Not exactly like the Little Debbie version, this flourless Swiss cake roll is gluten-free, filled with lightly sweetened whipped cream and finished with an Amaretto-spiked chocolate frosting. I’ve made it twice in the last two weeks because we enjoy it so much — and because roll cakes are worth the practice. They seem intimidating at first, but every time I bake one it turns out to be a crowd-pleaser. This version is cocoa-based and flourless, so it uses fewer ingredients (and costs a bit less) than some of my other roll cakes.
Amaretto in Whipped Cream and Frosting
This recipe is adapted from the gluten-free cookbook Against the Grain, with small adjustments I made while testing. One of my favorite touches from the original is the Amaretto added to both the whipped cream filling and the chocolate frosting. The flavor is subtle — it gives the cake a gentle almond note without overpowering the chocolate. If you prefer, you can substitute vanilla and still have an excellent cake.
Freezing Flourless Swiss Cake Rolls
If you have freezer space, use it. Freezing makes assembling and decorating roll cakes much easier. Because I’m not the most confident at frosting, I often freeze the filled roll before doing the final coating. Once the cake is rolled and cold, you can press it gently into a neater cylinder and patch any cracks with frosting or cake scraps. I usually apply a thin crumb coat, freeze again, then add a final layer of frosting. For this particular cake I planned to freeze the whole log and slice frozen pieces as needed, so I didn’t do additional decoration.
More Gluten-Free Swiss Cake Roll Tips
- Use a proper jelly-roll pan. A good quality pan (I use a USA Pan) helps the cake bake evenly and doubles as a cookie sheet.
- Wax paper or parchment both work for rolling. I use wax paper; it rolls easily when greased and covered with batter. Remember wax paper must be under batter (or it can smoke in the oven) and should be greased to prevent sticking.
- A stand mixer with two bowls is convenient because you can work with yolks and whites separately, but a reliable handheld mixer will also do the job.
- Before inverting the cake, dust the top with a mix of powdered sugar and cocoa to reduce sticking to the paper you turn it onto.
- Some recipes recommend rolling the cake while warm in a towel to set the shape. For this flourless version that step didn’t stop cracking—so don’t be alarmed if the cake cracks; patching is easy.
- Bake, fill and roll the cake ahead of time if possible. Freeze the rolled cake before frosting; frozen cake is easier to handle and decorate.
This flourless roll requires a little extra care because it contains no flour, but the results are worth it. Cracks are not a failure — they’re easy to hide with frosting. If you’re looking for an easier roll-cake to start with, try a flour-based version like my Hot Cocoa Cake Roll.
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
- Crustless Spinach Quiche
- Banana Cupcakes with Amaretto Cream Cheese Frosting
- Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cookies
- Amaretto Cheesecake Bars
Recipe
Flourless Chocolate Roll Cake
Anna
Ingredients
Cake
- Softened butter for greasing (or another fat)
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 6 tablespoons sugar, divided (4 T. and 2 T.)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch or natural)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola or another neutral oil)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (helps set the egg whites)
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups well-chilled heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons Amaretto (or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Cake Dusting Mixture
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Chocolate Icing
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 4 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons Amaretto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Grease a jelly-roll pan with softened butter, then line it with wax paper or parchment and grease again.
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk, beat the egg yolks with 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of the sugar until thick. Mix in the cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar, oil, salt and vanilla, scraping the bowl as needed. Remove this bowl from the mixer.
- Place the bowl with egg whites on the mixer. Beat on medium until frothy, then increase speed to form soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, then beat in the vinegar as the whites begin to stiffen. Stop when stiff peaks form — don’t over-dry them.
- Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate yolk mixture using a heavy scraper until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly (tilting the pan helps). Bake on the center rack for about 15 minutes, until puffed and just set.
- Remove from oven and let the cake cool completely. While it cools, loosen the edges of the wax paper with the tip of a knife.
- Prepare the filling: in a chilled bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks start to form. Gradually add the sugar, then beat in the Amaretto.
- When the cake is cool, sift the cocoa-and-powdered-sugar dusting over the top. Cover with a lightly greased sheet of wax paper or parchment, place a large board or baking sheet on top and invert the cake so it rests on the greased paper. Peel off the paper that was underneath. Spread the filling evenly over the cake, leaving about a 1-inch border so the filling can compress as you roll.
- Starting at a short side, roll the cake jelly-roll style, using the wax paper to help guide it. It may crack slightly; that’s fine. Wrap the rolled cake in the waxed paper and freeze until firm to make frosting easier.
- For the icing: beat the butter until creamy. Add the cocoa and blend, then beat in the powdered sugar. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time until smooth, then beat in the Amaretto.
- Spread the icing over the chilled or semi-frozen cake. You can freeze the iced roll and slice from frozen, or refrigerate until serving. Thaw slightly before serving and decorate if desired. Store in the refrigerator until serving time.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!