggs, rolled around a jam filling while still warm and then left to set. The sponge gets its lift from a combination of baking powder, flaxseed meal, and apple cider vinegar reacting with baking soda, and turmeric gives it the warm golden color you would normally get from egg yolks. The whole thing comes together in 35 minutes and slices cleanly when fully cooled.

Despite the name, the Swiss roll is not actually Swiss. The earliest known mention appeared in 1852 in a New York journal called Northern Farmer, and food historians believe it originated in Austria during the nineteenth century, the same era that gave us doughnuts and the Victoria sponge. Different countries adapted it their own way – in Sweden and Norway it is called rullekake and eaten during Fika, the Scandinavian coffee break tradition. The British serve it at afternoon tea. In Hong Kong there is a lighter, milkier version with whipped cream.

This vegan version uses almond milk, coconut yogurt, and flaxseed meal instead of dairy and eggs. The result is a light, airy sponge that rolls without cracking if you handle it at the right temperature. Strawberry jam is the classic pairing, but raspberry or forest fruit jam works just as well.

This Recipe Works If You Need

• An impressive dessert that looks much harder than it is
• A vegan cake that holds together without eggs
• Something for afternoon tea, Fika, or a weekend treat
• A light dessert that is not overly sweet or heavy
• A recipe that uses basic pantry ingredients

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 35 minutes from start to finish
• Fully vegan – no eggs, no dairy
• The turmeric gives it a beautiful golden color without any flavor
• Works with any jam flavor you like
• Slices cleanly when cooled – great for serving guests
• Lighter than most cakes, not too sweet

Ingredient Notes

Flaxseed meal. Mixed with water, it forms a gel that acts as an egg binder in the sponge. Use ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal), not whole seeds. Chia seeds work as a 1:1 substitute if that is what you have. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the batter so it thickens properly.

Coconut yogurt. Adds moisture and a slight tang that helps the sponge stay tender. Plain soy yogurt or oat yogurt works equally well. Avoid flavored varieties – the vanilla is already in the extract.

Apple cider vinegar. Reacts with the baking soda to create bubbles that help the sponge rise. Do not skip it. White wine vinegar works as a substitute.

Turmeric. Just 1/3 teaspoon, purely for color. It gives the sponge the warm golden-yellow tone you expect from a vanilla roll. You will not taste it at all at this quantity.

Safflower oil. A neutral oil that keeps the sponge moist without adding any flavor. Sunflower oil or any other light neutral oil is a direct substitute.

Strawberry jam. Use a good-quality jam with real fruit. Raspberry, cherry, forest fruit, or apricot all work well. If the jam is very runny, stir in a teaspoon of cornstarch and heat it gently until thickened before spreading, otherwise it will ooze when you slice the roll.

Tips

Roll it while it is still warm. This is the most important step. As soon as the sponge comes out of the oven, turn it onto a clean, damp tea towel dusted with powdered sugar, peel off the parchment, and roll it up with the towel inside. Let it cool rolled up. If you wait until it is cold to roll it, it will crack.

Do not overbake. Fifteen minutes is the maximum. An overbaked sponge dries out and cracks when rolled. It should spring back lightly when pressed and be just set in the center. Check at 12 minutes.

Spread the batter evenly. Use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to spread the batter to an even thickness across the whole pan. Thin spots bake faster and dry out before the rest of the sponge is done.

Cool completely before slicing. The roll needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge after filling to hold its shape when cut. If you slice it too soon, the jam runs and the slices are uneven. An hour in the fridge is better if you have the time.

Dust powdered sugar on the towel, not just the cake. The towel dusted with powdered sugar prevents the sponge from sticking when you unroll it to add the filling. If the sponge sticks to the towel, the surface tears.

Substitutions and Variations

Different jam fillings. Strawberry is classic, but raspberry, blueberry, apricot, or cherry jam all work. Forest fruit jam is particularly good here because the tartness balances the sweet sponge. Avoid very watery jams or marmalades, which make the sponge soggy.

Add vegan whipped cream. Spread a thin layer of coconut whipped cream over the jam before rolling. It makes the filling richer and more like a traditional Swiss roll with cream. Chill the coconut cream overnight first so it whips properly.

Chocolate version. Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Skip the turmeric and vanilla extract, or keep the vanilla for a chocolate-vanilla combination. Fill with raspberry jam for the classic chocolate-raspberry pairing. See the vegan chocolate recipes collection for more ideas.

Gluten-free. Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture will be slightly denser but the roll will still work if you are careful with the rolling step while warm.

Storage and Make Ahead

Fridge: Up to 3 days wrapped tightly in cling film or in an airtight container. The sponge softens slightly over time as it absorbs moisture from the jam, which many people prefer to the texture on day one.

Freezer: The unfilled, rolled sponge (with the tea towel) can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, unroll gently, add the jam filling, and re-roll. Freezing the finished, filled roll is not recommended as the jam can make the sponge soggy when thawed.

Make ahead: The sponge can be baked and rolled in the towel (without filling) a day in advance. Keep it at room temperature wrapped in the towel, then fill and re-roll the next day before serving. This actually makes the rolling step easier because the sponge has fully set in shape.

If you like light vegan desserts, the vegan sugar-free desserts collection has recipes that pair well for a full dessert spread. For another classic rolled cake, the vegan vanilla cheesecake uses a similar vanilla base in a different format.

Easy Vegan Swiss Roll with Jam

A light vegan vanilla sponge rolled around strawberry jam, ready in 35 minutes. No eggs, no dairy. Rolls without cracking if handled warm from the oven.

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Rate

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Choose Serving Size 6 servings

Ingredients 

• 1 ¼ cup flour
• ¾ cup almond milk milk
• 2 Tbsp coconut yogurt
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal
• ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup safflower oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup  powdered sugar
• ⅓ tsp turmeric
• ½ cup strawberry jam

Instructions

• Add 3 Tbsp of water to your flaxseed meal and set aside.
• Combine all your dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.
• Add the rest of the ingredients (except the strawberry jam) together with your flaxseed and mix well for 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer to greased and lined baking tray and bake at 170 degrees C for 12-15 minutes.
• As soon as it comes out, remove from pan and cover for 1 minute.
• Use parchment paper or a clean kitchen towel to tightly roll the cake.
• Let it cool for at least 1 hour.
• Unroll cake and spread your strawberry jam, roll it back.
• Dust some icing sugar on top.

Notes

Roll the sponge while still warm to prevent cracking. Cool completely before slicing. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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