This Black Forest Cake Roll (Vegan Swiss Roll) is a fluffy Vegan Chocolate Sponge Cake with a cherry cream filling rolled into a Yule Log. Making it vegan is easier than you think and it only takes a few minutes to prepare! Impress everyone with this show-stopping simple and delicious dessert.
Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake Roll
If you’ve ever thought making a fluffy Vegan Chocolate Cake Roll without using eggs or any dairy ingredients is hard, I can tell you that it’s actually not that complicated! Today I‘ll show you, how simple it is! Step-by-step!
Honestly making a Vegan Swiss Roll is not something new and unusual for me. I used to bake them often in the past before I started my blog. I guess it was kind of a “Trend” earlier because so many bloggers on Instagram were making them all the time. Which means I wasn’t the only one who had fun creating different kinds of Vegan Swiss Rolls (Yule Log). Ever since I started my blog, however, I’ve wanted to try new things and create other recipes. Well, now I decided it’s time to share an easy recipe for this Black Forest Cake Roll with you.
Vegan Swiss Roll or Yule Log?
I have to admit that I’m not sure what this Chocolate Sponge Cake Roll is actually called in America or England. So I simply use a variety of names: Black Forest Cake Roll, Vegan Swiss Roll, and Chocolate Yule Log. ? Just wanted to mention that, so please do not be irritated. What’s your favorite name for this kind of Cake?
Step-by-Step Instructions
To make this Black Forest Cake Roll, first, start with lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then combine all ingredients for the Vegan Chocolate Sponge Cake batter according to the recipe below. When the batter is mixed together, pour it onto the prepared baking tray and spread it evenly using a spatula. Pop it straight into the preheated oven and bake for around 20 minutes or until the cake is firm but still soft and springs back when you press down gently with your finger. Please make sure not to bake the Chocolate Sponge Cake for too long or it will get dry and crumbly.
When the Chocolate Sponge Cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes or so. In the meantime, dust a smooth kitchen towel with some sugar. This will help keep the cake from sticking to the towel. Then place the cake face-down onto the sugared towel and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Roll into shape with the towel and set aside to cool completely. If you want to make this Black Forest Cake Roll in advance, you can store it wrapped in the towel in the fridge until the next day. It will be just as good!
Cherry & Cream Filling
That filling and topping if this Black Forest Cake Roll looks so dreamy but it’s actually the easiest part of the Yule Log! You can make your own compote according to this recipe (it works also well with other fruits, no matter if canned, fresh or frozen) or using store-bought compote. Simply beat non-dairy cream (or another creamy filling) until whipped and spread approx. 1/2 amount of the cream over the unrolled cake along with the cherry compote. Then re-roll and frost with remaining cream.
Black Forest Cake Roll
This Black Forest Cake Roll only looks like it took forever but really it has simple ingredients, comes together quickly, and is definitely a show-stopping cake! It is:
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Quick and Easy to make
- Chocolatey
- Creamy
- Juicy
- Moist
- Can be filled with different fillings
- Tastes like heaven on earth!
Fluffy Vegan Cake Recipes
Once you take a bite of this fluffy and creamy Black Forest Cake Roll, you’ll have no words, only delicious feelings in your mouth and happiness in soul! The combination of chocolate, cherries and cream truly makes my mouth water. If you think so too, you should definitely give this recipe a try or check out my similar recipes for fluffy Vegan Cakes, such as my Vegan Black Forest Cake, Cranberry Vanilla Cake or my Best Vegan Chocolate Cake. Happy baking, guys!
Black Forest Cake Roll (Vegan Swiss Roll)
Author:You do not have a fitting cake pan at hand right now? Try my Cake Pan Conversion Calculator!
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge Cake
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (185g)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (40g)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup fine sugar (100g) + more to sprinkle
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla ground
- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (180ml) or more, if needed
- 1/3 cup chickpea brine (80ml) or 60ml more milk
- 1/4 cup vegan butter or oil (50ml)
Filling + Frosting
- 1 2/3 cups non-dairy whipping cream (400ml)
- 3 tsp powdered sugar or to taste
- 1 1/2 packs of cream stabilizer
- approx. 1/3 cup cherry compote
For Garnish (optional)
- canned cherries & chopped chocolate
Instructions
Chocolate Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 355˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, stir the apple cider vinegar into the non-dairy milk and set aside for about 3-5 minutes to create vegan buttermilk.
- Add the melted vegan butter and chickpea brine into the vegan buttermilk and mix until well combined.
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla and sift into the wet mixture. Stir to combine (but please do not overmix, or the cake won’t get so fluffy). The batter should be thick and pourable. Add a little more milk, if needed.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared baking tray and spread evenly with a spatula. Tap the tray on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake for approx. 20 minutes or until the cake is firm but still soft and springs back when you press down gently with your finger. (Please do not overbake though, or it will get dry and crumbly and you can’t roll it up easily without cracking).
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes.
- In the meantime, generously dust a smooth kitchen towel with some sugar. (This will help keep the cake from sticking).
- Place the cake face-down onto the sugared towel and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Trim of the edges with a sharp knife if they’re too dry.
- Roll into a log with the towel and set aside to cool completely. (You can also make the cake one day in advance and place it wrapped with the towel in the fridge overnight.)
Filling + Frosting
- Prepare the cherry compote according to this recipe (or use store-bought. You could also use other fruits to make it).
- Beat cold non-dairy cream with a hand mixer on high speed for 1 minute. Continue mixing, add sifted powdered sugar and cream stabilizer as you go. Beat for approx. 2 minutes longer until whipped and stiff peaks form.
Assemble the Cake Roll
- Carefully, unroll the cooled cake from the towel, spread a thin layer of cream and cherry compote evenly over the cake, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Then re-roll tightly.
- Spread the remaining cream over the cake roll and make pipes, and decorate with cherries, if you like. Sprinkle over chopped chocolate or create other decorations to your wish.
- Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge for later!
Notes
- You can also add other fillings of your choice, such as drained non-dairy yogurt (quark), tofu, custard, cream cheese. However, I can’t guarantee if this will result in a more runny filling, so please make sure that the consistency of the filling you choose is not so watery, otherwise, the liquid will soak into the sponge cake, which makes it soggy.
- The chickpea brine (the liquid of canned chickpeas) helps make the cake easier to roll, however, you could also use another egg substitute or just adding a little more non-dairy milk instead. If you notice a few cracks on the outside of the cake, just cover up with some cocoa powder or melted chocolate and the cream frosting.
- If you want to make a lemon or vanilla cake roll, you can omit the cocoa powder and add more flour or cornstarch instead.
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Hi,
Can I replace apple cider vinegar with white vinegar
Yes! 🙂
I used 2 Tbsp matcha powder instead of cocoa powder and 1 tsp vanilla extract instead of the vanilla ground. The flavor and texture was lovely! It did crack when I rolled it, but I think that’s because I waited too long after it came out of the oven to roll it in the towel.
Also used a mixture of red bean paste and coconut milk for the filling. Despite the failed rolling, came out quite nice 🙂
So glad it came out nice!
Thank you so much! 🙂 ♡
what would be a cream stabilizer??
You could use cream of tartar instead! 😉
Would just using a store bought coconut whipped cream and mixing the cherry into it work or would instill need to stabilize it more?
This depends on how stable is your coconut whipped cream.
Hi Bianca, thank you so much for sharing this lovely recipe, I’m planning on making it for Christmas day! I wanted to please ask, could I pour some kirsch on to the sponge to soak in before I roll it? Or would this cause the sponge to weaken? Beste Grüße!
Yes, you can definitely pour on some kirsch! This will even soften the cake, making it easier to roll! 😀
Hi Bianca, thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I wanted to make a very large layer cake but needed an eggless version of a génoise and your recipe came up.
I made a vanilla version and heated the wet mixture using a bain marie (as you would in a génoise) and it came out really well.
I will use this recipe in my next Christmas Yule log!
Merry Christmas 🎄 😊
Hi Nisha,
So glad it turned out great! 🙂
Many thanks and Merry Christmas! 🎄
I wish I read the comments before trying this recipe – mine was very quick to crack even when I was very slow and careful rolling it up. I made a perfect vegan matcha roulade last week so I’ve done the same rolling technique before. Not sure what went wrong 🙁
So sorry about that. 🙁
It’s a very fragile cake so you must be very careful.
Also, be sure to not overbake the cake or it will get dry and crumbly.
I have looked how to make chickpea brine. Do I use it straight or do I beat it til I get soft peaks
I use it straight. 🙂
Wow this looks so good! I would like to know if you can make this recipe into vanilla swiss roll by taking the cocoa powder out? And do I have to replace Cocoa powder with something else?
Thank you for all your awesome recipes!
Hi Sam,
When you skip the cocoa powder, the cake breaks more easily so I do not recommend that.
However, feel free to experiment with this recipe! 😉
Hi! I’ve tried this recipe. I’ve doubled it because I was going to have 10 guests. Since I read that many people had problems with the roll cracking, I decided to cut it in two and serve it as a rectangle cake.
Instead of cream I used 3 cups of yogurt (I put a cloth on a strainer and let 4 cups of yogurt drip all night on a dish in the fridge). For the filling I added the cream stabiliser and sugar. It worked well! 😉
Thank you so much, Sabina!
So glad you turned it into a rectangle cake! 🙂
Much love,
Bianca ♡
Can I use normal milk and butter for the recipe?
Yes! 🙂
As with other comments, mine cracked too. Either from not enough batter or the plant milk and vegan butter not melding well. I would use a diff cake recipe but repeat the rest of the recipe.
Which plant milk did you use? I recommend using soy milk for the best results.
Hello, this looks beautiful. ^-^
I have never made a cake roll before. I was wondering if I could just use plain icing for the inside of the cake?
Thank you very much
Yes, sure! 😊
I was able to make this recipe and slowly roll it up while still on parchment paper. I recommend not trying to transfer it to a towel. I think it does need some time to stay rolled up before unrolling and filling it. Seems it needs to cool till warm. If it is hot it will fall apart. Also have to wait till it is cool before adding whipping cream or it will melt. Lastly, if the whipping cream is too heavy or over filled that adds weight that can cause it to split. Worked for me being really slow and careful hope these tips help!
Thanks for your amazing tips! ❤️
I‘m sure it will be very helpful for other readers!
So glad your cake roll turned out great! 😊
one of the best recipes for swiss roll!!
So glad you love this recipe! Thank you! 😊
Hi,
I’ve tried to make your recipe 10 times 😄 Actually, the cake taste good and moist. I follow all the ingredients with exact measurement, but still, it cracks 😅
I use convection oven; 160 degree C for 12 minutes, it is the best result. The problem is, I even can’t roll the cake. And I can’t find what the problem is. Could you give some advise? Thank you
Hi Lee,
this cake is very fragile because it doesn’t contain eggs so it will always crack a bit. But when you add the cherry filling and cream you won’t see it 😀
The aquafaba works as a binder so please do not skip it. You could also add 1 tsp of xanthan gum to make it more elastic.
Rolling works best when you put it into a kitchen towel immediately after baking. So the steam will stay in the towel which will help to keep the cake soft.
I hope it works! 😀
Best, Bianca
Thank you for your reply ❤️
I did, I add xanthan gum 1/4 tsp, I use kitchen towel and do roll it while it still hot, slowly.
And, I also fill it with filling 😄 but it doesn’t look nice tho.
Anyway, I’ll keep trying and will let you know 😉
Thank youuu!
Hi Lee,
can you send me a photo via Instagram? 😀
I’d love to see it.
Hope it’ll turn out perfectly one day!
Best,
Bianca 🙂
Hi there ,
I intend to bake this beauty swiss roll for my late mom birthday as I make a point to celebrate my late mom’s birthday every year to remember her . My question is can I substitute vanilla ground with vanilla essence. I don’t think there any vanilla ground available near me. And what baking tray size do you recommend ?
Thanks
Yes, you can! My tray was about 14/15-inch x 11/12-inch 🙂
I tried this recipe and it was create. you have to be very gentle if you unroll. It’s almost better if it is still warm instead of cold, once its cold you are not able to move it back. Next time I will fill the roll warm because mine almost cracked because i cooled it down in the fridge but was able to safe it. I even used cashew cream for the filling and topping and it was so super good. I also use sugar replacement by diabetic kitchen.
Thank you so much for your feedback and your suggestions! 😊
Hi Bianca – should I whip the chickpea brine (as is normally the case when making aquafaba)?
The recipe does not make it clear. Thanks.
No you don’t need to whip it 🙂
Hey, can I omit the cacao to make a vanilla swiss roll?
You can try it, but I suggest using a bit more of flour instead.
Hi! Can you clarify what you mean by “vanilla ground?” I’m planning on improvising a bit, I’ll be making an orange chocolate roulade with a strawberry and rhubarb custard filling. Super excited to try this!
Hi there, I mean ground vanilla bean powder but you can also use 1-2 tsp vanilla extract if you prefer! Hope you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
i was looking forward to making this and it looked hopeful until I unrolled it after it fully cooled and it split horizontally. It is not holding together, As some others had pointed out, it was a disaster! i found the sponge dry and not sweet or chocolately enough.. As a vegan baker for decades my instincts told me that something was a bit off with the recipe; it lacks enough oil and sugar and cocoa, but i didn’t want to change anything b/c i know how fickle rolls are. Good thing that i had some choc buttercream to hold it together but did look like a log with bark on it before i frosted it.
I tried this recipe today, and it was a disaster. I followed it perfectly. I even watched tips and tricks to rolling your cake before I attempted to make this cake. It rolled up fine (so I thought), but as I unrolled it, it fell apart into strips. I made another one and baked it 2 minutes fewer. Same result—only the cake was a little softer. It tasted good, so we just put the pieces on a platter along with the filling.
Hi Stevie, I’m super sorry to hear that and I can totally understand that you’re angry now. But I’m sure you’ll get better when trying it more often. Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to roll a vegan cake but it works as you can see on the photos. Please make sure to not overbake the cake or it’ll get dry and crumbly. Hope you’ll enjoy your Christmas holidays! Lots of love, Bianca
Thanks how long does the vegan cherry roll last in refrigerator. I want to make it a couple of days before thanksgiving?
It’s best to serve it the same or the next day after assembling. Otherwise, you could risk that the cherries make the cake soggy or the whipped cream melts.
This was disastrous unfortunately. My daughters and I were very excited to make it (even went out yesterday to buy the right sized baking tray) and her flop was a real disappointment. Followed the instructions perfectly but it wouldn’t even roll up properly the first time – I could see the cracks as I was rolling it up. And then unrolling it it was just layers of strips that the cake and cut into. Such a shame. The cake is tasty but maybe some more tweaking for it to be suited perfectly for rolling purposes.
Hi Rose, I’m sorry to hear that. You must be very careful when rolling a vegan swiss roll and it’s really hard to create an easier egg-less recipe. Anyway, so many of my readers asked for a vegan cake roll version so I tried my best to create a recipe that works. Please make sure not to overbake the cake or it will crack easily. Hopefully, your next will be better. Lots of love, Bianca
I tried this recipe 4 times and followed the exact ingredients and instructions but each time the cake broke and cracked. Such a waste of ingredients and time. I’m so disappointed 🙁
Hi Isabel, I’m sooooo sorry to hear that! I have no idea what went wrong. I would love to bake it with you and show you how to make it.
Hi there, I tried this today in anticipation of the big day! I was not disappointed, no outlandish ingredients and I had to use up the chickpeas so I was forced to make a decent dinner.
Mine cracked slightly as I unrolled but practice will make perfect I’m sure, and you couldn’t tell anyway once it was rolled back up.
I used 200g of ready made vegan cream cheese frosting and added the zest of one orange for the centre and left the top naked as I was really just testing the bake.
Thumbs up from the family so we will be adding this to our Christmas day menu.
I might experiment with a few other flavours as it’s a very versatile base, thank you so much for sharing and making vegan life easier😊
Hi Betty, Thank you so much for your amazing feedback! So glad you enjoyed this vegan chocolate cake roll! I also love trying new flavors because you can really get creative with the filling! 🙂 Lots of love, Bianca <3
This is the first time I’ve seen a recipe for a vegan swiss roll that isn’t broken and shows a perfect swirl that would impress even Paul Hollywood! I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Rose, Honestly, I needed a few times until it turned out perfectly. You must be very careful when rolling but the chickpea brine (aquafaba) helps to make the dough more elastic like egg-whites. Also please make sure not to overbake the cake or it will get dry and crumbly. Let me know how it turned out when you try it! 🙂
What is cream stabilizer and where could I find it?
Thank you!
Hi Vivianna, a cream stabilizer is an ingredient that helps the whipped cream staying longer. I buy it here in Germany so unfortunately, I have no idea where you could find it in your country. Anyway, it’s just an optional ingredient so if you can find a good non-dairy whipping cream that doesn’t melt quickly, you can omit it.
Hi, looks amazing, what kind of vegan milk did you use? I am not a fan of chickpea brine….
Hi Irina, I used soy milk. I recommend you to not omit the chickpea brine because it’s very helpful for the binding. It makes the cake a little more elastic so it doesn’t break so quickly when you roll it.
can you make it a vanilla swiss roll
I’ve already made one but you must be super gently so I think, I won’t share it on the blog or people will be angry with me when they won’t have success! 😃
can you make a vanilla swiss roll?
I’ve shared one a while ago on Instagram but I think I won’t put it on my blog since you must be very very careful when making eggless swiss rolls and I don’t want to disappoint my readers when it fails 🙁
Can I use potato or tapioca starch instead of cornstarch?
Hi dear, unfortunately, I haven’t tried it yet so I’m not sure if it works too but feel free to give it a try. Let me know how it turned out 😉
We call it Brazo de reina (Queen’s arm) in Chile, Pionono in Argentina. The most common filling is manjar (a.k.a dulce de leche) and we sprinkle it with desiccated coconut. I’ll try this recipe! Thx
Thank you so much for that information! Honestly, I didn’t know that. It’s always exciting to learn more about the origin of vegan cake recipes. Hope you’ll like it 🙂
What size tray did you use for baking please?
My tray was about 14/15-inch x 11/12-inch 🙂
What size pan was used? Which one. You mention 2.
My pan was about 14/15-inch x 11/12-inch 🙂
I followed all your instructions to the last detail but when I opened out my roll after cooling it was broken into long strips. The sponge was stable but at every bend it was broken. In fact I took it out of the oven in 10mins because it was done by then and I did not want to overbake it. Pity because I’ve been searching for an eggftee Swiss roll recipe which works for a long time.
I’m very sorry to hear that. Anyway, you must be very very very careful when making an egg-less swiss roll. Did you add the aquafaba?
Wow…. What a great recipe, Love all these wonderful images! What a great idea you have and used. Everything is awesome!
So glad that you liked it! 🙂
Thank you so much!
Lots of love,
Bianca <3
Tried the recipe and was honestly disappointed, taste was great except it instanly crumbled for being so soft, couldnt roll up at all. Made the recipe without using chickpea brine, using vegan milk instead, maybe it wouldve been success using the brine.
I’m sorry to read this, but I recommend using the chickpea brine because it makes the cake easier to roll up. Please also make sure not to overmix the batter and not overbake the cake, or it will get crumbly instead of soft.
This is literally the ONLY plant based swiss roll recipe I’ve found that worked. And I have tried a lot!! So happy to have tried this. My baking tray was smaller than the one used in this recipe (I found the size of the pan by reading through the comments) so I didn’t use all the mixture and cut the cooking time by a few minutes. Both times I cooked it it’s been perfect. My 15yo son is using this recipe in a food technology exam next week – THANK YOU!!
So glad that you liked this recipe so much. Thank you! Wishing your son all the best for his exam! ?
I made this recipe yesterday for my husbands birthday it was so delicious, I added 1banana in stead of the sugar. Really delicious
So glad that you liked it! ? Love the idea with adding banana <3
Lots of love,
Bianca <3
I wish I should try this one made by Bianca, but I tried to do my best and made my own Cake Roll ? it is so delicious, thank you for recipe
Thank you so much, Laura!:)
Lots of love,
Bianca <3
What is the size of the cake pan, please?
Hi ?
My sheet is about 14/15-inch x 11/12-inch.
What size pan Has been used ?. Looking forward to trying this cake can you
Hi 🙂
My sheet is about 14/15-inch x 11/12-inch.
This would just make the perfect dessert to eat for Valentine’s day. I love it! xo
So glad that you liked it! ?
Thank you!
Sending love <3
Looks so delicious! I want to eat the whole roll in one go! 🙂
Much love, Ela
So glad that you like it! ?
Thank you! Sending love <3